The Ultimate Guide to Red Light Therapy: How to Use Red and Near-Infrared Light Therapy for Anti-Aging, Fat Loss, Muscle Gain, Performance Enhancement, and Brain Optimization

by Ari Whitten

Brain performance, mood enhancement (e.g. combatting depression and anxiety), or brain healing—Use the light (ideally a pure near-infrared light or 50-50 mix of NIR and red, since near-infrared penetrates the skull much more effectively than red light) from 6”-12” away. Since hair blocks the light, you want to use it on an area of your head without hair. For people with hair (no shaved or bald head), this generally means to use it on the forehead, or on the sides of the head through ear area, or at the base of the neck. The base of the neck may allow you to target the cerebrospinal fluid (the fluid that surrounds the brain), and this may provide beneficial effects on the cells in that fluid which impact brain health. The forehead is definitely the most effective area, and has actually been used in several of the studies on depression and brain enhancement. In addition to using the standard LED panels in this way, you also have the option to get the VieLight Neuro device, which allows you to work the lights into the base of your hair follicles and deliver light through the skull at multiple points on the head, even if you have hair. For people who wish to target the brain as their primary focus, I think it’s definitely worth it to get that VieLight Neuro device. (Note: I don’t recommend their intranasal lights—only the whole head “Neuro” device.)