People can experience depression relief using photobiomodulation (light therapy).  It has been used for over 50 years to relieve pain and heal people.  Photobiomodulation is FDA approved for pain relief, inflammation reduction and increased blood flow.  Scientific research the last few years has proven that putting light on the brain can reduce depression.

There are No side effects to using low level laser therapy (photobiomodulation).  Everybody feels relaxed after a quick 5-minute treatment.  It is painless.

We will show evidence in 3 ways on how light therapy can help relieve depression, starting from the first treatment. 

#1 What happens so that people get depression relief using photobiomodulation?

Light therapy produces photons which stimulate chemical changes within the cells, provoking biological reactions that benefit the body in a variety of ways.  There is increased blood flow, reduced inflammation and reduced oxidative stress.  The light regenerates cells and tissues.  Photobiomodulation helps with traumatic brain injury and strokes.   

The medical benefits were first discovered in 1967 by Dr. Endre Mester.  He used low level laser therapy on rats.  He observed a heightened rate of hair growth and wound healing.  Light therapy today is also used to grow hair and heal wounds.  The most amazing power of light therapy to me is in healing the brain.  

ACTION STEP: Go outside first thing in the morning and get a few minutes of sunlight.  How do you feel? 

You can think of light therapy like photosynthesis.  The sunlight on a plant helps the plant grow.  The same with light therapy.  Using low level laser helps stimulate and regenerate your cells. 

#2 Depression relief using photobiomodulation scientific evidence

Dr. Michael Hamblin works at Harvard Medical School and is a leading worldwide expert on light therapy.  He talks about depression in his article “Shining Light on the Head: Photobiomodulation for Brain Disorders”:

“Photobiomodulation (PBM) describes the use of red or near-infrared light to stimulate, heal, regenerate, and protect tissue that has either been injured, is degenerating, or else is at risk of dying. One of the organ systems of the human body that is most necessary to life, and whose optimum functioning is most worried about by humankind in general, is the brain. The brain suffers from many different disorders that can be classified into three broad groupings: traumatic events (stroke, traumatic brain injury, and global ischemia), degenerative diseases (dementia, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s), and psychiatric disorders (depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder). There is some evidence that all these seemingly diverse conditions can be beneficially affected by applying light to the head.”

There was a scientific study done 10/20/18.  The title is “Transcranial Photobiomodulation for the Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder”.  Transcranial is shining light on the head.  Michael Hamblin was involved with this study.  The conclusion of the study was: “t-PBM (transcranial photobiomodulation) with NIR (near infra-red) light demonstrated antidepressant properties with a medium to large effect size in patients with MDD (major depressive disorder).” 

So light therapy is proven to help people with depression.

ACTION STEP: What would it be like if you could regenerate your brain?

Light therapy regenerates all tissues: muscles, ligaments, tendons, bone, cartilage and brain tissue.  This is very exciting and the worst that can happen from a light treatment is that nothing happens. 

#3 Depression relief using photobiomodulation case study

Joe Godwin came to me depressed.  He also had suffered a traumatic brain injury.  Before the injury, he had occasional prewritten symphonies (musical compositions) come to him in his head.  After the brain injury, they disappeared for 5 years. 

We treated his brain with light therapy.  After 6 treatments, he had a breakthrough in his depression and the musical compositions returned!  With more treatments, the symphonies were coming to him daily.  We were able to heal Joe’s brain.  His depression was dramatically less and we were able to heal his traumatic brain injury.  At no time did he have any side effects.

ACTION STEP: Consider getting light therapy if you have depression.  Go to someone who is certified in light therapy and who has experience healing people with depression. 

Photobiomodulation can regenerate tissue.  It can reduce pain and inflammation.  It can heal all parts of the body.  It reduces depression and boosts people’s mood.  And the worst that can happen is that nothing happens.  So you can get depression relief using photobiomodulation.

To Your Happiness😊!

Jim Twomey

Tucson’s Depression and Anxiety Relief Specialist

Author of “Natural Pain Relief with Cool Laser”

Certified Light Therapist

CEO and Founder of Peace for You