The sunny yellow color of the sun and spring flowers directly translates to joy and happiness. For this reason, yellow light has been clinically used to treat depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). You might try switching your LED lights to a yellow hue during the dark winter months and when you feel down.
Generally speaking, warm colors such as orange and red make people feel lively, joyful and excited; cool colors such as blue and green make people feel quiet, calm and steady.
Bright white light is amply used to treat depression. It is shown to suppress melatonin (the hormone that controls the sleep-wake cycle), synchronize circadian rhythms and soothe anxiety.
Red light in the evening can help improve mental health. This is because red light in the evening helps increase the secretion of melatonin which leads to better sleep at night. Better sleep at night leads to improved cognition and overall mental wellbeing.
Green – Quiet and restful, green is a soothing color that can invite harmony and diffuse anxiety. Blue – A highly peaceful color, blue can be especially helpful for stress management because it can encourage a powerful sense of calm.
blue lighting accelerates the relaxation process after stress in comparison with conventional white lighting. The relaxation time decreased by approximately three-fold (1.1 vs. 3.5 minutes).
The green ribbon is the international symbol of mental health awareness. Wear a green ribbon to show colleagues, loved ones or simply those you walk past that you care about their mental health. It can also be worn in memory of a loved one.
Blue Colors
Known as one of the sad colors, blue also creates negative feelings, feelings of melancholy, sadness, self-righteousness, and self-centeredness. Too little blue can also create negative feelings and evokes suspicion, depression, stubbornness, timidity, and unreliability.
Purple – The Nightcap
Purple light can help you fall asleep. It also reduces emotional and mental stress. The nervous system and eyes are linked with this secondary colour. Contrary to red light, purple light decreases sexual desires.
Get an LED Light for SAD
Recent studies have shown that high-quality LED lighting can help treat Seasonal Affective Disorder. The best LED light box for SAD treatment should be safe and have the right color temperature to make you feel better in just a few days.
“Morning bright light is an effective antidepressant for both seasonal affective disorder and non-seasonal depression.” Swanson says bright light increases mood-positive neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, in the parts of the brain that regulate mood.
Several studies suggest that light exposure at the wrong time can disrupt circadian rhythm and potentially impact your health. When your circadian rhythm is off, you can end up in a vicious cycle. You can't sleep well at night, and you feel tired and in need of a nap during the day.
Healthcare researchers are also using LED lighting systems to treat depression and other psychological disorders. In addition to suppressing the sleep-inducing melatonin hormone, certain light wavelengths can increase an individual's serotonin levels.
Yellow is widely recognized as the happiest color in the world and comes with a scientific pedigree to back up this esteemed honor. Research has suggested two main reasons why yellow is considered the happiest color. Many studies have linked the psychological powers of yellow to the sun.
In winter months, many people are known to be diagnosed with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), while many more self-diagnose their yearly “winter blues.” LED lighting is used in the treatment of SAD and has also been shown to improve mood, decrease stress, and create a generally healthier and happier environment—all ...
Colors like red and orange increase anxiety and stress, sometimes even fear. Red and orange are associated with an emergency that can elicit images of emergency vehicles with their lights and sirens on.
Blue light therapy may help some people with depression regulate certain symptoms. This therapy seems most effective in people with seasonal depressive disorder. However, other forms of depression may also benefit from it. Research has been generally positive.
New research claims that dark blue is the world's most relaxing colour. Research carried out by the University of Sussex and paper company G.F Smith, draws on a survey of 26,596 people, from more than 100 countries.
"Shades of blue or green are always very calming. Blues are especially known to have a relaxing effect perfect for creating a serene feeling at home," says Nicole Gibbons, interior designer and founder of Clare Paint.
Color and depression: What's the link? When it comes to depression colors, gray and blue tend to be high on the list of those associated with low mood. In a 2010 study using the Manchester Color Wheel, experts found gray was the color people pointed to when asked to reflect feelings of depression.
Colors that may help you sleep
Overall, muted colors are the best for your bedroom walls, and blue, green, and yellow may offer the most benefits.
Blue light therapy is often claimed to help mood disorders and anxiety perhaps by influencing the biological clock. Studies for the same are underway. Some studies have reported that people with anxiety were more likely to associate their mood with the color gray.
Grey is the quintessential sad color, but dark and muted cool colors like blue, green or neutrals like brown or beige can have a similar effect on feelings and emotions depending on how they're used.