No matter if your goal is to boost energy, slow aging or maximize endurance – biohacks have something for you. From wearable tech and hitting daily sunlight quotas to tailored supplements – the possibilities are countless!
Red light therapy is one of the fastest growing biohacks today; learn everything you need to know about this wellness modality here.
Benefits
Biohacking involves optimizing your body to optimize health and performance in order to meet your goals more easily. Some examples of biohacking include diet and exercise regimens, supplements, sleep patterns and light therapy as potential biohacks; red/near infrared light therapy has proven highly beneficial as an aid.
Red light therapy first became widely known when NASA noticed astronaut wounds were healing faster in space than on Earth. Since then, research has demonstrated how humans metabolize red and near infrared light into a form of energy known as Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP), acting as the body’s “energy currency” and aiding peak performance of daily tasks.
Red light therapy can enhance your body’s performance in several ways, including increasing muscle recovery and energy levels. This makes red light therapy particularly suitable for athletes or those participating in physical fitness regimens who seek to maximize muscle recovery and energy boost during workouts, like athletes. Utilizing red light therapy during your exercises may help recover faster after strenuous physical exertion while strengthening bones – one company, OsteoStrong offers a device using red light therapy to strengthen bones that allows people of all ages and physical fitness levels to obtain results similar to what would be accomplished while spending hours at the gym.
Cryotherapy and infrared saunas are two other popular biohacks. Combining both with red light therapy can have synergistic effects – increasing anti-inflammatory cytokines concentration, balancing stress hormones, and increasing testosterone.
Acupuncture is one of the oldest forms of biohacking and continues to gain in popularity thanks to its ability to instantly reduce stress. Companies such as Sensate create infrasound vibration devices that can help influence vagus nerve function and boost healing processes within your body.
As there are so many biohacking techniques to choose from, it’s crucial that you find those which work best for your body. You may have to experiment with several approaches before finding one that brings optimal results – make sure you consult a certified coach prior to making any drastic dietary or workout changes!
Devices
Red and near-infrared light is of great interest among biohackers due to its potential health and wellness applications. Much like plants utilize light energy through photosynthesis, humans metabolize red and near-infrared wavelengths to generate cellular energy known as Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP).
Protein light receptors within our cells absorb and redirect this energy towards areas of our bodies which require it. When we exercise or meditate, this re-direction benefits muscles and brain alike.
FlexBeam stands out among red light therapy devices as an example that stands out for its flexibility and precise targeting capabilities. Not to mention it doesn’t emit any EMF radiation! Plus its design is sleek and minimalist with each element serving its own purpose.
Biohacking tools also include ice baths, cold water immersion and vagus nerve stimulation; the latter being particularly helpful in treating treatment-resistant depression via electrical signals being sent through your vagus nerve acupoint in your ear to your brain via electrical pulses sent along your vagus nerve.
An alternative approach is taking nootropics – supplements that enhance cognitive performance – such as deanol (which improves memory and thinking), lecithin (which enhances attention and thinking) or ashwagandha and ginseng (both which strengthen mental and physical resilience).
Biohackers may use devices like chronobiometers – wristwatch-like tools designed to monitor sleep cycles and wakefulness – in order to regulate their circadian rhythms. Others turn to breathwork techniques like Wim Hof Method which claim to enhance performance, decrease anxiety and even help weight loss.
Sleep is one of the easiest, simplest, and most accessible biohacks available to us all – yet one of the least emphasized factors of modern lifestyles. Not getting enough rest has been linked with improved mood, reduced food cravings, better weight management and brain function enhancement – providing additional protection against obesity, dementia and other debilitating diseases. If you want to enhance your restfulness try following these helpful recommendations here.
Safety
Although biohacking has become an increasingly popular and trendy practice, newcomers to it should be wary. Some extreme methods, like chemical injections or implants, may pose risks to novices while more practical techniques, like increasing caffeine intake or taking a supplement may prove helpful productivity boosters that have already been proven safe by scientific studies.
Many biohackers take an in-depth approach to monitoring and optimizing the body’s biological functions in order to enhance performance, health and energy levels. This may include measuring blood pressure, temperature, glucose levels and other markers. Furthermore, biohackers keep tabs on sleep patterns and diet intake.
Biohackers may also take supplement cognitive enhancers known as nootropics to further boost their mental performance. Nootropics are natural compounds which can increase mental alertness, focus and reaction time – they include plant products like ashwagandha, ginseng and turmeric as well as brainwave entrainment techniques like transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy and neurofeedback therapies.
Other biohackers utilize technology to tinker with biological function, implanting electronic devices or magnets in their bodies in order to increase energy levels or experience new sensations. This type of biohacking is known as cyborgization; biohackers may use it to improve learning abilities as well as physical tasks performed more easily.
Biohackers may employ gene editing techniques to alter their DNA, while others experiment with various genome sequences on themselves to see how they impact human bodies, which is known as genomic experimentation. Genomic experimentation can be considered one of the more dangerous forms of biohacking as it could lead to unintended genetic mutations which cause cancer or other serious illnesses.
Overall, most biohackers do not conduct genetic manipulation or life-altering experiments without consulting with medical professionals first. However, due to not needing a license from an institution for these activities, biohackers may engage in self-experimentation without proper oversight by experienced physicians – something which may prove dangerous for their own well-being.
Red light biohacking is considered a relatively safe form of biohacking for individuals without other major concerns in life, however it should be remembered that biohacking does not come with FDA or government testing approval, meaning each individual biohacker needs to make his/her own decision as to which risks they’re willing to take when experimenting with their biology.
Getting Started
No matter your health goals – be they increased energy, slower aging process, mental clarity or muscle performance and recovery – biohackers seek to take control of their biology rather than leaving it up to chance or traditional methods. They utilize wearable tech and personalized supplements as well as regularly hitting sunlight quota.
Red light therapy has quickly become one of the most sought-after biohacks, using natural or artificial sunlight to bring balance to body and mind. Researchers believe humans process red and near-infrared light into energy called Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP), which powers our cells and keeps us alive.
Start this easy, safe, and effective biohack by first defining what it is you wish to achieve – for instance improved skin or reduced pain – before selecting an at-home device that suits both your budget and lifestyle needs. Be sure to read all instructions and safety precautions.
Commit to using your device on a consistent basis for maximum effect; more consistent users typically report more tangible benefits from their device in time. Although results may take some time to come through, most people report that their efforts paid off over time.
This episode introduces LightpathLED, a company which develops state-of-the-art red light therapy panels for home use. They have developed multiple options to offer their customers, including pulsing and multiple wavelengths to provide comprehensive body healing effects.
Dave Asprey, founder and author of Bulletproof Coffee and Smarter, Not Harder, talks to us about his experience with biohacking. He describes why it works well for him as well as how others can apply the technique to achieve their goals.
In this episode of Biohacking with Chris, we explore how red light therapy can be used to biohack the brain-gut axis. Studies have demonstrated how this form of treatment can modulate microbiomes, reduce inflammation and facilitate healing; we also discuss a recent study which demonstrated its efficacy for treating Parkinson’s patients by significantly improving both their movement and reaction time.
