Did you know that something as simple as the colours around us can have healing effects on our mind and body? Think about it… we all have favourite colours because we like the way they make us feel.
White feels innocent, calm, and purifying.
Yellow stimulates hope.
Orange is exciting and creative!
But there’s more to it.
We’re not just talking about superficial feelings — there have been studies (1, 2, 3) on how colours can heal. People have practiced chromatherapy to treat asthma, jaundice, psoriasis, skin cancer, psychiatric illnesses, seasonal affective disorder, and more.
You’re likely wondering how studies can make claims like this, so here’s a short explanation of how chromatherapy works.
We won’t get into the fine details on how it affects each illness, but instead explain the general theory. If you’d like to know more about how it can affect a specific illness, we encourage you to speak to your healthcare professional. We’re simply relaying what’s been found in some studies.
The Theory Behind Chromatherapy
I hope you like science because we’re about to say a lot of fancy words.
Remember learning about the visible light spectrum in high school? Our eyes can only see colours that appear within those bounds.
You might also remember that each colour has a different wavelength, frequency, and specific amount of energy.
The basis of chromatherapy is that light vibrates in different ways depending on its colour.
“Colors generate electrical impulses and magnetic currents or fields of energy that are prime activators of the biochemical and hormonal processes in the human body, the stimulants or sedatives necessary to balance the entire system and its organs.”
A Critical Analysis of Chromotherapy and Its Scientific Evolution
Think back on the first time you looked through a microscope in biology; just because we can’t see something with the naked eye doesn’t mean it isn’t there.
Light has always been doing its own vibrational thing, but it just looks like light to us and not much more. Even so, people have been using these qualities of light for chromatherapy since ancient times for varying issues. It usually took the form of sunlight and coloured glass, even stained glass windows at times.
There is also a connection between chakras used in meditation practices since every chakra has a colour associated with it.
What It Looks Like In Practice
It turns out the coloured lights in your hot tub aren’t just there to turn up the party! If you’re looking for chromatherapy today, the most common way to access it is through bathtubs, hot tubs, and saunas. When upgrading to a walk-in tub, look for chromatherapy as an option that you can add on!
In bathtubs, we install the light into tub walls underneath the water line so the colour spreads throughout the water and works on balancing your energy centres.
Other ways to use chromatherapy are through penlights, coloured glasses, light boxes, and SAD therapy lights.
Lots of people have studied chromatherapy and more people will likely study it in the future. We look forward to hearing about what colours and light can achieve!
Disclaimer: This article was not written by health care professionals and should not be taken as professional advice. Please speak to a health care professional if you have concerns with your health or well-being.
