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If you think light therapy is just about getting vitamin D from the sun or avoiding sunburn, this conversation will completely transform how you understand light as a fundamental nutrient your body desperately needs to function properly.
Today I’m talking with Brian Richards, founder and inventor of SaunaSpace, who discovered the power of light therapy over a decade ago when he was struggling with insomnia, acne, and low energy right out of college. What started as a personal health journey led him to uncover Dr. Kellogg’s work, where he tested incandescent electric light baths on 50,000 patients and documented healing from almost every chronic illness imaginable.
Brian’s approach is revolutionary because he’s not just creating another red light device—he’s recreating the full spectrum of healing light that our bodies are designed to receive from the sun, but without the harmful UV rays.
We’re diving deep into:
- Why we’re literally beings of light
- How over 70% of the photons we absorb from the sun are near infrared
- Why this specific wavelength is crucial for mitochondrial function, melatonin production, and cellular repair.
From why LED lights are damaging our health to how structured water works in our bodies, Brian breaks down the science behind why light therapy can be life-changing for everything from seasonal depression to eyesight improvement.
In today’s episode, we’re talking about:
- How over 70% of the energy we absorb from the sun is near infrared light that directly feeds our mitochondria
- The difference between LED red light therapy and full-spectrum incandescent light
- How light exposure in the morning programs your entire day
- The revolutionary sauna technology that heats your body from the inside out using light instead of hot air
- EMF shielding and why it matters for creating the ultimate healing environment free from the constant stress of wireless signals
How do light, red light, and sunlight impact who we are as humans?
Setting aside everything that’s ever been said, just go outside and see how you feel in the sun. It always feels good, as long as you’re not getting too much. It’s always nourishing. And that goes for almost every plant and every animal on earth. The sun nourishes all life on earth.
Humans are like plants. We eat light just like plants do, just at different wavelengths. Plants use the UV, and we use a lower frequency band called near infrared. And it turns out when we’re out in the sun, over 70% of the photons we absorb are near infrared. You can’t see it with your eyes, but your body and cells see it.
You can get the majority of your energy needs from the sun. You’ll notice that you’re not as hungry because the sun, through photobiomodulation and light therapy, literally energizes the cells and gives them energy. In the winter, you get less sun, and you eat more dense, hearty foods. But in the summer, you can eat lighter if you’re getting a lot of sun. The sun is essential for just basic energy.
Wellness seems to be going more and more towards one of the fundamental parameters of health, being energy production. How are we taking in energy and utilizing it? Is that process optimal?
The mitochondria are at the center of that—it’s a little powerhouse in every one of our cells. It’s nourished by light. It absorbs near infrared and red light, but near infrared penetrates a lot deeper in the body than red.
If we want to nourish our brain and the deep organs of the body, we have to use near-infrared light. The near infrared light stimulates melatonin, which some people think is like the sleep hormone, but it’s actually an antioxidant as well. Near infrared light in the cells produces 94% of the body’s melatonin. People used to think it was mostly coming from the pineal gland and the blue light that you get during the day.
Cellular melatonin comes from the near-infrared light in the sun. The sun is refilling our antioxidant reserves in all of our cells every day.
I’m obsessed with structured water right now. Can you share how that process works in our bodies?
We are beings of light and water. The near infrared light in repolarization, these electrical potential systems in our bodies, makes everything that happens at the cellular level more efficient, which includes water.
Water is structured by the sun. Water is put into a more bioavailable state called the fourth state of water, also called structured water, where it makes everything work better.
There are two ways to structure water, and one is with light. Near infrared light is one of the best because it goes deepest into the body. You’re structuring water that’s inside your body. But also, all the water we consumed in nature was structured.
The other way to structure water is by vortexing it. When the water goes through the ground through springs, waterfalls, and rivers, it gets mixed up. Structured water is when the charges are aligned instead of randomly distributed.
We can structure water in different ways, and basically, all the water we consume, even the water we bathe in, ideally, would be structured. There are devices that you put into your plumbing system that basically run water through crystal marbles and structure it.
We’re recreating what exists in terms of water and nature. This is way beyond just removing the chemicals, which is also important for making the water clean and non-toxic—it also needs to be returned to its natural state.
I’ve been using red light therapy in the LED perspective in a very clinical way on my thyroid. What do you think about these devices?
As modern humans living in a modern society indoors, where we’re not outside in the sun and we’re not sleeping on the ground by an open fire flame—we’re trying to recreate that environment to fit our modern society. Most people aren’t going to go live outdoors and revert to hunting and gathering, avoiding our indoor synthetic environment. That’s something that’s just not realistic for most people.
So what do you do? I like to call it bio harmonizing. We want to make the indoor environment mimic the outdoor environment as much as possible.
Nowadays, all the indoor lighting is usually LED or fluorescent, so lots of toxic blue light and matrix light. It’s a very stressful light that our bodies are not designed to get very much of in nature. We get a little bit of blue light from the sun, but we get a lot more near-infrared light, which counteracts the effects of ultraviolet and blue light.
With red light therapy and light therapy in general, you can actually have the best of both worlds. You can get mitochondrial stimulation, which is what you’re doing with red light, and naturally get near infrared light with the spectrum that mimics the sun’s spectrum.
This is what we have in our firelight bulb. It’s basically mimicking the sun, but there’s no blue or ultraviolet light. But the feeling of the light matches that original, optimal light, because it’s the full spectrum that stimulates your mitochondria.
Want to Try Red Light Therapy?
I hope you enjoyed this conversation with Brian! Listen to the episode to hear the full conversation about the importance of light therapy and daily sun exposure.
If you want to try light therapy, start with the single bulb. See how it improves your entire life:
- Cognitive function
- The way your body operates
- Your hormones
- Your sleep
Use that in the morning before the sun comes up. There are a lot of people who are exposed to that blue light, and there’s not a lot they can do about it. The glow light is one thing that can help improve your overall health.
Use code WENDY to get 10% off your SaunaSpace order.
FAQs About Light Therapy
What does light therapy do for you?
Light therapy mimics natural sunlight. It’s recommended for seasonal affective disorder (SAD) because it helps regulate mood by boosting serotonin and balancing melatonin. You can also use light therapy to help with sleep disorders, jet lag, depression, anxiety, and skin treatments.
How can I do light therapy at home?
Purchase a single bulb from SaunaSpace, a handheld device, or a full right light box. Use it every morning for 5-20 minutes.
How many minutes a day should you do light therapy?
For mood or sleep, use it for 20-30 minutes a day. For skin therapy, start with 5-20 minutes, 3-5 times per week.
Episode Links:
- 10% off SaunaSpace Glow Light and Saunas with code WENDY
- Get your free Top 25 Toxins to Avoid download
- Shop the Toxin Free Shopping Guide
About SaunaSpace
At SaunaSpace, we believe in doing things differently—with integrity, intentionality, and a deep sense of social responsibility. Our mission is to align with nature and illuminate the innate power within your body through the transformative benefits of light and heat therapy.
Related Episodes
Episode 36: Can Red Light Therapy Actually Heal Your Thyroid?
Episode 62: How 3-Minutes of Red Light Therapy a Week Can Improve Your Eyesight
Episode 122: Red Light Therapy Benefits: Healing Everything from ADHD to Autoimmune Diseases with Dr. Abby Krammer
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