Don't Underestimate Light Therapy: It Could Be The Next Big Brain Treatment

It's always wise to keep an eye out for treatments that seem too good to be true. Practices or therapies framed as cure-alls or magic bullets are all too common these days. And then there are the therapies that seem ridiculously simple but actually pack a powerful punch in terms of health benefits. One new study in the journal 1Science Advances1 suggests that light therapy could be one of them, especially when it comes to the health and activity of brain cells. 

The study found that this technique can indeed lead to long-term changes in neuron behavior that don't require any other interventions. At the moment, researchers plan to use the new technique as a research tool to better understand what's happening in the brain, but hopefully, in the future, it can be used therapeutically for brain-related conditions like Alzheimer's or psychiatric diseases. 

As we alluded to before, light therapy is one of those treatments that may sound a little well…iffy. Shining light on your body or brain cells just doesn't seem like it could possibly be a scientifically backed medical invention. But according to this study—and many that have come before it—light therapy has significant potential. Past research has shown that light therapy can: 

Actions as simple as getting morning sun exposure may also benefit your sleep and daytime energy levels, as melatonin (the main "sleep hormone") is inhibited by light and produced when you're in a dark environment. So while we're still a ways away from using the light therapy tested in this study to treat brain disorders, it adds to a growing body of evidence that says light therapy is, in fact, legitimate. Given its research-backed potential, mindbodygreen even called it as a wellness trend to watch in the year ahead.

Another great practice for promoting brain health is meditation. Meditation has been shown to keep your hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for learning and emotional regulation, healthier, and some studies have found it can help decrease brain cell volume in the amygdala, which is the part of the brain responsible for fear, anxiety, and stress. It has even been shown to alter the behavior and conductivity of neurons3, like how light therapy did in this new MIT/Harvard study.