Review: Trying NovoTHOR Red Light Therapy Marathon Recovery

A novel and non-invasive solution that has been gaining traction globally for its potential to alleviate chronic pain and enhance overall well-being, NovoTHOR Red Light Therapy has been making waves in the health and wellness industry and transforming the way athletes and enthusiasts approach recovery and performance in sports.

An innovative red light wellness therapy

Said Janelle Yu, Managing Director, Avantir Wellness, the company which brought the revolutionary light bed into Singapore, “NovoTHOR is an innovative wellness therapy that uses red and near-infrared light to promote healing and recovery.”

“Basically, when red and near-infrared light are delivered at the right wavelength, intensity and duration, the mitochondria of your body’s cells react by producing more energy. I want to highlight that the NovoTHOR whole-body red light therapy that we have at Avantir Wellness is the only one of its kind in Asia, and treats the whole body from head to toe in less than 20 mins,” Janelle added.

Key benefits of NovoTHOR

Some key benefits of Avantir Wellness’ NovoTHOR therapy include reducing inflammation, improving skin health, and increasing energy levels and quality of sleep.

Trying NovoTHOR out for myself

Avantir Wellness recently invited me to drop by their clinic at Katong Point to try out the NovoTHOR light bed for myself and feel its effects.

I thought that the session went well. My legs were feeling quite achy after the recent Sydney Marathon so I thought to use the therapy as a good way to aid with my marathon recovery.

How NovoTHOR helps athletes

With Janelle Yu

Janelle explains that for marathoners and endurance athletes such as me, using the NovoTHOR light bed is beneficial for recovery.

She said, “After intense workouts, our muscles often experience tears and inflammation, causing soreness and longer recovery times. NovoTHOR therapy’s red and near-infrared light penetrates deep into the muscle tissue, and accelerates the body’s natural healing process. It reduces inflammation, speeds up muscle fibre repair and eases post-workout soreness.”

When you first head in for the therapy, NovoTHOR recommends that you take off all your clothes for best effect of the red light. But I was creating both photo and video footage during the session, so I opted to leave my bra and shorts on.

My very first impression upon seeing the NovoTHOR pod is that it looked small, hard and cramped and I was wondering if I would find it comfortable. Fortunately I don’t have claustrophobia problems so small spaces aren’t a big issue.

My time inside the pod

I spent a total of 20 minutes inside the pod. According to NovoTHOR, 20 minutes is long enough to fully harness the power of the red and near-infrared light to provide a comprehensive whole-body therapy.

At first, the red light is quite glaring and I couldn’t look directly at it. I thought I would need to wear the sunglasses provided, to protect my eyes. But after a couple or so minutes, the eyes adjusted to the light and the colour somehow changes from red to a more muted yellow to the naked eye. It was like magic. Looking directly at the naked red light is beneficial to eye health, according to NovoTHOR. Unfortunately, it doesn’t cure short-sightedness though.

Inside the pod, the space is quite small but I think it is otherwise comfortable enough. I was surprised the space was nowhere near as cramped or tight as I had initially anticipated. You can still move around and change position with ease, and you do not feel cramped. But if you are claustrophobic, you might prefer keeping the lid ajar rather than closing it down as far as it can go.

I spent most of my time in the pod lying on my back because this position seemed to feel the most comfortable.

What lying inside the pod feels like

According to Avantir Wellness, some of their content creators and reviewers have turned around to lie on their stomachs to make content. However due to the confined space, I found it quite difficult to turn myself around inside the light bed without getting out first. So in the end, I did not create any footage from this angle.

According to NovoTHOR, there is no issue with bringing your phone into the pod as the light will not ruin the device. In fact, they have many clients, like me, who do bring their phones inside to create content. One week on from bringing it in for the therapy, my iPhone is still working just fine.

After about five or so minutes in the pod, I started to feel warm. It wasn’t hot though, it is a very comfortable and enjoyable warm feeling that left me very contented as it gradually warms my skin. This warm and very cosy feeling lingered on after I left the pod for about five to ten minutes longer.

Painless and comfortable

Apart from the comfortable warm feeling, the NovoTHOR therapy is completely painless and there is no tingling or burning sensation.

As a first-timer myself, first worry was that there might be some burning, so I was glad that my worries were completely unfounded.

Added Janelle, “The NovoTHOR session is comfortable and non-invasive. You will be lying down in the red light therapy bed while the therapy is administered, so there’s no need to worry about pain or discomfort.”

Four to six sessions needed

The next day after the therapy, my legs felt somewhat less sore and it was easier to walk to some degree. There were still aches but I do think there were indeed some recovery benefits from the therapy. I probably need more sessions.

Indeed, Janelle recommends at least four to six sessions to see the benefits of the NovoTHOR therapy. While clients have seen some results after just one session, more are recommended to fully feel the treatment working.

She explained, “Consistency is key. The best results come with regular sessions. So do consider making it a part of your wellness routine.”