The Economist.
My colleague Sarah Lawrynuik, an audio correspondent here at The Economist,
recently attended a unique sort of yoga class at her local gym.
So let me set the scene for you.
You walk into this room that is in many ways
like every other yoga studio you have ever seen.
It's got the mirrors, it's got the mats laid out on the ground, the relaxing music.
It also has big, beaming, bright red lights in the ceiling that heat the room to 37 degrees.
They use these red lights and they purport to help with muscle recovery and general wellness.
This is part of a growing trend where red light, infrared light is used in wellness.
You might have heard of this sort of thing before.
On social media, wellness types will tell you
that red light can cure wrinkles, banish brain fog, reverse depression, regrow your hair.
It all sounds too good to be true.
But it turns out there are actually biological reasons
why certain lighting environments can influence the way that cells behave in our bodies,
and a young but serious field of research is emerging,
where scientists are testing whether red light therapies can slow age-related decline in eyesight.
They're working out whether red light can reduce blood sugar spikes,
and they're even investigating whether it can treat some neurological conditions