New light therapy treatment to beat the winter blues

CRYSTALBROOK Byron resort has launched a new ‘Light Retreat’ spa experience designed to help combat the winter blues.

Available until September at the resort’s Eléme Day Spa, the treatment combines light therapy with other wellness practices to target Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a condition that affects many people during the colder months. Symptoms often include low energy, depression and disrupted sleep.

The Light Retreat was developed in collaboration with psychiatrist Dr Kieran Kennedy, who is passionate about finding new ways to help Australians manage stress and anxiety.

“Seasonal changes can affect our mood and mental health, impacting many Australians during winter, especially in the southern states, where shorter days and limited sunlight often leave people feeling low, tired, and emotionally drained,” he said.

“That’s why experiences that utilise light therapy elements and sensory rituals can help boost energy and improve mood. A spa treatment that explores these rituals and the ways seasonal shifts affect our mood can be a powerful way to encourage self-care in winter.”

The experience begins with a 60-minute massage using a specially curated essential oil blend of energising sweet orange, ylang ylang, coriander and lime. Guests then undergo a 15-minute light therapy session featuring daylight-mimicking light panels designed to enhance serotonin levels and restore emotional balance.

To finish, guests can choose between a 30-minute hair and scalp treatment, a foot treatment or an express facial.

The Light Retreat is also available at Crystalbrook Flynn, the sustainable hospitality group’s sister resort in Cairns, Tropical North Queensland.

Packages start from $320.