Decades of debilitating migraines ended with green light therapy. Read Deb's inspiring story of finding fast, drug-free relief & getting her life back
Deb Samuels endured debilitating migraines for decades—until she tried green-light therapy and found fast, drug-free relief that changed her days.
There’s so much I’m missing, Deb thought, pulling a blanket over her head in a darkened room while another severe migraine pulsed. Downstairs, her four grown children, grandchildren, and 94-year-old mother chatted on Mother’s Day; Deb had missed countless moments since chronic migraines began at age 13.
Each attack brought throbbing pain, brain fog, and muscle tension so intense she could barely speak or move. Some days she could not leave her bed.
The 65-year-old from Natick, Massachusetts, had consulted numerous doctors, sampled prescription drugs—some caused allergic reactions, others posed liver risks—cut caffeine, guarded her sleep, and even tried medical Botox. Yet the headaches persisted, eventually striking almost daily. I may never have a normal life, she feared.
Last year, while visiting a relative in the hospital, Deb met a researcher who knew of her migraines. “I think I have something that could help,” he said, describing a Harvard-developed light therapy that uses a narrow band of green light. In small studies, this wavelength reduced migraine days by roughly 60 %. Unlike broad-spectrum light, which can amplify pain signals, the selected green band appears to quiet electrical activity in the brain, an effect compared to walking through a calm forest.
Skeptical but hopeful, Deb sat in the soft green glow. Within 10 minutes her anxiety eased; after 20 minutes the headache had faded.
Daily 30-minute sessions followed. Over the next months she experienced fewer headaches, and when one surfaced she could often ease it within minutes. An adult ADHD patient, Deb also noticed clearer focus.
“After a year, I still can’t believe what this lamp has done for me,” says Deb. “Now I have dinner with my mother every night and video-chat with my grandkids. My husband says I laugh more. When all else failed, this little green light gave me my life back.”
This article originally appeared in our print magazine, Woman’s World.
