Color is important in our lives. It influences the way we feel, the way we interact with others, and even the way we sleep. Studies have shown that color can affect our moods and emotions; but does it also affect how well we sleep?
Can Color Affect Sleep?
The color of your bedroom can affect your mood, sleep, and energy level. We've seen how color affects our happiness and decision making. Now let's take a look at how different colors can affect our health and safety!
Why Does Color Choice Matter For Sleep?
As you may have noticed, there are quite a few benefits to choosing the right color for your bedroom. If you're looking to rest better, feel more relaxed and energized, or even get creative ideas for your space, all it takes is some color knowledge and a bit of experimenting with different shades.
What Color Helps Sleep?
- Blue
- Green
- Yellow
- Light pink (reminds you of a baby's skin)
- White or silver (light and airy)
Blue
According to a study from the University of Toronto, blue light helps you sleep. It’s also been shown to reduce stress and improve mood, making it a good choice for bedrooms and meditation rooms. Blue is also a great color for offices, kitchens and bathrooms because it can make those rooms seem larger than they actually are by reflecting natural light in your home.
Green
Green is the most common color people associate with relaxation, which makes it a great choice for your bedroom. It’s also known to have an anti-anxiety effect and can help you relax enough to sleep better at night. If your room has a lot of green or blue colors, you may notice that you feel more calm than usual when you sit down on your bed or in front of the computer there.
Yellow
Yellow is a happy color, so it can help you feel energized. It also stimulates the nervous system and increases alertness, making it an ideal choice for an office space or other room with high activity levels. This means that yellow is not only good for bedrooms—it's also great for kitchens!
Light Pink
Light pink is a calming color. It can help you relax, fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. The warm tone of light pink also has a soothing effect on the body, which makes it a great choice for anyone who is struggling to get quality rest.
If you need some extra assistance staying positive during times when life seems overwhelming (or just want extra confidence when faced with negative people), consider adding light pink accents into your bedroom decorating scheme!
White
You might have heard that blue and green are good colors for sleep, but white is actually the best color to paint your bedroom to help you sleep. White can be found in many different shades, including cream, ivory, and eggshell.
Silver
Silver is a calming color, and it's also a cool color. That can be good in your bedroom because too much heat will prevent you from sleeping well. Silver is also a neutral color, so it won't clash with any other colors that you might have on your walls or in the rest of your house.
What Color Won’t Help Sleep?
Dark colors and reds are generally not good choices if you want to sleep well. This is because they stimulate the body, which can make it harder to relax in bed. Black and bright purple are also unsuitable for bedrooms since they may cause feelings of sadness or unhappiness when you wake up in the morning.
Dark Gray
Dark gray is a great color for bedrooms, especially if you like to sleep in a dark room. The cool, calming hue can be paired with other colors like blues and greens to create a soothing bedroom environment. Dark gray is also an excellent choice for people who prefer cooler temperatures while they sleep—the color’s natural association with cool air will help you stay comfortable at night.
Dark Brown
Dark brown is a warm color that can help you sleep. It has a calming effect and provides an overall sense of comfort. Dark brown can be used to decorate bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens and other parts of the house where you spend most of your time during the day.
Red
Red is a warm color, so it's great for helping you relax. Red also has an energetic vibe, which may help you feel more awake and ready to tackle the day ahead. You can use red in your bedroom or living room to make it a cozy place that feels romantic and loving.
Black
Black is the color of authority, power and strength. It’s also a strong color that can be used to make a statement, like painting your living room walls black. While this may seem like an extreme choice for decorating, it actually has many benefits. Black absorbs light and makes the space feel more intimate and cozy—a great way to relax after a long day at work.
Bright Purple
- Bright purple is a calming color. It can help you sleep, reduce anxiety and depression, and ease ADHD symptoms. For example, one study found that people who slept in rooms painted in this hue had lower cortisol levels than those who slept in other rooms. This suggests that it may help with stress management and improve moods as well.
Tips for Better Sleep
- Avoid the blues. Blue light is the type of light that suppresses melatonin production, making it best to avoid when trying to fall asleep. This means you should avoid watching TV or using your computer in the hour before bed—and if you do use electronics after dark, try a program like f.lux that filters out blue wavelengths from your screen as the sun sets.
- Sleep on an east-facing mattress. If possible, your headboard should face east so that sunlight can naturally wake you up in the morning (the ancient Greeks believed this was why east was associated with rebirth).
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: I've heard that blue light is bad for your sleep. What should I do?
A: In general, it's a good idea to avoid blue light before bedtime. Blue light tricks our bodies into thinking it's daytime because it mimics the sun's rays and suppresses melatonin production, which can make falling asleep more difficult. If you're choosing a new color for your bedroom, consider sticking with warm colors like orange and red instead of cool ones like blue or green.
What color helps with anxiety?
- If you're feeling anxious or stressed, the color blue can help. Blue has long been considered a calming color, and according to some studies, it's even better for helping you sleep than other colors like red.
- Yellow is another great choice when it comes to soothing your nerves. It tends to be associated with happiness and sunshine, which makes sense since yellow is often used in kitchens as well as public spaces where people spend time together (e.g., coffee shops).
- Light pink has also been shown to help reduce anxiety—and even depression! This might be due in part to its association with femininity and romance (think Valentine's Day).
- White light has been shown to reduce stress levels by acting on our brains' pineal glands—the gland responsible for controlling our circadian rhythms (sleep-wake cycles). This means that white light can improve your quality of sleep at night because you'll feel less stressed during the day when trying to fall asleep at night!
Is it OK to sleep with lights on?
Contrary to popular belief, it's perfectly safe to sleep with lights on. In fact, there are no negative effects associated with doing so.
What colors make rooms feel bigger?
- Warm colors, like reds and yellows, will make a room feel cozy.
- Cool colors, such as blues and purples, will make a room feel bigger.
- Darker shades of any color will make the room seem smaller than it is; lighter shades are better for making your home look bigger!
Conclusion
We hope you’ve enjoyed reading this article and learned something new. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave them below!
