Everything You Need to Know About Green Light Therapy for Migraine

Evidence suggests green light may reduce migraine duration and severity. More research is needed, but it may work by activating opioid receptors in the brain. Here’s how to try it for yourself.

Light can be troublesome for people with migraine. Fluorescent lights, sunlight, LED, and light from screens can all trigger an episode or send you retreating to a dark room.

However, a narrow band of green light has been shown to provide relief for some people. It can also be soothing and reduce pain during an attack.

Read on to learn more about green light therapy and whether it may provide relief for your migraine symptoms.

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Does green light therapy reduce migraine symptoms?

Several research studies have shown that exposure to green light may help reduce the frequency and severity of migraine attacks.

In a 2016 Harvard study, researchers asked people experiencing acute migraine attacks to report changes when exposed to different hues and intensities of light. Headache pain worsened for 80% of study participants during exposure to all colors but green. Unexpectedly, exposure to green light reduced pain in 20% of participants.

One of the study authors, Dr. Rami Burstein, told the American Headache Society that certain shades of blue light can even cause pain in some migraineurs who are blind.

In a 2020 study of 29 people with migraine, exposure to green LED lights for 1–2 hours daily for 10 weeks in an otherwise dark room resulted in a 70% reduction of headache days in those with episodic migraine.

The study also found a 60% reduction of headache days for those with chronic migraine when compared to their baseline. Those exposed to white light experienced no change in headache days.

How does green light impact the brain?

Scientists aren’t exactly sure why green light inhibits migraine pain, but in studying the eye, researchers have some ideas.

The Harvard researchers mentioned above compared the electrical signals produced in the eye and the cortex of the brain when people were exposed to blue, red, and green lights.

Blue and red lights created the strongest signals in both the retina and the brain, and the green light generated the weakest signal.

A case report from 2022 noted it may have to do with a photoreceptor in the eye called melanopsin that plays a role in regulating circadian rhythms and affective processes — those related to mood and emotion. It’s also thought to relieve light-induced pain.

A 2022 study looked at photoreceptors, which are the cells in eyes that respond to light. Researchers found that green light signals cells in the retina to release proteins that activate opioid receptors in the brain, reducing the sensation of pain.

What products are available for green light therapy?

There are several products to choose from when it comes to green light for migraine.

This includes:

• lamps
• lightbulbs
• LED strips

Neuroscientist Rami Burstein, who led the Harvard research, co-founded a company that sells a green light lamp called Allay.

Products range from lower cost lightbulbs to a few hundred dollars for the Allay lamp. If you want to try out green light therapy, you may want to start with a lower cost product to see if it works for you before investing in a higher priced item.

How do you use green light therapy for migraine?

To get the benefits of green light, it’s important to replicate the study environments as much as possible.

This means:

• Block out all other light sources, including screens.
• Use it for at least 30 minutes.
• Keep your eyes open while using.
• You can continue normal tasks while using it.

The light is bright enough that you may choose to continue with normal tasks like reading, housekeeping, or exercise. However, don’t use other lights or screens when you use the green light.

This may involve removing electronics and installing blackout curtains in the room you choose to use.

Green lights can be used for as long as you like. The maker of the Allay lamp suggests using it for at least 30 minutes but recommends spending 2 hours in the lamp light.

Since your retina needs to process the light, keep your eyes open. You don’t need to stare directly into it but use it to illuminate the space as you would any other light.

How often should you use green light therapy?

You can use green light therapy as often as you like. The University of Arizona study participants used green light for 1–2 hours a day. By using it regularly, you’re likely to experience better results.

You can find times throughout the day to use green light therapy to rest and recharge or build it into your routine. One way to do that would be to use the light before you go to bed or first thing as you wake up in the morning.

The bottom line

Green light therapy may be a noninvasive, nonpharmacological option for relief from the severity and frequency of migraine attacks.

Although the lamps and bulbs require an initial investment, green lamp therapy is still relatively inexpensive. It’s also unlikely to cause side effects.

Using green light therapy may be another resource in your toolbox that’s worth trying. If you decide to give green light therapy a go, you may want to talk with your doctor to see if it’s a fit for you.