In a world that constantly demands more, finding stillness isn't easy. Stress sneaks into our mornings, lingers through our workday, and follows us into the night. But what if the key to restoring your calm wasn’t about tuning out the world, but tuning into your body?
At Luminous Labs, we believe in the science of red light therapy (RLT) and its ability to reset the nervous system from the inside out. But we've also seen how much more powerful it becomes when paired with intentional rituals. That's why we’re thrilled to explore the synergy between RLT and the sensory tools offered by our friends at Sojourn, a brand that crafts meaningful wellness objects like mineral candles and ethically sourced gemstones designed to ground you in the present.
This blog is a co-created invitation to create your own wind-down ritual—a blend of photobiomodulation, scent, texture, and intentional pause.
The Science: How Stress Shows Up in the Body
Stress isn’t just a mental state. It’s a physiological chain reaction. When your brain senses a threat (even something as minor as a stressful email), it activates the sympathetic nervous system. This triggers the release of cortisol and adrenaline, hormones designed to help you react quickly. In the short term, this can be helpful. But when stress is constant, your body stays in that high-alert state. Cortisol remains elevated, which can interfere with everything from digestion to immune function. It also disrupts hormone signaling, affects your mood, and blocks your body’s ability to rest and repair. Over time, this chronic activation drains your energy reserves, disrupts sleep, and leaves you feeling tired but wired.
Red light therapy works by delivering specific wavelengths of red and near-infrared light to the skin and deeper tissues. These wavelengths are absorbed by your mitochondria, the tiny structures inside your cells that produce energy. When stimulated by light, the mitochondria create more ATP, which is your body’s fundamental energy molecule. This extra energy allows your cells to perform their functions more efficiently, including hormone regulation, tissue repair, and neurotransmitter balance. Studies suggest that this process can help lower cortisol levels, support melatonin production, and improve overall cellular resilience, making it easier for your body to return to a calm, balanced state.
But the real magic happens when this technology becomes part of a ritual.
The Ritual: Sensory Anchoring Through Intentional Practice
Have you ever felt calmer simply by lighting a candle or holding a crystal in your palm? That’s sensory anchoring. It’s the practice of using physical, sensory cues (like scent, warmth, touch, or light) to guide your nervous system into a calmer state. When your senses are engaged in something steady and soothing, your brain gets the message that you’re safe, helping to shift you out of stress mode and into relaxation. This isn't just emotional. It’s also neurological. These sensory inputs activate the parasympathetic nervous system (also known as “rest and digest”), helping your body slow down, breathe deeper, and feel more grounded in the moment.
Sojourn’s mineral candles are intentionally made to do just that. With calming, balanced scents and a clean-burning base, these candles set the tone for slowing down. The warmth of the flame, the gentle flicker of light, and the grounding aroma all signal your brain to begin unwinding. When you pair this with the gentle glow of red light therapy, the body receives layered inputs (both light and scent) that reinforce a sense of calm and safety. These cues work together to help regulate your breathing, reduce muscle tension, and support your natural wind-down process before sleep or rest.
Gemstones, while not biologically active, serve as beautiful tools for focus and energetic intention. Their textures, weights, and symbolic meanings help create rituals that feel both personal and grounding. From a sensory perspective, the cool touch of a stone against your skin activates tactile receptors, helping the mind focus on the physical here-and-now rather than racing thoughts. Symbolically, choosing a specific stone for calm or protection can enhance your mental intention for the session, making the experience feel more complete. Holding a grounding stone during a red light session, or placing one on your abdomen while lying beneath the light, helps anchor your awareness in the body, blending the physical with the emotional in a calming, holistic way.
For example, a black tourmaline or labradorite from Sojourn’s Nourish Ritual Kit on the chest while using your Essential device helps draw awareness into the body and supports the breath in slowing down.
Creating Your Sensory Wind-Down Ritual
Here's how you can build a simple nightly ritual using red light therapy and Sojourn's wellness tools:
- Dim overhead lights to help your body shift out of the alert state
- Light a Sojourn gemstone candle with grounding notes like neroli, amber, or sandalwood
- Set up your red light device (Kini for targeted use, or Essential for full-body exposure)
- Hold or rest a crystal on the area you’re focusing on (Sojourn’s selection offers great guidance)
- Sit or lie comfortably for 10 to 15 minutes, breathing deeply as the light and scent work in harmony
- End your session with a small moment of gratitude or reflection to complete the loop
This type of ritual can be adapted to different times of day. A short five-minute morning practice using the Energy Ritual Kit — combining a spritz of Bulgarian rose with a smoky quartz in hand — can help create clarity before starting work. A midday reset could involve the Calm Ritual Kit, paired with a focused red light session on the chest or forehead.
This isn’t just about skincare or stress relief. You’re telling your nervous system, “You can rest now.”
Why This Works
Our bodies are biologically programmed to respond to rhythm, pattern, and repetition. From our heartbeat and breathing to our sleep-wake cycles, the human nervous system thrives on cues that signal what to do next. When you create a ritual, one that happens at the same time each day, with familiar sensory signals like scent, light, or texture, it helps your brain associate those cues with safety and calm. This repetition reinforces neural pathways that tell your body it's time to shift gears, from alertness to rest, from stress to softness.
Red light therapy deepens this effect by supporting your body on a cellular level. The light stimulates your mitochondria to produce more ATP, improving the energy available for cellular repair, hormone regulation, and even emotional processing. When your body feels supported from the inside, it becomes easier to shift into the parasympathetic state, AKA your rest-and-digest mode. This is where the body slows the heart rate, improves digestion, releases tension, and promotes recovery. Combined with calming sensory cues like the scent of essential oils or the weight of a grounding gemstone, your nervous system receives a full-spectrum message: “You are safe to relax.”
With consistency, this combination of light and sensory anchoring becomes more than just a moment of calm. It becomes a habit that rewires your stress response. Over time, your body begins to anticipate the ritual and relaxes more quickly each time. Instead of relying on willpower to “calm down,” you’re giving your nervous system a toolkit of signals that help it self-regulate naturally. It’s science-backed self-care that doesn’t just feel good; it builds resilience and restores balance from the inside out.
See how red light supports your goals - explore the product benefits now.
Explore the Tools
- Discover red light therapy devices that support stress relief here
- Explore Sojourn’s collection of candles and gemstones here
Together, we believe in wellness that’s sensory, intentional, and deeply personal. Follow us on Instagram @luminouslabs.health and @sojourn_xo and tag us in your ritual. We’d love to see how you’re carving out moments of calm in your day.
