Light Therapy, Circadian and Biorhythms

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Good Morning!

 

Light Therapy, Circadian and Biorhythms

 

With the turn of daylight savings time, here in the United States, we have been

given the opportunity of an additional hour of healing sunlight.

 

Light Therapy has been valued throughout history as a remarkable source of

healing. Today, the therapeutic applications of light and color are being

investigated in major hospitals and research centers worldwide. Results indicate

that full-spectrum, ultraviolet, colored, and laser light can have therapeutic

value for a range of conditions from chronic pain and depression to immune

disorders.

 

The oldest form of light therapy is natural sunlight, which is the ultimate

source of full-spectrum light. For those living in areas that see very little

sunlight this time of year, there are other options; full-spectrum light

therapy, bright light therapy, various forms of UV light therapy, syntonic

optometry, cold laser therapy, and visual color therapy.

 

For treating SAD, white light therapy is often preferred over the full-spectrum

light because the additional UV light found in full-spectrum light is not

necessary to achieve the antidepressant effect of the therapy, and can be

harmful to the eyes. Different wavelengths stimulate different aspects of our

physiology, all playing a vital role in our functioning. We especially need

natural light with its subtle variations that act on our well-being. The rhythm

of dark and light from day and night and the full-spectrum of light is essential

to our circadian rhythms (biological clock), endocrine, immune, sexual and

nervous systems.

 

Cycles of light and dark play a huge role in our energy levels, sleep patterns

and how we relate to our surroundings. Light and color therapy allow us to stay

balanced through many ways including diet, meditation, light and color

applications and even the clothes we wear.

 

 

Our Circadian Rhythm

 

This is our internal daily biological clock. This clock can be influenced by

many different elements, such as light and darkness, time of day and

temperature. In Traditional , the clock shows us how our energy

cycles its course through the 12 organ meridians over a period of 24 hours,

spending two hours at maximal levels in each organ In general, when treating a

patient in accordance with this biorhythm, the best time to treat an excess of

energy is at or shortly before the time of greatest meridian activity, while the

best time to treat depleted energy is following the peak times.

 

 

Biorhythms

 

Biorhythms are a method to predict three cycles in your life based on your

birthday. These cycles are the physical, emotional and intellectual cycle. Each

of these cycles goes through different phases: high, low and critical.

 

The scientists Dr. Hermanna Swoboda and Dr. Wilhelm Fliess discovered biorhythms

at the turn of the century. Both scientists weren't working together but

discovered biorhythms at about the same time. At the beginning of the last

century, Dr. Wilhelm Fliess noticed identical rhythms in the case histories of

his patients. He observed active and passive phases in the physical, emotional

and mental aspects of humans. From these observations he derived the principle

of the biorhythms: The physical curve with its cycle of 23 days, the emotional

curve with 28 days and the mental curve with 33 days.

 

His interpretation of cycles are expressed when the curve of any cycle is above

the midline, we experience a " high " in the corresponding field (physical,

emotional or mental):

 

1. If it is the physical curve, you will feel bodily well and, for example, if

you were to have an operation the body would be more resilient.

 

2. If it is the emotional curve, you will be in a good mood and your contact

with other people will be positive.

 

3. If it is the mental curve, your thought processes will be sharper,

concentration will be easier and you may have a lot of ideas and insights.

 

 

When the curve of any cycle is below the midline, we experience a " low " in the

corresponding field:

 

1. If it is a physical low, you may feel weak and listless.

 

2. If it is an emotional low, you may feel miserable and out of sorts.

 

3. If it is a mental low, thinking can be foggy and concentration hard.

 

When any of the curves crosses the midline, this is a critical time in the

corresponding field and if two curves cross the midline at the same point, this

is a very critical time. Critical in the physical field means you may feel

exhausted and it is better to avoid physical effort and operations. Critical in

the emotional field means you may feel irritable and sad, and emotional

outbreaks are likely so it is better to avoid conflicts and arguments. Critical

in the mental field finally means sluggish thinking and it is better to postpone

activities that demand a lot of concentration. Biorhythms can't predict or

explain events, they can only suggest how we may deal with them.

 

 

Andrew Pacholyk, MS. L.Ac

http://www.peacefulmind.com/color_therapy.htm

Therapies for healing

mind, body, spirit