How the colors in our living environment affect mood, sleep, muscle strength, and other biological functions, and how to use this fascinating research to improve your health.
Does color affect our health? Can it change our mood, make our muscles weak or affect our sleep even if the room is dark with no color actually visible to the naked eye?
Modern research suggests that, yes, color has a profound impact on how we feel. It also curiously affects our internal biological functions.
Research as early as 1932 showed that visible wavelengths of light may have a direct effect on the endocrine system.
This is because the wavelengths representing each unique color are able to reach the pineal and pituitary glands.
These organs reside in the brain and receive information through neurochemical channels that operate independently of the optic nerve.
This means that color may not actually have to be “seen” to have an effect!
Further research in this area in 1978 suggested that the color pink has a tranquilizing effect. It calms hostile or angry emotions, even to the point of weakening muscles within 10-15 minutes.
The research conducted by Glen Wylie and photo-biologist John Ott showed that out of 153 people, only 2 failed to lose strength in their arms when viewing a large, 2×3′ piece of pink construction paper.
Strength loss from the color pink ranged from 6-23%. In contrast, the color blue caused the subjects’ muscle strength to quickly return.
Based on this research alone, the commanding officers at the Seattle U.S. Naval Correctional Center decided in 1979 to try painting the holding cell used for initial confinement of new inmates completely pink. The only exception was the floor.
Newly confined inmates tend toward aggression much more than any other inmates.
Violence was “a whale of a problem” at this particular facility according to the prison administrator at the time.
223 days of continuous use of the pink holding facility for new confinees showed no incidents of erratic or hostile behavior during the initial confinement phase.
The impressive results of the first 156 days were detailed in a memo to the Bureau of Naval Personnel, Law Enforcement and Corrections Division, Washington, D.C.
The memorandum described that only 15 minutes of exposure to the pink holding cell were necessary to reduce the potential for violent behavior.
The beneficial effect lasted for 30 minutes. This was long enough to process the inmate and relocate the individual to a permanent cell.
Similar results were reported by the San Bernardino County Probation Department, the Santa Clara County Jail, and others.
Can the Color Pink Win Football Games?
The University of Iowa took the application of the color pink for weakening aggression and muscle relaxation to a whole new level.
The university painted the visiting team’s locker room in the football stadium Pepto-Bismol pink. This color scheme even included the toilets!
No word on whether this color gamble actually paid off with a long, unbroken string of football wins at home!
Dr. Francis Kolar’s Experiments
Dr. Francis Kolar studied the effects of color on mice at a research hospital in Wichita, Kansas in the 1940s. Spinal fluid was drawn from a group of mice and analyzed.
Half the mice then went about their normal activities while the other half were subjected to a strenuous round of exercise on a treadmill to the point of exhaustion.
When the spinal fluid was drawn from the mice at that point, the exhausted mice showed no color whatsoever in their spinal fluid whereas the non-exhausted mice showed color from the full spectrum of visible light.
As the energy of the exhausted mice returned, so did the color of their spinal fluid.
Dr. Kolar performed many experiments to examine and understand the healing properties of color noting that when people are sick or even simply have a grey skin pallor, they actually have little to no color in their spinal fluid.
The most lively, energetic people had vibrant color not only in their skin but also in their spinal fluid. In short, externally visible, vital color in the skin seems to denote internal color and health.
Dr. Kolar’s research as practically applied by his assistant, Dr. Hazel Parcells, in her own practice indicated that understanding the effects of colors on human physiology is very helpful when planning its use in the home environment.
Feng shui, an ancient Chinese system for harmonizing people with their surrounding environment, teaches the same with each color an expression of one of the five feng shui elements:
- Fire – Passion and high energy.
- Earth – Nourishment and stability.
- Metal – Clarity and Preciseness.
- Water – Ease and abundance.
- Wood – Growth and vitality.
In the fascinating book, Dr. Hazel Parcell’s In Her Own Words, Dr. Parcells recommends several guidelines for applying color appropriately in the home environment.
Black
Black is the absence of color and as such, lowers energy.
A long road trip in a car with black upholstery virtually guarantees that the people inside the car will feel exhausted after an hour or more of driving.
Wearing black clothing reduces body energy and metabolism and hence is not the slimming effect that overweight individuals desire.
Better to wear colors that stimulate metabolism like yellow, magenta, violet, or red.
Soft Pinks, Blues, and Other Pastel Shades
Soft pinks, blues, greens, and other pastel shades are most restful and good for the bedroom environment.
Wild colors and patterns in the bedroom will affect sleep, relaxation, and even memory.
While falling asleep may still occur in a room with unrestful colors or patterns, full relaxation will not fully occur throughout the night.
The color of the sheets and pillowcases is most important to keep within the neutral/pastel color scheme.
White
White is always an acceptable color particularly in the kitchen when combined with full spectrum lighting.
Dr. Parcells also recommends pastels to complement the creative energy of the cooking environment.
Yellow
Yellow may be a good color choice for a bathroom as it is energizing and conducive to stimulating the intestinal tract and perhaps even alleviating constipation.
Orange
Orange may prove a great color for workout gear or decorating the home gym.
It appears to stimulate oxygenation and normalize metabolism.
Indigo (Blue and Violet)
Shades of indigo (blue and violet) are wonderful colors for the bedroom where the person sleeping there suffers from insomnia.
These colors are calming and conducive to a deep and restful slumber.
Red
Red is not a good color to use in children’s rooms as it is too stimulating.
Even red drapes or other accessories can disrupt sleeping patterns and make it difficult to settle children down at night for bed.
Dr. Parcells had great success normalizing children’s sleeping habits when the colors of the bedroom were changed to calming pastels.
My Experience with Color and Behavior
When I read Dr. Parcells book which includes a chapter on color and health many years ago, it got me thinking about the color scheme in my boys’ bedroom.
When they were young, they shared a room that was decorated with a sports theme. This included bold red drapes and a large rug that blended more red and bright orange throughout the pattern.
While my boys have never had sleep issues, they did tend to wrestle and get rather boisterous in their room on a very frequent basis.
I wondered if the color might have something to do with that.
So, while they were away at camp for 10 days one summer, I took the opportunity to completely redecorate their room with blue pastel paint and deep blue/grey curtains, sheets, and pillowcases.
The effect? The roughhousing in that room completely stopped when they came home from camp never to return months and even years later.
Coincidence?
Perhaps.
But, it is extremely interesting to note that they preferred to play musical instruments and study in their room after the color change. This was not a frequent occurrence when the color scheme was more energizing.
I certainly look forward to more research in this area. I find the effects of color on health to be nothing short of fascinating!
What color schemes do you use around your home? Have you noticed that behavior and energy levels vary depending on the colors of your environment?
References
(1) Tranquilizing Effect of Color Reduces Aggressive Behavior
(2) Pink Paint Used to Win Football Games and Calm Prison Inmates
(3) Dr. Hazel Parcells in Her Own Words
I primarily use blue and white, and I’ve added a lot of green (especially through live plants) and some pops of yellow here and there. I like orange and coral colors, but I don’t want to see them in large amounts. As for red, I can’t stand using red, except at Christmas. I would go crazy if I had to look at a red wall everyday. Our kitchen cabinets are kind of reddish cherry wood and I would really love to paint them white, but since we are selling our house I am not going to.
In marketing and design we studied color on some level. But what I find interesting in this article is what it says about yellow stimulating bowels. My toddler son is a poop holder but when he has to go he always runs to the playroom–which is painted…yellow! We are painting the bathroom this weekend. Thanks for the great info.
Our bedroom is Eddie Bauer Lavender Mist, and it is the most restful room in the house. Love it.
I’ve been casually following this concept for decades, now. I’ve lots of experience with how colors affect me and have observed/read a great deal more. For instance, a friend of mine who is a therapist specializing in the most difficult children’s cases uses a pale turquoise-y blue (similar to a ‘Haint Blue’) on the walls in her office. When I visited her there, I could feel the tension draining out of my body and my mind relaxing! She used this color because it soother her, too; she’s a full-bore-open energizer-bunny-on-steroids kinda gal and it calms and slows her down. It’s been beneficial for her clients, too. ALSO, restaurants’ traditional use of red for tables, tablecloths, accessories, upholstery, etc is because it’s stimulating effects keep the customers from staying too long after a meal is eaten, even stimulating a faster consumption of the meal. That means more tables ‘turned’/more customers seated and served in a given day, which means more income for the restaurant. Color plays a significant role in my life, both as a person with health challenges and as an artist, and there’s lots of research to validate it’s use with intention. Thanks for posting this!
I have been using a two-sided blanket on top of my comforter each night for a little extra warmth. One side is a solid teal and the other is a lighter color with a busy pattern. I found it so strange that as I spread the blanket out each night I could not bring myself to ever put it pattern side up. I was sure that since the room is completely dark at night it shouldn’t matter but I still felt like I could “see” the pattern and that it would bother me. I HAD to have it teal side up! I believe this totally explains what is going on! Now I know I am not crazy!
My daughter’s room used to be orange and cream. Now it’s turquoise. I wonder what that does???
Turquoise in feng shui is calming, and recommended as a very good choice for children’s rooms (especially teenagers), home office, or the living and family room.
I am so glad to see that turquoise is a good color for the living room. I will show this to my husband, and hope it encourages him to let me paint. Turquoise is the color I wanted before I read this. 🙂
Thank you for sharing this! We are in the midst of a major post-fire remodel, and I will be looking into this more closely as I choose my colors.
Very interesting. Our boys share a room as well, and their walls are a lighter blue. I’ve often wondered about the effects of colors. They still somewhat wrestle each other (only 2 and 4 years old. 😉 ) but who knows what would be if the colors were darker.
I often feel happy and alive in our home since we painted it all light airy colors. It was all dark and drab colors when we moved in. Amazing the effects of color simply on the moods, never really thought about sleep. hmm 🙂
Something i just thought about. When I am at a bed and breakfast I feel rested and happy getting into and out of bed with light colored fluffy blankets and such. Wonder if its a connection, or simply BEING at a bed and breakfast? haha 😉 Our blankets are a tan colors with brown.
I use green but my walls are cream. I have green rugs n candles n cushions. I picked this colour as it reminds me of nature and I can get anxious ay times. Especially since im nearing the end of my first pregnancy!
Sounds lovely and very restful 🙂
Love this! There is so much mystery in the world!