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Most of us have never considered how impactful colors are in our lives. If used effectively color therapy can be one of the most influential tools you can use to boost your mood. Color acts as a non-verbal way to communicate and can instantly set a mood or a tone, or express emotion and can even create a physiological response. Color psychology is something advertisers and marketing experts have been using for years to sell us products and create experiences. Color therapy, also known as chromotherapy, is the method of treating ailments through the use of color wheel. Color is simply a form of visible light, of electromagnetic energy. Practitioners also use color frequencies to heal physical and emotional problems.

Color therapy can be done by shining a corresponding color on a specific area of the body or through the eyes by looking at a particular color. It is a complementary therapy and should not be used as an alternative to professional medical care. The idea is that color therapy will help with physiological and psychological imbalances. For example, if you’re stressed, certain colors can help calm you so that you can regain your psychological balance. If you’re in despair, certain colors can be used to re-energize you and give you increased motivation.

In Eastern medicine and other cultures color is a big factor in regard to energy. Indian philosophy notes that the chakras are considered the centers of spiritual power and energy within our bodies. Incorporating more color into your everyday life can help you heal a specific chakra. Therefore, you can achieve proper well-being, whilst also balancing your chakra’s, by simply adding or using a specific color in your home or life in general.

Each Chakra Is Associated with Color:

1. Root Chakra – Red represents the Root Chakra, located at the base of the spine. This chakra has to do with our grounding and connection with the Earth.
2. Sacral Chakra – Located 2-3 inches below the navel, represented by orange. This is said to be associated with reproduction, the kidneys, adrenals, and pleasure. It is the mind-body chakra.
3. Solar Plexus Chakra – Located between the navel and sternum, represented by yellow. This is associated with the pancreas, liver, digestive system, and gallbladder, as well as positivity, empowerment, and well-being.
4. Heart Chakra – Green represents the Heart Chakra, located near your heart. It’s associated with the heart, lungs, and immune system. It can impact your energy, the nervous system, mental focus, compassion, and empowerment.
5. Throat Chakra – Located near the throat, represented by blue. It is associated with the thyroid and metabolism, as well as peaceful communication.
6. The Third Eye Chakra – Located between the eyebrows, represented by indigo. This is associated with the pituitary gland and pineal gland. It can influence our sleep cycles, self-esteem, clarity, wisdom, and intuition.
7. Crown Chakra – Located at the top of the head, represented by violet. Like the Third Eye Chakra, it is associated with the pineal gland. It can impact light sensitivity, sleep cycles, dreams, clarity, and spirituality.

Here are some of the ways color can impact your life:

Red

The color red can signify many different things and can even have cultural meanings. Red is usually thought of as a passionate and energetic color that symbolizes love. This color can stimulate feelings of excitement, courage and youthfulness. Companies like McDonald’s and Coca Cola both use red to draw in customers while they are young to keep them coming back throughout their lives.  

Using red can evoke both sides of the spectrum in terms of feelings. Red promotes warm and comfort, but can also bring about hostility and anger.  Using red can lead to aggressiveness, impulsivity and acts of violence (i.e. the color of blood).  The emotional effects of using red can be extreme. It is best to use red in your dinning room or kitchen as it stimulates the appetite. Using too much red in your home may increase your blood pressure and give you headaches.

On a positive notes, the color red is now also used to treat numerous physical ailments by using red light therapy. As mentioned in a previous post, red light therapy has been touted with reducing inflammation, easing muscle aches and joint stiffness, as well as improving your skin.

Black

Black can be taken to extremes. On one side, black can be a symbol of power and sophistication. On the other side, black can promote feelings of depression and negativity. You might have heard some say they were black because it is slimming, and in a way it can be. Using black paint on walls can cause a room to look smaller and enclosed. Overall feelings regarding black tend to be on the negative side. Black is often associated with something being evil or even death. Black can also be a very modern and elegant color that can encourage reflection.

Yellow

Yellow can promote feelings of happiness because it has been said that it helps to release serotonin. Yellow is the most intense color in the spectrum. In therapy, it helps to bring energy and encourage action. Conversely, too much yellow has also been shown to increase fatigue.  Babies tend to cry more and sleep less in yellow rooms due to the brightness. When using yellow at home, the kitchen is an ideal place, as it can increase metabolism and create energy.

Purple

Many people associate purple with ambition, spirituality and wisdom. In color therapy, purple is often used on the forehead and neck to initiate feelings of calm and relaxation. Lavender in your living room or bedroom helps calm nerves and encourages relaxation. In Feng Shui, purple is one of the colors associated with the area of wealth.

Green

Green tends to have a soothing effect on most people. It promotes feelings of relaxation, healing and decreased stress. Green is the most balancing of all the colors. Oftentimes therapists usually consider green the safest color and typically start color therapy with it first. If you are feeling down, sad, hopeless, or depressed, green can improve your mood. However, it’s important to have a pure green color, as a light green can cause you to sway towards feeling more anxiety. If used in your bedroom it can promote tranquility and improved health.

Blue

Most people view blue as calming and serene. Too much exposure to blue can lead to depression. Blue does help you express your feelings, and has been said to be related to your inner truth. Light blue can be used to help you become more peaceful and relaxed. The primary blue color is often used in therapy settings and is used for meditation and relaxation.

Blue light had recently been found to disturb our sleep patterns and potentially cause disease according to an article done by Harvard Medical School. It is wise to switch your phone to the “Night Shift” setting, which automatically shifts the colors of your phone display to the warmer end of the color spectrum after dark. Blue light blocking glasses just might help you get a better night’s sleep. It is better to use blue in a bathroom to promote a refreshing feeling. Do not use blue in your bedroom, which is contrary to some beliefs.

If you enjoy sleep sounds, please consider checking out the playlists I have curated on my YouTube channel Cloud Nine Sleep.

Color My World

The use of color therapy is generally safe and pain-free so it can be used for children, adults and elderly alike. Color therapy seems to have a positive effect on physical, mental and spiritual aspects of life. Color therapy can improve healing throughout the body and mind, enabling overall well-being. There are many people throughout the world who suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) who use color and light therapy very effectively. Every single cell in our bodies need light energy in order to grow and survive. Color energies therefore affect our whole body.