Subjecting rats to green light did indeed relieve pain- but only if their eyes were exposed to the green light. Green PBM increased the rats’ pain thresholds for up to four days. The researchers note that they have not tried this sort of experiment on humans, so they cannot say whether it would have the same effect on humans. You guys know me, though. I am impatient, have frequent headaches and throat irritation from CPAP machine use and am surrounded by our new 2nd Generation All Green LED Bulbs. Obviously, it’s not smart to stare into such a bright bulb, but using it at a distance to bathe my desk in green light seemed like a good idea. Fifteen minutes later, my headache was gone. Unfortunately, I couldn’t say the same about my irritated throat. Still, headache relief is worth it, so I will be keeping this light in easy reach. 

​

Green Light Photobiomodulation for Circadian Rhythm Regulation

If you have Seasonal Affective Disorder, are facing the prospect of jet lag or you just want to make sure your sleep patterns are on track, PBM with green light could help. A study at Harvard found that while bright white light and blue light have the biggest effects on circadian rhythm, green light also plays a role. Researchers are now questioning whether other colors of light might also have an impact. Watch out, though! I’ve been noticing on several companies’ websites that they are (incorrectly) reporting that green light therapy can help you sleep. They clearly did not read the studies, which show that green light helps the body “wake up” in a way similar to blue light, making you feel more alert. Could green light PBM help you with chronic insomnia? Perhaps, but only if you used it in the mornings to encourage your body to recognize that it is daytime and to help stop/block melatonin. Green light should definitely not be used in the evenings if you want to sleep. 

​

Green Light PBM for Depression

Daily exposure to green light was just as effective in treating depression symptoms caused by seasonal affective disorder as exposure to white light and was more effective than red light. Bright white/blue light is the standard for treating SAD and some people with year-round depression find using the light in the morning is helpful. Perhaps we should be looking at incorporating green light into the mix as well. 

​

Green Light LLLT for Reducing Skin Redness

Green light PBM is a great treatment for redness and hyper-pigmentation. The calming effect of green light wavelengths soothe redness away, making green light useful for those with rosacea or hyper-pigmentation issues like age spots. 

​

Sounds great right? It turns out the more it is studied, the more interesting uses for green light appear.