What time is it? Summertime! And those in the US are preparing for the season of scorching-hot temperatures, sunscreen, pool and/or beach fun, BBQs and fireworks. However, friends of Australia, aka “The Land Down Under,” have swapped their bikinis and surfboards for coats and fur-lined boots. From now until August, Australians will, unfortunately, have to endure shorter days, longer nights, and unexplainable urges to cancel plans and doom-scroll under a blanket until September.

It may sound dramatic and depressing, but it’s not. It’s biology. Something red light therapy can fix.

What happens to your body during winter

Your body runs on a 24-hour internal clock, and light is what keeps it on schedule. When sunlight hits your eyes, it signals your brain that it's daytime; time to be alert, produce energy, and feel good. That signal also controls when your body releases melatonin, the hormone that makes you sleepy at night.

In winter, the days get shorter. Less sunlight means that the signal gets weaker, and your internal clock starts running behind. Melatonin shows up at the wrong times, leaving you groggy during the day and restless at night. And because your mood actually tracks your body's internal rhythms, when the clock is off, your mood follows.

There's also serotonin, the brain chemical most closely linked to happiness and motivation. Sunlight helps your body produce it. Less light means less serotonin, which is a big part of why winter can feel heavy, flat, and draining even when nothing in your life has actually changed.

It's not just in your head. It's biology.

Light therapy isn't new. It's underused

Doctors have known for decades that light affects mood. Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is a recognized form of depression that follows a seasonal pattern, showing up in the cooler, darker months and lifting when the sun comes back. It's been studied extensively, and light therapy has become one of the first things doctors recommend alongside talk therapy and medication.

The research backs it up. A 2023 review published in European Psychiatry found that most people with SAD see improvement within the first week of consistent light therapy. The connection between light and mood isn't a wellness trend; it's established science.

That matters because it lays the foundation for understanding where red light therapy fits.

What red light therapy does differently

Traditional light therapy works at the surface, bright light enters through your eyes and resets your internal clock. Red light therapy works deeper.

When red and near-infrared light hits your skin and tissues, it is absorbed at the cellular level. The primary target is your mitochondria, the part of your cells responsible for producing energy. Red light essentially wakes them up, boosting ATP production, which is the fuel your cells run on. More cellular energy means your body has more to work with across the board, including in your brain.

But the benefits don't stop at energy. A 2025 study published in Theranostics and supported by the National Institutes of Health found that photobiomodulation, the scientific term for red and near-infrared light therapy, works on depression through multiple pathways: increasing blood flow to the brain, reducing inflammation, and actively supporting the brain's ability to repair and grow new cells.

A 2024 systematic review and meta-analysis in Frontiers in Psychiatry, which analyzed results from multiple randomized controlled trials, found that photobiomodulation produced measurable improvements in depression symptoms. And a 2023 review out of Harvard's Massachusetts General Hospital described it as an emerging treatment for depression with real clinical potential.

The serotonin and sleep connection

Two of the most talked-about winter symptoms, low mood and disrupted sleep, have direct ties to the biological effects of red light therapy.

On the serotonin side, research shows that near-infrared light therapy affects serotonin levels in the brain. Since serotonin is one of the main chemicals behind mood stability and motivation, supporting its production is a meaningful piece of the winter wellness puzzle.

On the sleep side, red light therapy may help recalibrate your circadian rhythm, the same internal clock that goes sideways when daylight disappears. A 2025 systematic review published in NeuroSci found near-infrared stimulation to be a low-risk, non-invasive option for mood-related disorders, noting effects comparable to some pharmacological treatments: improved rhythm, better sleep and improved baseline.

How to use it this winter

Red light therapy works best as a consistent habit, not a one-time fix. Morning sessions tend to align best with circadian support. Using it early in the day reinforces the "it’s daytime" signal your brain is missing when the sun rises late and sets early.

For full-body mood and sleep support, the Vital Elite is the move; full-body coverage across multiple wavelengths, built for exactly the kind of daily, consistent use that makes red light therapy work. If you want more power and faster results, the Vital Elite 2.0 takes it up a notch with enhanced output and next-level delivery.

Winter affects everyone differently. For some people, it's a mild slump; for others, it runs deeper. Red light therapy isn't a replacement for professional care if you’re dealing with serious seasonal depression. Still, as a daily tool to support your energy, mood, and sleep through the darker months, the science is genuinely promising.

So while the rest of the world is out here sweating through summer, Australians get to be the ones actually doing something smart about winter. Ahead of the curve, as always.