As fall and winter approach, we look forward to cherished family gatherings and joyful holidays. However, this part of the year also brings some health issues that can keep you from enjoying your holidays to the fullest. As the temperature drops and the days grow shorter, you are likely to become vulnerable to skin issues, low immunity, fatigue, joint pain, and mood disturbances.
However, it is possible to avoid these problems associated with fall and winter and stay happy and healthy with red light therapy.
In this article, we will explore how fall and winter can impact your health and how infrared light therapy can help you overcome these challenges.
How Fall & Winter Affect Your Health
At the end of June, we start noticing the days getting shorter and the nights becoming longer. This results in us getting less sunshine and very little warmth from the sun. Additionally, clouds become more prevalent in the fall and winter months due to typical wind patterns, temperature variations, and oceanic factors.
These changes result in a shift from the clear, sunny skies of summer to the cold and shadowy days of fall and winter.
The lack of sufficient sunshine and warmth, coupled with dark surroundings, is the primary reason why these seasons can trigger various health concerns, such as:
- Low moods or depression
- Weak immunity
- Recurrent respiratory infections
- Fatigue
- Low energy levels
- Dry, itchy skin
- More visible wrinkles and fine lines
- Joint pain and stiffness
- Sleep disturbances
Red light therapy can help address these concerns by working at the cellular level. Let's find out how infrared light therapy works to help you manage common complaints associated with fall and winter.
1. Brighten Your Mood and Beat the Winter Blues
The diminishing daylight during fall and winter can reduce your body's exposure to natural sunlight.
Research shows that this could trigger the symptoms of seasonal affective disorder, typically marked by low moods, unexplained fatigue, and depression. Here’s some information on how fall and winter affect your emotional wellness. [1]
Red light therapy uses specific wavelengths of red and near-infrared light, including 630 nm, 660 nm, 850 nm, or 940 nm, to stimulate cellular energy production. This can positively influence your brain health by improving the balance of mood-related neurotransmitters.
To be precise, infrared light therapy increases the production of feel-good hormones, such as serotonin and dopamine, while lowering the levels of the stress hormone called cortisol. Read this to learn more about how red light therapy helps improve hormonal balance. [2]
This favorable balance of hormones is expected to lift your mood and help you overcome the negative impact of fall and winter on your emotional well-being, and allow you to feel upbeat.
2. Fortify Your Immune System for the Cold Season
Your immune system also bears the brunt of the negative impact of the cold season.
The lack of sufficient sunlight exposure and cold, chilly days and nights during fall and winter can make your immunity weaker. Colder temperatures can also alter the immune system in your nose, making you susceptible to viral infections.
These are some reasons why the prevalence of colds and other respiratory infections rises sharply during these months.
Now you can utilize the potential benefits of infrared light therapy to boost your immunity and optimize cellular function. Starting regular red light therapy sessions a few weeks before fall—and continuing through winter—can protect you from respiratory and other infections by strengthening your immune system. Read this to learn more about how red light therapy helps improve immune function. [3]
In addition, red light therapy may enhance energy production at the cellular level by promoting the synthesis of ATP. This ensures your body is supplied with a steady source of energy to fight infections, contributing to a robust immune system. Here is some information you can check to find out the mechanism of action of red light on energy production. [4]
3. Soothe Cold-Weather Aches and Joint Pain
Have you heard people with joint pain and arthritis talking about how they can tell cold weather is approaching because they can feel it in their joints? Well… behind those light-hearted jokes is the pain and stiffness that makes their movements difficult and their routine challenging.
The expansion of bodily tissues in colder weather can further contribute to stiffness and reduced physical activity.
However, red light therapy for pain relief can offer huge relief to these patients by reducing inflammation in the joints. Exposure of the affected joints to specific wavelengths of light emitted by a red light therapy device can reduce pain and stiffness in the joints and improve their mobility. Read this to learn more about how red light therapy works for joint pain relief. [5]
Red light therapy for pain relief can help you move around more easily, allowing you to enjoy family gatherings and vacations with ease.
4. A Natural Way to Boost Your Winter Energy Levels
Nobody likes to wake up and get to work when the sun has yet to rise. But that's exactly what happens during fall and winter.
The late sunrise and early sunset leave us with very few hours of sunshine, and that is too limited. The lack of sunshine and dark, cloudy weather can dampen our moods and lower our energy levels.
Now you can harness the power of red light to keep yourself energized even in fall and winter. The infrared light therapy typically uses wavelengths between 600 nm and 850 nm. The light is absorbed by the powerhouse of the cells called mitochondria. This stimulates mitochondria, resulting in the generation of more ATPs.
These benefits of red LED light therapy can help you avoid fatigue and feel more energetic throughout the day. It can also improve cellular energy, thus supporting bodily functions such as tissue repair and rejuvenation. Click here to read more about how red light increases energy levels. [6]
5. Revitalize Your Skin Against Harsh Winter Air
Dry skin is another very common complaint people have during the cold season. The cold air holds less moisture, making the air a lot drier. The dry environment makes the skin drier.
That’s not all. The lack of proper hydration of the skin can also accelerate aging, causing wrinkles and fine lines to become more visible.
These winter and fall skin challenges can be managed with red light therapy. Red LED light therapy promotes healthy and radiant skin by stimulating mitochondria in the skin cells.
The penetration of infrared light into the mitochondria increases the production of collagen and basic fibroblast growth factors. It also promotes the proliferation of fibroblasts. These benefits of red light therapy can improve skin health, making it soft and supple, while reducing wrinkles and fine lines. Here’s how red light therapy works and enhances skin health. [7]
6. Regulate Your Sleep for Better Rest on Longer Nights
The change in light cycles during fall and winter can disrupt the body’s internal biological clock, known as the circadian rhythm. This could disrupt your sleep patterns, making it difficult for you to enjoy a restful night's sleep.
Incorporating red light therapy for sleep into your evening routine can stimulate the production of the sleep hormone called melatonin and promote relaxation. This signals the body that it's time to wind down, helping you fall asleep more easily and achieve a restful night.
Stay Healthy and Vibrant This Fall and Winter
The fall and winter weather doesn’t have to let you down. You can, instead, make the most of this season by seeking red light therapy. At BestQool, we offer a wide range of targeted red LED light therapy devices to help you manage common health issues associated with fall and winter, such as a weakened immune system, depression, sleep disturbances, dry skin, and fatigue.
If you're looking forward to enjoying this fall and winter with your loved ones, consider seeking infrared light therapy to ensure you begin the next season with cherished memories.
Visit this page to learn about the basics of red LED light therapy. You can reach out to us to learn more about how red light therapy works, the benefits you can expect, and how to find a device suitable for your specific complaints.
References:
- Munir S, Gunturu S, Abbas M. Seasonal Affective Disorder. 2024 Apr 20. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan–. PMID: 33760504.
- Rao ML, Müller-Oerlinghausen B, Mackert A, Strebel B, Stieglitz RD, Volz HP. Blood serotonin, serum melatonin, and light therapy in healthy subjects and in patients with nonseasonal depression. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 1992 Aug;86(2):127-32. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1992.tb03240.x. PMID: 1529735.
- Shamloo S, Defensor E, Ciari P, Ogawa G, Vidano L, Lin JS, Fortkort JA, Shamloo M, Barron AE. The anti-inflammatory effects of photobiomodulation are mediated by cytokines: Evidence from a mouse model of inflammation. Front Neurosci. 2023 Apr 6;17:1150156. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1150156. PMID: 37090796; PMCID: PMC10115964.
- Huang D, Taha MS, Nocera AL, Workman AD, Amiji MM, Bleier BS. Cold exposure impairs extracellular vesicle swarm-mediated nasal antiviral immunity. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2023 Feb;151(2):509-525.e8. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2022.09.037. Epub 2022 Dec 6. PMID: 36494212.
- Zhang R, Qu J. The Mechanisms and Efficacy of Photobiomodulation Therapy for Arthritis: A Comprehensive Review. Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Sep 19;24(18):14293. doi: 10.3390/ijms241814293. PMID: 37762594; PMCID: PMC10531845.
- Osborne NN, Núñez-Álvarez C, Del Olmo-Aguado S, Merrayo-Lloves J. Visual light effects on mitochondria: The potential implications in relation to glaucoma. Mitochondrion. 2017 Sep;36:29-35. doi: 10.1016/j.mito.2016.11.009. Epub 2016 Nov 24. PMID: 27890822.
- Couturaud V, Le Fur M, Pelletier M, Granotier F. Reverse skin aging signs by red light photobiomodulation. Skin Res Technol. 2023 Jul;29(7):e13391. doi: 10.1111/srt 13391. PMID: 37522497; PMCID: PMC10311288.
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