With all that’s been happening over this past few months, it’s no surprise that research is showing this is taking its toll on our mental health. Hot from the US, Laser Light Therapy is gaining momentum on the UK’s wellness scene due to its wide-ranging health benefits for body and mind. We spoke to Seed’s Emma Seddon, to find out more about the amazing healing power of laser therapy for anxiety and sleep.
What is laser therapy and how does it work?
Laser therapy is both a photo medicine and a science. It doesn’t burn or cut as the name suggests but activates natural healing mechanisms in the body. The light from the laser is absorbed through the skin, initiating a chemical reaction which primes the body for repair and thus optimum healing.
Studies show that lasers deliver photons of energy that penetrate the cells and increase the mitochondria (the cells’ energy store) to produce ATP (adenosine triphosphate) the energy ‘currency’ of the cells. Children naturally, usually have about 100% ATP activation in their cells, but as adults when we get stressed the ATP can drop to as low as 40% which often explains why adults are more susceptible to pain, inflammation and disease, all of which will affect our sleep, digestion and our mental wellbeing.
Laser therapy can counteract this. The application is painless, and the results are often immediate.
Research is showing that this pandemic is having a significant negative impact on our mental health. Are you seeing any common themes among your clients in this regard right now?
Yes, absolutely! The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about huge change and a lot of fear, so it’s not surprising anxiety and issues sleeping are by far the most common complaints I am seeing at the moment.
While I have been unable to treat my clients face to face during the lockdown I have been able to support them remotely with the use of my very special home-use scalar laser kits, and we have been seeing some truly remarkable results.
Many of my clients who were suffering with anxiety have felt significantly better. And other clients who were unable to sleep for more than a couple of hours a night are now sleeping better than they have ever slept.
Anxiety and sleep are obviously very interconnected. Which would you say is the most improved by laser light and why?
Most often sleep problems are a result of anxiety. However, they can go hand in hand. People who suffer years of nights with poor or disturbed sleep start to become anxious about sleep and then they are caught in a cycle. So yes, anxiety and sleep issues are very much intertwined. Without good quality sleep, our body is unable to restore and repair, which left unchecked, can lead to all sorts of physical and mental issues.
The home-use lasers I hire out use the scalar wave technology with aims to collapse trauma and cellular memory (often linked to anxiety), relax and unwind the body to ‘still point’ which is considered the ideal healing state for the body and mind. Clients often describe the ‘still point’ experience as total calm relaxation and even bliss – with significantly improved sleep quality.
The scalar wave lasers emit violet, red and near infra-red light. It’s the violet light which benefits stress and anxiety as the energy has a calming effect on the emotional system communicating via neural pathways to the brain. The red and near infra-red light stimulate healing and will reduce pain and inflammation, which is great as so often chronic pain can also prevent us from getting a good night’s sleep!
Laser therapy for both sleep and anxiety is a really good option.
Do you have some good case study examples you can share?
Yes. One of my clients had not had a full night’s sleep for over 10 years since having children. However, once they started to sleep through the night, she noticed she was unable to herself. Her usual pattern was to wake between 2-3am and remain awake until morning and this was seriously increasing anxiety. As she did not live locally, we had a remote consultation and I sent her a home-use rental pack. She used the laser every evening before bed and after a couple of days soon found herself having a fuller and more restful sleep. Her day-to-day stress levels dramatically reduced and she once again looked forward to sleep! She was able to use the laser on her frozen shoulder and fractured foot at the same time and remarked on the speed of recovery.
Another of my clients suffered from chronic anxiety which was affecting his quality of sleep. Once awake he would start to panic. Many years of disturbed sleep was affecting his functioning day and making his anxiety worse. As a total non-believer of anything other than traditional medicine, he was shocked that after JUST ONE treatment he had the best night’s sleep in years! Now if he wakes, he is able to calmly turn over and fall asleep again. We continued treating daily with the laser for a couple of weeks and adjusted his diet. Now he will use the Laser ONLY when he gets a blip (like we all do from time to time) to help his body ‘reset’ again.
Another client came to me with a multitude of painful physical ailments. Unable to see her for a 121 during lockdown, I sent her a scalar wave laser to use at home to help with the pain. The first things she reported back after a couple of days was how well she was sleeping!
What other health conditions is laser light therapy particularly good for?
It would be easier to list what it isn’t good for! There is not much that laser therapy can’t help with. It is used in many clinical settings such as within hospitals, physiotherapy, foot clinics and even dental surgeries, as it is painless, quick to administer, instant and works well alongside other therapies and modes of medicine.
Other common heath conditions which I regularly treat in my clinic:
- Joint inflammation and pain such as arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions such as frozen shoulder, tennis elbow, sacro iliac, TMJ, RSI
- Skin conditions – eczema, diabetic ulcers, burns, scars, acne, dermatitis, psoriasis
- Plantar fasciitis and achilles tendonitis or bursitis
- Skiing injuries, particularly knees!
- Back and neck pain
For more information or if you wish to speak to Emma about how Laser Therapy for sleep, anxiety or pain can help you, please call 01494 911109, 07818 895550 or email emma@seedwellness.co.uk.
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