Brian Richards | Light As Medicine: Treating Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) For Depression/Anxiety + Photon Sauna Therapy
Wellness + Wisdom Podcast
The Sun and the Mitochondria
The sun is 43% in the near infrared band and stimulates a mitochondrial response. We have mitochondria in every cell of our body except blood cells. Millions of years ago, this prokaryotic cell or this cell that had no mitochondria was like talking to the mitochondria. So the mitochondria is not just an energy producer in the cell, it's a caretaker of the cell.
Sun therapy is all about near-infrared. You want to be happy in the winter? What you're missing is not so much ultraviolet light as it is the 70% of the sun experientially which is near-infrared. Ultraviolet light is a double-edged sword; it's doing a lot of good for the body such as helping Vitamin D production but it also ionizes radiation which rips apart your DNA.
So many people have claimed to have brought balance and resolved their S.A.D.s with Sauna Space's near-infrared light therapy. Beyond it being a fire light and a targeted therapy light. near-infrared is a happy light. - Brian Richards
Wellness + Wisdom Episode 525Brian Richards, the founder of SaunaSpace, joins Josh Trent on the Wellness + Wisdom podcast to talk about the benefits of sauna and infrared light therapy, the difference between far-infrared and near-infrared red light, how blue light negatively impacts our health, and how to use light therapy for seasonal affective disorder.
What if healing physical and mental health was easy and accessible for everyone from the comfort of their home?
By the end of this episode, you will have a full understanding of the benefits of infrared light therapy, why you should avoid blue light first thing in the morning, and why you should include sauna in your wellness routine.
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ThermaLight® technology combines the finest tungsten filaments, mouth-blown red-stained glass, and years of engineering to produce a full-spectrum infrared light that mimics the best of nature.
Benefits: Compact and portable, hypoallergenic, tool-free assembly, wheelchair accessible, machine-washable cover, minimalist design, ZERO EMFs.
All saunas have the same goal: to raise your core body temperature enough to jump-start its natural healing processes.
Traditional saunas use steam, fire, or electric heaters to make the air in the sauna hot, which eventually heats up your body from the outside in. Infrared saunas tap into the science of light to help you sweat faster and more comfortably.
Why Near-Infrared Saunas?Unlike the traditional methods, near-infrared (NIR) light works with your body’s biology to create radiant heat—from the inside out. By using near infrared’s shorter wavelengths in a way that mimics natural sunlight, the light penetrates deeply to raise your core temperature faster.
Near-infrared saunas give you:
- Ultrafast heat therapy
- Comfortable air temperatures
- Built-in light therapy
- Faster sauna sessions
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Listen To Episode 525 As Brian Richards Uncovers: [1:30] Discovering The Benefits Of Sauna And Light Therapy
- SaunaSpace - use the code "JOSH10" for 10% off
- Brain, heart, gut = mind, consciousness, will.
- Brian's skin issues related to adrenal fatigue, insomnia, and lethargy.
- What lead him to discover sauna and its benefits.
- Dr. John Harvey Kellogg
- Light Therapeutics by John Harvey Kellog
- Dr. Kellog's research about light therapy.
- Natural vs digital light: What is incandescent light?
- Planck's Law
- Why no product can replace the Sun.
- The human connection with the fire and the Agnihotra fire ritual.
- How mitochondria take care of our cells.
[22:30] How To Use Near-Infrared Light + Why You Should Avoid Blue Light
- Why infrared sauna makes you feel good.
- How blue light influences our entire day and sympathetic system.
- The benefits of using photons.
- 361 Luke Storey: Relationships, Consciousness, & Coming Home To Yourself
- How you can use infrared light all day long.
- Why flickering light is digital light.
- LeelaQ - use the code “JOSH10” for 10% off
- Somavedic - use the code "WELLNESSFORCE" for 10% off
[34:30] Near-Infrared Light Therapy VS Red Light Therapy
- MitOzen - use the code "WELLNESSFORCE" for 10% off
- Why biohacking is not cheating.
- How Brian realized he was eating way too much meat after going vegan for 6 weeks.
- Eating with intuition instead of following a specific diet.
- Jordan Peterson
- How the sun energizes you.
- Conventional and alternative treatments for seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
- Why blue light causes free radical formation in the cells.
- The difference between red light and near-infrared light.
- Why near-infrared light is the solution to SAD.
- The reason why infrared sauna is not a light therapy.
- How water absorbs light and uses it to heat our body.
[54:05] SaunaSpace + Heat Shock Proteins
- The confusion people have around far-infrared and near-infrared saunas.
- Dr. Rhonda Patrick
- What makes sauna suits ineffective.
- Why SaunaSpace makes you feel immediately better.
- Plunge - use the code "WELLNESSFORCE" for $150 off
- How heat shock proteins are produced and why proteins are misfolded.
- How sauna improves insulin signaling.
[01:03:10] The Practicality Of A Home Sauna + Epigenetic Changes
- Photon therapy as a treatment for diabetes, hormonal issues, and Hashimoto.
- How photomodulation creates epigenetic changes.
- The practical aspects of SaunaSpace at home.
- The Unbearable Lightness Of Being by Milan Kundera
- All the benefits of using a near-infrared sauna.
- How to create a balance between the physical, astral, and ethereal bodies.
[01:15:10] Living With Intentions
- Brian's experience working in a lab.
- Why he used to ignore his heart and used his mind to dominate his life.
- The gut and heart connection and why we need to use them more.
- How he resolved his self-doubt and anger.
- What it means to approach every moment with intentions.
- Heracleides Ponticus
[01:29:20] How To Reach True Happiness
- If you want to help others, you need to continuously put yourself first to be available to help others in a meaningful way.
- How being in ourselves and knowing what we want can bring us true happiness.
- Photon light for autoimmune diseases.
- How near-infrared sauna helped Brian with his health and brain function.
- His journey to meditation and breathwork.
[01:42:55] SaunaSpace: Functionality + Design
- The different uses of the sauna and photon products.
- Technical aspects of SaunaSpace.
- Why SaunaSpace is not only about function but also about form.
- How Brian approaches life with love.
Power Quotes From The Show The Benefits Of The Morning Sun
"In the morning, if you get blue light into your eyes first, it has an antagonistic influence on the rest of the day, it already gets you into sympathetic dominance, you already start to get stressed out. That's not designed to happen. What does the sunrise look like? It's red and orange.
That's because in the beginning there's only near-infrared and red. You can actually stare at the sun on a flat horizon for a couple of minutes without any risk. In the first few minutes, there is no blue or ultra-violet, it's all read. So we get that in the beginning and the rest of our day is good." - Brian Richards
Put Yourself First
"If you really want to help others, you need to help yourself and continue to put yourself first. You want to be available to help the other person in a meaningful way." - Brian Richards
Sauna For Better Health
"If you use sauna one day a week, your risk of dying of all things goes down by 30% to 40%. If you use sauna three times a week, your risk goes down another 30% or 40%. The more you do sauna, the better." - Brian Richards
Links From Today's Show
- SaunaSpace - use the code "JOSH10" for 10% off
- Dr. John Harvey Kellogg
- Light Therapeutics by John Harvey Kellog
- Planck's Law
- 361 Luke Storey: Relationships, Consciousness, & Coming Home To Yourself
- LeelaQ - use the code “JOSH10” for 10% off
- Somavedic - use the code "WELLNESSFORCE" for 10% off
- MitOzen - use the code "WELLNESSFORCE" for 10% off
- Jordan Peterson
- Dr. Rhonda Patrick
- Plunge - use the code "WELLNESSFORCE" for $150 off
- The Unbearable Lightness Of Being by Milan Kundera
- Heracleides Ponticus
- Shop the Wellness Force Media Store
- breathwork.io
- Save 10% on LiftMode Products with the code "JOSH10"
- Cured Nutrition CBD - Save 20% with the CODE "WELLNESSFORCE"
- PLUNGE – Save $150 with the code “WELLNESSFORCE"
- HIGHER DOSE INFRARED MAT, RED LIGHT FACE MASK, SAUNA BLANKET - Get 15% off with the code “JOSH15“
- Organifi – Special 20% off to our listeners with the code ‘WELLNESSFORCE'
- HVMN - Get 20% off your Ketone IQ order with the code "JOSH"
- MitoZen – Save 10% with the code “WELLNESSFORCE”
- Paleovalley – Save 15% on your ACV Complex with the code ‘JOSH'
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- DRY FARM WINES - Get an extra bottle of Pure Natural Wine with your order for just 1¢
- CHILISLEEP - Save 25% on Josh's favorite ChiliSleep products with the code "JOSH"
- ION - Save 15% off sitewide with the code ‘JOSH1KS'
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- Feel Free from Botanic Tonics – Save 40% when you use the code ‘WELLNESS40′
- Drink LMNT – Zero Sugar Hydration: Get your free LMNT Sample Pack, with any purchase
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- ALIVE WATER - Save 33% on your first order with the code "JOSH33"
- M21 Wellness Guide
- Wellness Force Community
- Leave Wellness + Wisdom a review on Apple Podcasts
- Brian Richards
Brian Richards is a nationally known expert in sauna therapy, light science, EMF science. In 2013, he founded SaunaSpace®, a company that combines cutting-edge incandescent infrared technology with the age-old practice of sauna.
In 2008, Brian faced an important health decision: start taking pharmaceuticals for insomnia, adrenal fatigue, and other health issues or try full-spectrum sauna therapy coupled with ancestral practices like a clean diet, proper sleep, and yoga.
By opting for the natural approach, Brian rapidly transformed his health. This life-changing experience inspired him to create SaunaSpace®.
In his journey to develop the perfect product, Brian has immersed himself in the science and research behind light, heat, electromagnetism, and the human body.
Fourteen years later, he brings a refreshing approach to natural living, biohacking, and natural health transformation.
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