Asthmatic? This “Light Therapy” Could Be Life-Changing

If you suffer from asthma, you know that life quickly breaks down into two categories…

The things you’d like to do – and the things your asthma will allow.

Maybe you gave up really exercising a long time ago.

And maybe just playing with the grandkids in the yard – or going for a hike with your spouse – leaves you worried that you’ll be scrambling for your rescue inhaler.

If this sounds like you, then this new research out of Brazil will be the most important you’ve seen in a long time.

Because it shows how a simple “light therapy” is already changing lives for people with very serious asthma.

And it could hold the secret to helping you enjoy your favorite things in life again.

Many asthmatics get stuck in a vicious cycle.

They stop exercising because of their asthma, so their health gets worse. And then their asthma gets worse, too.

But this new research out of Brazil could finally change that equation.

Scientists took a group of patients with difficult-to-control asthma, and put them on a resistance training program.

But they added something to the mix – photobiomodulation.

Essentially, they targeted the muscles the patients were using with near-infrared light treatment. And the results were incredible.

After just 12 weeks, the patients treated with photobiomodulation increased their muscle strength, improved their consumption of oxygen, and were able to walk much longer distances.

They had significantly increased their capacity to exercise, even with their asthma.

Now, this just makes sense. Infrared light therapy directly supports the mitochondria – the energy-producing motors in our cells – helping them use oxygen more efficiently.

It also helps keep inflammation in line, which is a major contributor to exercise intolerance – and asthma itself.

I’ve long used photobiomodulation – and near-infrared light treatment – to help patients recover from injuries. But this latest research on asthma is opening even more possibilities.

Now, it’s pretty easy to find near-infrared devices online. You can purchase everything from small, handheld units to whole-body systems.

But I think an under-appreciated risk of these devices is the potentially harmful electromagnetic fields (EMFs) they produce.

You can get the same benefits of photobiomodulation and near-infrared treatment directly from sun exposure.

The light used in this latest research was in the 800-900 nm range. The best time to get those wavelengths directly from the sun is within a couple of hours after sunrise.

Just get outside with as much skin exposed as possible.

Earlier in the day, there should be less risk of burning. But if you live somewhere where the sun gets pretty intense early, start with five or six minutes a day, and try to add a minute or two a week.

View Sources

Costa, I., Nascimento, E., Cahalin, L. et al. Effects of resistance training with/without Photobiomodulation on muscle and respiratory function in difficult-to-control asthma: a randomized trial. Lasers Med Sci 41, 83 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-026-04880-x