The Self-Care Tech Meant To Power You Up During Parenting Downtime

This post is part of a paid partnership with RLT Home. All opinions are our own.

Taking time for yourself can seem almost laughable when your schedule’s predominantly focused on keeping kids on their schedules. This is on top of remembering to eat something other than your kids’ Eggo waffle leftovers (you’ll take what you can get though) and maybe put on real pants when possible (psych; it’s actually impossible with toddlers).

Perhaps this is one of the unspoken reasons why certain at-home devices and therapies have become so widely used, as it is multifunctionally impactful and nearly mindless to knock out. The easier something is to operate, the better; especially when you’re running low on sleep because of a newborn’s sleep schedule, or your kids suddenly don’t know what the concept “bedtime” means. Red light therapy panels can be used during naptime, before a quick shower, after a workout, or whenever you have a couple minutes to spare — but not all are equipped to give you the benefits this therapy’s touted for, like brighter skin and less-achy muscles.

This is where RLT Home and its Total Spectrum ULTRA red light therapy panel provide the receipts to show that it stands apart from the rest, with data from clinical trials and studies of multiple light wavelengths to make a truly transformative device.

What Red Light Is Supposed To Do

At this point, you’ve likely heard different terms being thrown around when it comes to red light therapy panels: infrared versus red light therapy, tomato tomato (pronounced tomatoe vs tomatoh, obviously). Turns out, both serve important purposes with the RLT Home Total Spectrum ULTRA.

Ideally, red light therapy devices shine shorter wavelengths of red light that penetrate the skin barrier. Like a little Energizer bunny, red light stimulates mitochondria (yes, that mitochondria, the one and only powerhouse of the cell), helping to promote cell turnover, reduce inflammation, and stimulate collagen production. This doesn’t just mean glowy skin, but better circulation and even hair growth.

Short bursts of red light aren't doing all the heavy lifting with the Total Spectrum ULTRA though, as infrared also plays a big role in providing these benefits. Infrared is longer wavelengths of red light, diving in deeper than other red light wavelengths. It targets more muscle and circulatory activity, helping with recovery, soreness, and inflammation.

As its name suggests, the Total Spectrum ULTRA incorporates not just red light or infrared, but seven total wavelengths of red light across 480 LED lights within its panel. Measured by nanometers (nm), this range includes blue light at 480 nm; red light at 630 and 660 nm; near-infared at 810, 830, and 850 nm; and true infrared at 1064 nm.

What’s Actually Important In Red Light Therapy Panels

Wavelength of red light is not the only consideration here, but how long and frequently you are exposed to it. It has to become an everyday practice for you to really see results. With the RLT Home, its products were developed based on the data of 2,600 human focused studies and trials to root out what works and what doesn’t. For the Total Spectrum Ultra, it’s meant to be a potent, yet efficient application of these findings.

Let’s back up for a second, though. Red light therapy is many things, but it’s not a cure-all. Many red light therapy options you see may be portrayed as such, but this is where you have to be especially careful. Without any sort of FDA clearance, you’re really not getting any of the benefits of this type of light therapy. Rather, you’re just spending your precious downtime sitting in front of a red light bulb, hoping for the best. First, and arguably most important, it’s registered as a FDA Class II medical device. Undergoing registration is no easy feat, as it requires a lot of data to be presented on how a medical device is intended to be used before it can actually be sold.

The RLT Home Total Spectrum ULTRA is also CE (Conformité Européenne) and RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) certified. It’s been signed off on that it follows European Union environmental and health protocols, while containing little to no harmful chemical compounds such as lead or mercury. If electromagnetic field exposure (EMFs) are a concern, the Total Spectrum ULTRA has you covered there, too. Measured with a Cornet EMF device, the ULTRA ranks as the lowest amount of EMF exposure versus other competitor panels.

Its design also addresses a common complaint — flickering. Since red light is only as good as the strength, frequency, and duration of which you use it, flickering lights kind of defeat the purpose in terms of efficacy. Its LED lights are meant to run for 100,000 hours without issue, and the panel can be hooked up to standard outlets worldwide (AC 100-240 V). Just clear a spot on the power outlet strip between your kids’ toys, and get going.

Is Red Light Worth It? Or Is It An Expensive, Giant Laser Pointer?

Speaking of getting going, there are several luxury-leaning features with the ULTRA that let you get the most benefit — and enjoyment — from using it. Before it even arrives at your home, RLT Home will be in touch to help set up the goals you’re looking to achieve through using this panel.

You’ll get a personalized plan to let you hit the ground running once it arrives. Customer service will continue to check in on you, and make sure everything is running smoothly. This coincides with the special custom mode you can program in, so you can modify the light intensity and even program in light pulses across the panel’s four sections, or “channels”. There are also 9 other performance modes that focus light frequencies for certain goals or literal pain points, spanning from skin health, sleep, or even weight loss.

The ULTRA is designed to cover the entire body, with dimensions that equate to 5 feet, 4 inches tall and one foot wide. With the help of its electric stand, it can shine light at 15-, 30-, and 60-degree coverage angles. Maneuver it to stand beside you while you’re sitting and answering emails, or so it shines down on you over the couch or your bedside while you nap. You can also go fully upright before you pop in the shower or finish stretching after a quick workout.

Bluetooth music integration also lets you play your favorite relaxation music or podcasts while it is running. There is a touch interface so that you can press a button and get started, but the panel is also outfitted with voice control in case you don’t want to move or your hands are tied. Just make sure you wear the included eye protection, as light exposure of any type can put strain on your eyes.

Shine Bright And Feel Better

You’ve got a lot on your plate as is. The RLT Home Total Spectrum ULTRA isn’t just equipped to support your long-term health, has the features and extras that makes you feel good about your investment from the jump. From actual science to quality materials at work, you’ll look forward to your easy, peasy “me time sessions” for mind, body, and sanity.

BDG Media newsroom and editorial staff were not involved in the creation of this content.