Common Red Light therapy Mistakes You Might Be Making (and what to do instead)
Red light therapy has exploded in popularity from face masks to $1,000 full-body panels. But here’s the truth: most people are using it completely wrong.
Let’s get one thing straight = nothing replaces the sun. But that doesn't mean red light therapy is useless. In fact, it’s more studied than sunlight because it’s controlled, isolated, and reproducible. Sunlight, on the other hand, varies by season, time of day, location, and even your skin tone or mitochondrial density.
Red light is a modern band-aid a helpful tool for a lifestyle that’s now chronically indoors and artificially lit. But like any biohacking device, it’s only as good as how you use it.
Here are 5 red light therapy mistakes I’ve observed (and made myself) plus how to avoid them.
1. Mistake: Using Red Light at the Wrong Time
Red light isn’t "relaxing" before bed. It’s stimulating, increasing mitochondrial energy production and oxygen consumption. If mistimed, it can disrupt your sleep.
✅ Best Time for Red Light Therapy:
Just after sunrise
Around sunset (before dusk)
These times mimic nature’s natural red and near-infrared (NIR) exposures without triggering UV stressors. Red light at night can help with injuries or inflammation, but it’s not ideal for circadian alignment.
🔥 Pro Tip: Use red light during the day, ideally once or twice daily. Up to three sessions can work for injury or inflammation — but not as a daily habit.
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2. Mistake: Using Red Light for Too Long
More is not better. Your cells respond to light dose, not light duration. Think of your skin and mitochondria like a battery; once charged, more light only adds stress.
🚩 Signs of Overuse:
Fatigue
Restless sleep
Swelling or skin inflammation
Increased pain or discomfort
Even burning skin or hair.
✅ How to Start:
2–3 minutes per area
Rotate your body like a doner kebab (literally)
Slowly increase time over 2–4 weeks
⚠️ Overexposure can lead to oxidative stress and decreased mitochondrial function the opposite of what you want.
3. Mistake: Using the device Too Close or Too Far
This one’s all about irradiance = the power of light delivered per cm². Stand too far and you waste time. Stand too close and you risk overdosing.
📊 The Science of Red Light Dosing (Simplified)
To get results from red light therapy, it’s not just about turning the device on — it’s about delivering the right amount of energy to the right tissue.
This is measured in Joules per square centimetre (J/cm²) — which equals light intensity (irradiance) multiplied by time.
✅ Here’s the simple rule:
Dose = Power × Time
The closer you stand, the more intense the light.
The further away you are, the weaker it becomes.
That’s why distance + time = your actual dose.
🔦 Example:
Let’s say your panel gives 60 mW/cm² of power at 6 inches away:
For skin or hair (needs ~6 J/cm²), you’d use it for about 1.5–2 minutes
For joints or muscles (needs ~30 J/cm²), you’d go for 7–8 minutes
📏 At 18 inches, the intensity drops to about 20 mW/cm² — so now you’d need 3x the time to get the same dose.
🎯 General Dose Targets:
Target AreaRecommended Dose
Skin & Hair 4–10 J/cm²
Muscles & Joints20–60 J/cm²
🚨 Overdosing doesn’t speed up results — it may increase fatigue, disrupt sleep, or cause irritation.
That’s why I only recommend panels with verified irradiance, so you’re not guessing your dose.
👉 My go-to devices — Firestorm, Inferno, Firedragon — are low-EMF, high-output, and calibrated for real results.
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4. Mistake: Overuse or Dependency
Red light therapy is a hormetic stressor, just like lifting weights or taking a cold plunge. It stimulates growth via mild stress. But daily overdosing can lead to mitochondrial burnout.
⚠️ Too Much Red Light = Too Many Free Radicals
Chronic overexposure increases oxidative stress, disrupts calcium signalling, and impairs energy production.
Some red light devices also emit non-native EMFs (nnEMFs), which may interfere with calcium signalling or depolarise cell membranes. Additionally, some devices emit dirty electricity, which can be problematic, especially when used near each other. You can measure this with a handheld EMF reader or a device that blocks dirty electricity. I use this brand = Satic Shield.
✅ Stick with low-EMF, third-party-tested devices. Keep wires/sockets away from the body when using.
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5. Mistake: Thinking Red Light Replaces the Sun
This might be the most significant misunderstanding of all. Red light therapy or even a sunbed is not a replacement for sunlight. Full-spectrum sunlight includes:
UVA → Nitric oxide, melanin production
UVB → Vitamin D synthesis
Full-spectrum visible light → Circadian and hormone cues
Near, Mid, and Far Infrared → Heat and tissue penetration
☀️ Think of red light as a supplement, not a substitute.
Like amino acids or minerals — we still need the full “spectrum” from nature.
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This is the closest thing to the sun and especially valid for those who dont live close to the equator snd hsve UVB absent for a decent chunk of the year. This would be a vsasluable investment alongside embracing winter holidays to the sun compared to escaping your seasonal sunshine in the summer. Take advantage to the cloest red light and UV light device on the market.
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🧳 My Personal Red Light Setup
I’ve been using the Firestorm panel for over 5 years travelling thw world with me from Costa Rica to Europe (Croatia, Iceland, UK) and United Arab Emirates, (even through customs confusion in Nicaragua). It’s been one of my most consistent tools for recovery, energy, and deep cellular resilience.
👉 My picks:
🔥 Firestorm - the one I use and the most intense red light device I have tested (over 15 different devices)
Firestorm red light review:
🔥 Firedragon - more budget feriendly
🔥 Krypton - UV light applied
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📚 More on Red Light Therapy:
In Summary:
You don’t need a red light therapy device, but it can be thought of as a supplement that can help our modern environment. Just like food and supplements, they’re not the same thing in terms of how they’re created or even utilised in the body.
That said, in many cases, it can be helpful and effective in improving our health, but it requires a little care and attention to know what to do and how to use it. In addition to ensuring your device, such as EMR Tek, is the right fit.
Drop any questions in the comment or send me a direct personal email.
Book a discovery consult with me today HERE.