Color therapy: what it is, benefits & 10 techniques to try
Explore what color therapy is, including the different types and benefits of this therapeutic technique. Plus, 10 tips to help you practice color therapy.
Maybe you’ve noticed that certain colors can affect your mood and feelings—or perhaps you’re just curious to see if they can! Color therapy is a simple yet effective therapeutic technique that may improve your mental health and overall wellness.
What is color therapy?
Every color in the spectrum has a unique frequency and wavelength, and these properties can have different impacts on our body and mind. Some colors can energize us, improve our mood, or help us focus, while others may be more calming and soothing. Color therapy—often known as chromotherapy—uses the power of color in our everyday lives to support our mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing.
From the paint on our walls to the clothes we wear, and even the light that fills our rooms, color therapy can help you navigate how you use colors.
8 benefits of color therapy
Understanding the psychological and physiological impacts of different colors means you can use color therapy more effectively, creating spaces that look appealing and also give you a boost. Color therapy can help:
1. Decrease pain: Research has shown that certain colors can have a pain-reducing effect. The color green has been found to have a soothing impact on physical discomfort—viewing green scenery or being in a green-painted room could help alleviate pain and promote relaxation.
2. Improve sleep: The influence of colors on sleep is significant. While blue light from screens is known to disrupt sleep patterns, incorporating colors like dark blue or soft green in your bedroom can create a calming ambiance, conducive to restful sleep. These colors can also lower stress levels and prepare the mind for rest.
3. Sharpen focus: Colors can also play a role in enhancing cognitive functions such as focus and concentration. Bright and vibrant colors like yellow have an uplifting effect on the mind, which can increase alertness and focus. This makes them ideal for study rooms or workspaces.
4. Increase appetite: Color therapy may be particularly useful for individuals struggling with appetite issues. Warm colors like red and orange have been shown to stimulate appetite and can be beneficial in dining areas to create an inviting and appetite-boosting environment.
5. Boost energy: Colors like red and orange may also be energizing for the mind and body. Incorporating these colors into your daily life—whether through clothing or decor—can help boost your energy levels and improve overall wellbeing.
6. Decrease stress and anxiety: The calming effects of certain colors are a cornerstone of color therapy. Shades of blue and green can help reduce stress and anxiety, making them excellent choices for spaces where relaxation is key.
7. Enhance mood: Color therapy can be a tool in mood regulation. Cheerful and bright colors like yellow can uplift spirits while calming ones like cool blues and greens can help soothe and relax the mind.
8. Promote healing and recovery: Certain colors are believed to facilitate healing and recovery. The color blue has been anecdotally associated with healing and is often used in hospitals due to its soothing and calming effects.
8 types of color therapy
Whether it’s choosing the right colors for your home, office, or even your wardrobe, knowing the specific benefits and applications of different colors helps create the right kinds of environments.
1. Bring in the calm with blue
Blue is renowned for its calming properties. It's often used to reduce stress and anxiety, create a sense of tranquility, and aid in sleep.
Blue light therapy is often used to treat Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), and lighter shades of blue can be beneficial in bedrooms.
2. Boost your cheer with yellow
Yellow is associated with cheerfulness and mental clarity. It can stimulate the mind, improving focus and concentration.
Integrating yellow into study areas or workspaces can boost productivity and creativity.
3. Make a healing, tranquil space with green
Green is the color of balance and harmony. It's believed to have healing powers and is known for its ability to reduce anxiety.
Utilizing green in living spaces can create a calming environment. Hospitals and clinics often use green for its soothing and healing qualities.
4. Get motivated with a dab of red
Red is a stimulating color that can increase energy levels and circulation. It's often used to energize and motivate—but it should be used cautiously as it can also heighten emotions.
Red is beneficial in exercise areas or places where you need a burst of energy. It’s also used in certain therapies to invigorate and stimulate the body.
5. Stimulate your creativity with orange
Orange, a blend of red and yellow, carries characteristics of both. It's known for its ability to uplift moods and boost creativity.
Orange can be an excellent choice for creative spaces—such as art studios—or as an accent color to stimulate appetite in dining areas.
6. Soothe and meditate with purple
Purple, especially its lighter shades like lavender, is associated with calmness and spirituality. It can have a soothing effect on the mind and nerves.
Purple is ideal for meditation spaces or areas where relaxation and contemplation are encouraged.
7. Nurture yourself with pink
Pink is often associated with love and comfort. It’s known for its calming and reassuring qualities—especially in softer shades.
Pink can be used in bedrooms or other areas where a sense of calm and nurturing is desired.
8. Make space for focus with white
Although not strictly a color, white is often used to symbolize purity and cleanliness. It’s known for its ability to create a sense of space and clarity.
White is often used in spaces where focus, clarity, and cleanliness are important—such as offices or medical facilities.
How to practice color therapy: 10 techniques to support your mental health
Practicing color therapy in daily life can be both simple and transformative. It involves being mindful of the colors that surround us and intentionally using them to support and improve mental health and emotional wellbeing. The effectiveness of color therapy can be highly personal, so feel free to experiment and find what works best for you.
1. Use colors mindfully and strategically
Consider the colors in your home and workspace. Use calming colors like blues and greens in areas where relaxation is needed, and energizing colors like reds and oranges in spaces where you need motivation or creativity.
💙 Try a Body Scan to assess how you’re feeling and what you need.
2. Calm down with a color bath in nature
Nature is full of therapeutic colors. Regularly spend time outdoors to immerse yourself in the natural greens of foliage and the blues of the sky and water, which can have a calming and rejuvenating effect.
💙 Still feeling anxious? Calm your nerves with our Calming Anxiety breathwork exercises.
3. Minimize blue light screens at night
Reduce exposure to blue light emitted by screens before bedtime. This can help improve your sleep quality, as blue light can interfere with your circadian rhythm.
💙 Taking a break from technology throughout the workday is important too. Explore our Let’s Unplug meditation to reset before burnout sets in.
4. Make it personal by tracking your reactions to color
Keep a journal to note how different colors affect your mood. This self-awareness can guide you in making more informed choices about the use of color in your life.
💙 A Gratitude Journal can also help lower stress, rewire your tendency toward negative thoughts, and help you overcome bad habits.
5. Dress to impress (yourself) in different colors
The colors in your wardrobe can also influence your mood. Choose clothing colors that align with how you want to feel for the day.
💙 Be true to who you are. This 6-minute Movement Meditation can help you nurture yourself.
6. Experiment with colored mood lighting
Try out different colored lights in your living spaces. Warm-colored bulbs in your bedroom can create a cozy atmosphere — or bright white light in your study can aid concentration.
💙 Try this simple yet powerful Deep Concentration meditation to help sharpen your attention.
7. Eat joyfully and boost your mood with colorful foods
Eating a variety of colorful foods not only benefits your physical health but can also boost your mood. Each color in fruits and vegetables carries different nutrients and can add a cheering visual element to your meals.
💙 Don’t take yourself so seriously! Mel Mah’s Moving for Fun session can help you tap into your inner child and find joy.
8. Lift your heart with colorful art
Surround yourself with art and objects in colors that uplift you. This could be paintings, cushions, or even plants. These items can serve as visual cues to evoke certain emotions.
💙 Try this Kindness for Yourself meditation to soften into yourself and relax.
9. Express yourself through colors in creative arts and crafts
Activities like painting, coloring, or crafting allow you to actively engage with colors. This can be both a creative outlet and a therapeutic exercise.
💙 Tap into what makes you happy, and try Tamara Levitt’s 7 Days of Self-Esteem series.
10. Practice visualization and meditation with colors
Use color visualization during meditation. Imagine being surrounded by a color that evokes your desired emotion or state of being, enhancing the meditative experience.
💙 Everyone’s approach to meditation is different. LeBron James opens up his playbook on how to Train Your Mind for mental fitness.
Color therapy FAQs
What is coloring therapy?
Coloring therapy is a form of expressive art therapy that involves coloring within pre-designed outlines, such as those found in coloring books. This activity is not just for children—it's increasingly popular among adults for its stress-reducing benefits. Coloring requires focus and repetition, which can be meditative and calming. It allows for creativity and self-expression, which can be therapeutic, especially for those who find it hard to express themselves with words. Coloring can also improve motor skills and vision, enhance concentration, and provide a fun, easy way to relax.
How can I do color therapy at home?
You don’t have to be a professional to implement color therapy at home. Start by being mindful of the color scheme in your living spaces. Use colors that evoke the feelings you want to encourage, such as calm, energy, or happiness. Incorporate different colors through wall paint, furniture, decorations, or lighting. Try using colored bulbs or filters for different effects. Engage in activities like coloring or painting—or wear clothes in colors that lift your mood. You can also use visualization techniques, imagining colors filling your space or body during meditation.
What is the best color for color therapy?
The best color for color therapy depends on what you’re hoping to achieve. Generally, blue and green are great for relaxation and stress relief, yellow for uplifting mood and increasing concentration, red and orange for energizing and stimulating appetite, and purple for spiritual connection and creativity. It’s important to observe how different colors affect you personally, as individual responses to color can vary.
What is the best color for depression?
Warm and bright colors like yellow and orange are uplifting and energizing. However, some people may find solace in cooler colors like blue or green, which are calming and soothing. It’s important to choose colors that resonate with you personally and make you feel better. Integrating these colors into your environment or wardrobe can be a subtle but effective way to help manage symptoms of depression.
What color therapy is best for anxiety?
Cool and calming colors like blue and green are known to have a soothing effect on the mind and body, reducing feelings of stress and anxiety. Creating a peaceful environment with these colors can help create a sense of tranquility and calm. Incorporating soft, pastel shades can also be beneficial as they tend to be less stimulating.
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