Learn how light therapy can reduce holiday stress, improve mood, and enhance overall well-being during the festive season.
If there's one thing many of us experience during the holiday season, it’s stress. As joyful as this time can be, it also brings pressures—now amplified by an ongoing global pandemic. None of us have navigated holidays under lockdowns and quarantines before, making the season especially unsettling.
Unable to see family in person, many of us may spend the holidays alone, connecting only through Zoom or Skype. This unusual situation can stir a range of emotions, and the chronic stress it fuels may contribute to health problems such as inflammation, headaches, insomnia, digestive issues, and reduced libido.
Winter also ushers in seasonal affective disorder (SAD), leaving many people with low energy, depressed mood, and appetite changes. Clearly, we’re juggling a lot this season, so self-care is more important than ever.
While we can’t always change our circumstances, we can take steps to support mental, emotional, and physical balance and to ease stress-related inflammation.
If you’ve searched online for inflammation causes, you’ve likely seen diet, weight, and exercise cited—all valid, yet incomplete. One often-overlooked trigger is stress itself.
When we’re stressed, the body’s inflammatory response activates, shifting us into allostasis. Allostasis is the adaptive process in which hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline are released, putting us into “fight or flight” mode.
This reaction is normal and usually short-lived. Problems arise when stress becomes chronic and the body struggles to return to homeostasis. Persistently elevated stress signals can keep the immune system on alert, potentially promoting ongoing inflammation.
Yoga and meditation can lower stress, yet they may not fully resolve inflammation. Some people explore complementary options; for example, red light therapy is being studied for its possible role in supporting recovery and balance.
If you visit a doctor for inflammation, you might receive non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or steroids. These medications can relieve symptoms, but they don’t necessarily address the underlying stress driver.
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This information is educational and not a substitute for professional medical advice.
Red light therapy may ease inflammation by delivering red and near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths to the skin and cells, possibly lowering oxidative stress and supporting cellular energy, which can help the immune response. Some users also report faster healing, better circulation, and less swelling.
Beyond inflammation, red light sessions are sometimes used to lessen symptoms of seasonal affective disorder (SAD), especially during darker winter months.
While short-term inflammation is normal, ongoing inflammation is linked to various health concerns. At-home red light panels, marketed by companies such as Lunas, are promoted as wearable or desk-top units; readers should verify any regulatory status directly with the manufacturer before purchase.
Winter can feel gloomy, but adding red light exposure might offer a gentle way to support mood and comfort.
This information is educational and not a substitute for professional medical advice.
