Red Light Therapy and PEMF: How We Use Each in Our Recovery Suite

Our recovery suite gets more questions than anything else in the building, usually some version of: what is that room for, and do I need it?

Fair question. Here is a straight explanation of two of them.

Red light therapy

What it is. Private rooms where your whole body receives specific wavelengths of red and near-infrared light. The technical name is photobiomodulation. We use Joovv panels, a Class II medical device.

How it works. Certain wavelengths of red and near-infrared light are absorbed by structures inside your cells, particularly in the mitochondria — the parts of the cell that produce energy. Research suggests this absorption supports cellular energy production, which in turn supports the tissue's own recovery processes.

What people use it for. Skin quality and tone, muscle recovery and post-exercise soreness, general comfort in joints and muscles, and recovery alongside their weekly session.

What a session is like. Around five minutes per room, in a private space, standing or seated. It is warm and quiet. No downtime afterward.

Of everything in the recovery suite, red light has the deepest published research behind it — which is why it is where we usually suggest people start.

PEMF

What it is. PEMF stands for pulsed electromagnetic field. The device generates gentle, pulsing electromagnetic fields that pass through the body.

How it works. Your cells maintain electrical charges across their membranes, and that electrical activity is part of normal cell function. The proposition behind PEMF is that pulsed fields interact with that activity in a way that supports the body's own recovery processes.

What people use it for. General comfort, recovery, relaxation, and sleep quality.

What a session is like. You lie or sit near the device. Most people feel very little — sometimes a faint pulsing sensation, often nothing at all. Many members find it deeply relaxing.

How to choose

Honestly? Try them and pay attention to how you feel. But if you want a starting heuristic:

• Skin, visible recovery, post-session soreness — most people gravitate to red light.
• General comfort, winding down, sleep — more people prefer PEMF.
• Not sure — start with red light. It has the most research behind it and the effects are easier to notice.

They are not competing with each other, and plenty of members use both. Neither one replaces the weekly session — these support recovery around the loading, they do not substitute for it.

Two honest notes

First, these are wellness services. They are not treatments for any medical condition, and we will not tell you otherwise. If something hurts, please see a physician — and we are glad to talk with them about what you are doing here.

Second, some modalities have real contraindications. Vibration therapy in particular has a long list, and PEMF is not appropriate for everyone — pregnancy and implanted electronic devices such as pacemakers are the usual examples. We screen for this when you join, but please tell your coach about your medical history and any devices or implants. If we think something is not right for you, we will say so.

Ask your coach for a walkthrough of the recovery suite at your next visit. There is no charge for asking, and no pressure to add anything.