Red light therapy has gained popularity for its potential benefits, including improved sleep, pain relief, and better skin. Helight Sleep, an at-home device, uses red light at 630 nanometers to enhance sleep quality by stimulating melatonin production. Users may experience faster sleep onset and deeper sleep. The device is portable and easy to use, with positive personal results reported after consistent use.
If you’ve been tuned into the world of wellness recently, chances are you’ve heard of red light therapy. Red light treatments have exploded in popularity in recent years, with devotees claiming red light can deliver everything from better skin to reduced pain to improved injury recovery—and, you guessed it, a better night’s sleep.
As someone who’s always game for trying a new wellness trend—particularly one that might help me get better sleep—I’ve been curious about red light therapy for some time. That’s why I was so excited to be gifted Helight Sleep, an at-home red light therapy device, and put it to the test.
But the million dollar questions: Are the Helight Sleep reviews true—and does Helight red light therapy work? Here’s everything you need to know about this buzzy wellness trend—as well as my first-hand experience using red light therapy for sleep.
What to know about at-home red light therapy devices
Before we jump into my experience with Helight Sleep, let’s quickly review what red light therapy is, the reported benefits, and how you can experience this treatment at home.
“Red light therapy is when a particular frequency of light is exposed to the eye or body,” Michael J. Breus, PhD, clinical psychologist and fellow of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, explains in a previous Saatva article on red light therapy.
Red light is low frequency (around 430 terahertz) and long wavelength (around 700 nanometers); according to the Cleveland Clinic, “Red light therapy is thought to work on the ‘power plant’ of your body’s cells called mitochondria.”
Basically, the mitochondria is where the cell’s energy is created; as cells absorb the red light, they generate more energy and work more efficiently (a process known as photobiomodulation, which is similar to photosynthesis in plants).
This may promote a variety of health benefits, including improved injury recovery, improved wound healing and cellular repair, and reduced pain and inflammation.
Because of the way red light therapy works, it’s also become a go-to treatment in the skincare world, potentially offering anti-aging benefits like boosting collagen production and treating fine lines and wrinkles.
Red light therapy also has the potential to support better sleep as the red light wavelengths are believed to stimulate melatonin—aka the sleep hormone.
At-home red light therapy devices come in all shapes and sizes; for example, if you’re trying to use red light therapy for sleep, then you might opt for a red light lamp or eye mask.
Red light therapy has the potential to support better sleep as the red light wavelengths are believed to stimulate melatonin—aka the sleep hormone.
If you’re looking to manage pain or inflammation, then you might go for a blanket. If you’re looking to up your skincare game, then you might opt for a full-face mask. There are even red light devices you can use on your scalp that claim to stimulate hair growth!
One important thing to note is that at-home red light devices use actual red light; a bulb that’s tinted red isn’t the same thing—and isn’t going to give the same effect. “This is not a red-tinted bulb with a full spectrum,” Breus tells us.
Do red light therapy devices work?
Do red light therapy devices work—and, more specifically, do they work for sleep?
While there aren’t a ton of studies on how red light influences sleep, there is research that links red light therapy to getting better Z’s.
One study from the Journal of Athletic Training, which studied female athletes over a two-week period, found that athletes who received 30 minutes of red light therapy each night had improved sleep, increased levels of melatonin, and better endurance performance when compared to athletes who didn’t receive the red light treatment.
Another study from Nature and Science of Sleep found that red light therapy can help reduce “sleep inertia”—that groggy feeling you get when you first wake up.
While there definitely needs to be more research into red light and sleep, the research that exists is promising. So, if you’re looking to get better rest, it could be worth checking out.
Or, how about I check it out for you?
What is the Helight Sleep at-home red light therapy device?
As mentioned, I recently tried Helight Sleep. After reading the Helight Sleep reviews and description, I was pretty excited to give it a whirl. But what, exactly, is it?
Helight Sleep is a red light therapy device inspired by NASA protocols for helping astronauts get better sleep and regulate their circadian rhythms while traveling in space.
To mimic natural sunlight, NASA exposes astronauts to different types of light at different times of the day: blue in the morning, white in the daytime hours, and (you guessed it) red at night.
Helight Sleep emits pure red light at a wavelength of 630 nanometers for 14 minutes. At the 14-minute mark, the light starts to fade—and when the cycle hits 28 minutes, the device will shut off automatically.
This patented protocol was designed (after three full years of research and development!) to help you fall asleep faster and get better, more restorative sleep.
How to use Helight Sleep
Helight Sleep is super easy to use; all you have to do is press the red button on the side of the small, circular device to start the timed protocol. For best results:
- Let it charge. When you get the Helight Sleep, plug it into the USB charger and let it fully charge (which takes about three hours). This will give you plenty of nights of use. (If you want to leave it plugged in while you use it, that’s fine too!)
- Turn off all light sources. Helight Sleep should be the only light source in your bedroom.
- Place Helight Sleep near your bed. For best results, you’ll want to have Helight Sleep close to your body and eyes—for example, on your nightstand.
- Get in your usual sleep position. There’s no need to switch up your sleep position to use Helight Sleep; just get in your usual snooze position and the red light will pass through your eyelids and give your brain the signal that it’s time to sleep.
- Give it time. When it comes to how long Helight Sleep takes to work, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution; some people will experience benefits after a few days—while others will need about 21 days to adapt.
After 14 minutes, the light intensity will gradually fade and will turn completely off after 28 minutes. Its portable design and integrated battery make it perfect for travel, curbing jet lag by helping reduce the period of adaptation to a new time zone.
Although some people need about 21 days to adapt and regulate their sleep, you may feel positive effects from the first week.
My Helight Sleep review
What did I think about the Helight Sleep? If I could sum it up in two words: LOVED IT.
I went into this process with a healthy dose of skepticism. But within a few days, I could already feel a difference.
My biggest sleep challenge, hands down, is falling asleep. I toss, I turn, and I often find myself checking my phone to find that an hour (or two!) has passed and I’m still wide awake.
The first few nights of using the Helight Sleep, I used it twice; I went through the 28-minute cycle—and, since I was still awake, I hit the button and went through it again.
But after about a week, I was asleep before the Helight Sleep turned itself completely off, which means I was asleep within 28 minutes of my head hitting the pillow. That’s definitely not the norm for me.
I also noticed on my sleep tracker that my restorative sleep inched up a bit as I used my Helight Sleep—for a total of about 5%.
What did I think about the Helight Sleep? If I could sum it up in two words: LOVED IT. I went into this process with a healthy dose of skepticism. But within a few days, I could already feel a difference.
Obviously, I’m thrilled with the results. But aside from the fact that I’m falling asleep faster and getting deeper sleep, there are other things I really like about the Helight Sleep.
I love how small and compact it is; I’m about to leave for a trip to visit family, and I can easily throw this in my purse or backpack. (Since it helps to regulate circadian rhythms, it should also help with jet lag as I adjust to the new time zone!)
I also really love the “hands off” design; Once I hit the button, all I have to worry about is falling asleep—and I won’t wake up in the middle of the night to a red glow in my bedroom (which, to me, feels a bit like a horror movie).
Arguably my favorite feature of the Helight Sleep (outside of the results, of course)? It’s a standalone device. There’s no app, there’s nothing to download, and after the initial cost of the Helight Sleep (which is $139), there’s nothing to pay for—which, in today’s world, where seemingly everything has a monthly subscription fee attached to it, was really refreshing.
The bottom line on at-home red light therapy devices
Bottom line? I think it’s safe to say that Helight Sleep has made me an official red light therapy convert.
While research on red light therapy for sleep is limited—and there’s some research that red light therapy may actually increase alertness (which is the opposite of what you want when you’re trying to sleep)—from my experience, it’s definitely something that’s worth a try.
So, if you want to fall asleep faster, get better sleep, and do so in a way that’s easy, straightforward, and requires minimal fuss? I would recommend the Helight Sleep.
Just remember, it can take a little while to work—so if you don’t experience results in the first few days like I did, don’t give up!
FAQs
Does Helight Sleep really work?
In my experience, yes! The Helight Sleep helped me fall asleep faster and improved the quality of my sleep.
Does red light therapy work for sleep?
Red light therapy is thought to stimulate melatonin production (aka the sleep hormone)—which can signal to your body that it’s time to go to sleep.
What are the side effects of red light therapy?
Red light therapy is generally considered safe—but like any therapy, consult your doctor before introducing it into your sleep routine.
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Images courtesy of Helight
