Struggling With Low Energy? How Light Therapy Can Give You a Boost

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Your energy levels factor into every aspect of your daily life. Low energy can drain your mood, productivity and overall well-being. Several things may cause this drop, such as seasonal changes, stress or hard days. Whatever the cause, you might feel like you’re running on empty. If coffee doesn’t do the trick, light could be the missing piece of the puzzle to better health.

Light therapy has evolved beyond its initial use in tanning salons. Today, it’s recognized as a natural, noninvasive way to combat fatigue and elevate energy levels, particularly during winter. With the flick of a switch, you can mimic the benefits of sunlight and help reset your body’s internal clock — enhancing sleep, mood and focus. Explore how to use it, why it works, and how it can increase your energy levels and overall health.

Understanding Low Energy 

You may feel like you forgot to charge your internal battery when hormonal changes, a sedentary lifestyle or chronic stress deplete your energy reserves. The “seasonal dip” might be a recurring feature in your life, bringing mood swings and sluggishness as fall turns into winter. This common energy slump is often linked to seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a condition triggered by decreased light exposure and disrupted circadian rhythms.

When your energy is low, concentration may become challenging, and waking refreshed — even after seven or more hours of sleep — feels impossible. Instead of feeling motivated, you begin experiencing mood swings and persistent exhaustion. In fact, people who get less than six hours of sleep a night are 2.5 times more likely to feel mental distress.

Some of the common causes of exhaustion and general malaise may include:

• Sleeping poorly 
• Chronic stress and mental fatigue 
• Nutrient deficiency
• Dehydration
• Obesity and weight gain

What Is Light Therapy? 

Light therapy involves exposure to specific wavelengths or different color frequencies, each offering unique benefits. This treatment may use light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in the red, blue and green spectrum or full-spectrum white light that mimics natural sunlight.

For those struggling with SAD, full-spectrum LED therapy may be particularly beneficial. Your body depends on light for more than just vision — it directly influences energy production at a cellular level. While food provides fuel, light and heat stimulate the mitochondria in your cells, triggering essential biological processes.

Using light to heal isn’t new, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has experimented with light for medical and agricultural purposes since the late 1980s. Each hour spent in natural sun improves mood and decreases a risk factor that would contribute to developing depression.

How Light Therapy Affects Energy Levels 

Ancient humans relied on sunlight to regulate their days and biological clocks. Sunrise signaled activity, and sunset brought rest — becoming ingrained in human DNA. Today, natural light remains crucial to a well-functioning body. However, modern lifestyles keep many people indoors under artificial light, which can disrupt sleep cycles, digestion and mood, causing persistent fatigue.

Light therapy may help counteract these disruptions and reset your biological clock. Synthetic bulbs only reach an average of 100 lumens, but sunlight — even on an overcast day — offers upward of 1,000 units of illuminance or lux. On a sunny day, you can expect 10,000-100,000 lux. This stark difference highlights why artificial light often fails to provide the same benefits as sunlight.

Light therapy’s energy-boosting effects impact two key vitality mechanisms:

Light Affects Sleep Quality

A well-regulated circadian rhythm is essential for restorative sleep, and light exposure plays a significant role. Research confirms that light entering the retina signals the brain’s 24-hour biological clock, helping regulate sleep-wake cycles. Poor exposure to natural light during the day — or excessive artificial illumination at night — can throw off this cycle, leaving you groggy and unmotivated.

To optimize sleep quality:

• Get exposure to bright, natural light during the day: Try to soak up several minutes within the first hour of waking.
• Avoid artificial illumination at night: Blue light from screens is known to disrupt melatonin production and decrease sleep quality, so you should sleep in a darkened space to rest fully.
• Consider sun therapy in the morning: Using the natural cycle of exposure at sunrise after waking helps to maintain your internal circadian rhythm.

Illumination Boosts Serotonin Production

Sunlight influences many bodily systems, including digestion and circulation. While most of your serotonin — the hormone linked to happiness — is made in your gut, it has to circulate to the brain for you to experience elevated moods. So, a minimum of 15-20 minutes of daily sun exposure or the equivalent in artificial light with the same lux intensity can already significantly improve your serotonin levels, reducing fatigue and boosting motivation. 

How to Use Light Therapy 

You can use professional therapy services or opt for an in-home treatment with a commercial device. Here’s how to maximize its benefits:

• Invest in a high-quality home light therapy device: Look for a therapy lamp, face mask or face wand that offers at least 10,000 lux to replicate natural sunlight effectively.
• Go for red light: Red wavelengths at 625-700 nanometers (nm) enhance circulation and reduce inflammation while shrinking blood clots by disrupting platelets’ clotting ability. These characteristics may affect your energy levels.
• Choose near-infrared light for deeper benefits: Wavelengths above 700nm penetrate deeper into tissues, support cell regeneration and benefit overall health — even if they appear invisible to the naked eye. Most humans see the spectrum up to 690nm, which makes wavelengths above 700nm near-infrared and invisible.
• Be consistent: Use light therapy for 10-15 minutes daily for noticeable results. Avoid overuse, as excessive exposure may cause skin irritation and photosensitivity — just like too much time in the sun would.

Alternative Ways of Reclaiming Energy  

If light therapy isn’t your preferred approach, several additional strategies can help restore your health and energy levels. Combine these methods with light therapy for maximum effect.

Develop a Sleep Routine

Since sleep is the foundation of energy levels, prioritizing high-quality rest is essential. To improve sleep:

• Stick to a consistent sleep schedule, even over weekends.
• Avoid caffeine and screens with blue illumination before bedtime.
• Lower your bedroom temperature to 60-65 degrees Fahrenheit.

Try Yoga or Strength Training

Exercise is one of the most effective ways to combat fatigue. Yoga, particularly Kundalini yoga, combines breathwork or pranayama with movement to stimulate energy flow. This leads the mind to inner peace while activating your chakras. 

If you’re not that keen on yoga, consider resistance training during the day. This helps alleviate the painful conditions associated with chronic illness by increasing your range of movement. When you feel more mobile, you’ll also feel much more energized throughout the day.

Use Herbal Supplements Wisely

Certain herbs may help restore your vitality, but discuss them with your doctor before including them in your daily routine, especially if you’re already on prescription medications or experiencing adverse reactions. Remember that taking herbal medications isn’t a quick fix, and you may have to take them consistently for three to six months before feeling a significant improvement. Consider taking:

• Ashwagandha, which helps balance stress hormones.
• Siberian ginseng, an adaptogen that boosts stamina and immunity.
• Rhodiola rosea, which enhances mental focus and reduces fatigue.

Stimulate Your Senses With Aromatherapy 

Essential oils can invigorate the body and mind, and they’ve been part of traditional medical practices for centuries. Dilute essential oils in a suitable carrier oil and apply them lightly to your wrists or temples in the morning for an energizing effect. Try using these natural energy boosters:

• Peppermint may increase alertness and help you breathe easier.
• Citrus — lemon, orange and grapefruit — elevate moods.
• Rosemary enhances concentration.

Meditate to Reduce Stress

Chronic stress drains your energy faster than any physical activity. A brief meditation practice — even five minutes a day — can help reset your mind. Try visualizing yourself absorbing energy like a battery charging in the sun.

There are many forms of meditation, so find one that works for you. You can do the classic loving-kindness meditation or combine simple breathwork and humming with visualization of yourself bathed in light.

Recharge With Light and Lifestyle Choices 

Low energy doesn’t have to be your daily reality. Using light therapy, you can enjoy a natural, science-backed way to restore balance, boost mood and improve sleep — all essential to feeling your best.

Pairing this practice with good sleep habits, movement and mindfulness practices can amplify your results. Whether you embrace sunlight, invest in a therapy lamp or explore other energy-boosting techniques, small changes can make a big impact. Your energy is worth investing in — so why not start today?