Phototherapy systems and methods of phototherapy

A phototherapy system comprising:

• a therapeutic light source configured to emit phototherapeutic light towards a subject;
• a placebo light source configured to emit placebo light towards the subject, the placebo light source including a first placebo light source configured to emit first placebo light and a second placebo light source configured to emit second placebo light;
• and
• a controller operatively coupled to the therapeutic light source and the placebo light source, the controller including instructions that, when executed by the controller, cause the phototherapy system to perform operations including:
• emitting the phototherapeutic light from the therapeutic light source as a plurality of phototherapeutic light pulses;
• and
• emitting the placebo light from the placebo light source as a plurality of placebo light pulses in a wavelength range that is a metameric match of the phototherapeutic light and at an intensity configured to be visually perceived by the user as the phototherapeutic light,
• wherein the phototherapy system is configured to emit light, including the phototherapeutic light and the placebo light, that is configured to be visually perceived by the subject as continuous light,
• wherein one or more of the plurality of placebo light pulses are interspersed between phototherapeutic light pulses of the plurality of phototherapeutic light pulses,
• wherein emitting the placebo light from the placebo light source includes:
• emitting the first placebo light in a first wavelength range;
• and
• emitting the second placebo light in a second wavelength range different from the first wavelength range, and
• wherein a combination of the first placebo light and the second placebo light provides the metameric match between the phototherapeutic light and the placebo light.