Color Therapy: How Chromotherapy Can Heal the Mind, Body and Spirit

Colors can have a profound impact on our mind, body and spirit, and chromotherapy is a means of helping us find balance. Have you ever noticed feeling energized, optimistic and content on a clear, blue-sky day? Yet, on a grey and dreary day, you feel tired and depressed? This is because there's a hormonal response that occurs when we are exposed to sunlight.

Chromotherapy and Infrared Saunas

However, its more than just the light from the sun that triggers these hormonal changes. It's the colors that are generated by the sun's light.

Sunlight is a blend of 7 colors (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet). Each of these 7 colors triggers a different hormonal change in our body, and each color plays a part in our well-being and health.

We can not live without the light from the sun. The colors that are generated from the sun's light balances our physical, spiritual, emotional and mental self. If we are deprived of any of the sun's 7 colors, we could experience symptoms in our physical and mental being. 

Surrounded By Color

Many saunas come chromotherapy lights. Since color can be absorbed in our body through our skin and aura, as well as our eyes (never look directly into chromotherapy lights), when we use the chromotherapy feature on our infrared sauna we surround ourselves with color. 

Our body is able to absorb the color's energy and wavelengths, feeding every cell in our body with light energy. Our body is able to heal and balance. Each color offering its own unique benefits.

Chromotherapy Options

Sauna manufacturers offer different options for their chromotherapy lighting feature. Most saunas that are equipped with light therapy offer at least 6 color choices. This allows the user to select a different color with each sauna session if they choose.

Some manufacturers even offer the feature of setting the color therapy lights to scroll through all of the colors, spending a few minutes on each color before moving to the next.

Chromotherapy may not be for everybody, but we think it's a worthwhile feature for your sauna. It likely won't be the sole source of healing a disease, but it does impact energy systems within our body, and it certainly influences our emotions, moods and feelings.

What is Chromotherapy?

Chromotherapy, also known as color therapy, uses specific colors to address specific needs. It can be defined as the therapeutic use of color to balance energy. Just as the heat we feel from an infrared sauna is part of the electromagnetic (light) spectrum which we are unable to see, colors fall into the part of the light spectrum that we can see. 

We can not see infrared light, because the infrared wavelength is longer than the color of red. Since we can not see beyond the color red, infrared is outside of our vision spectrum. 

The Energy of Light

Light is simply energy. We can feel the energy infrared light generates in the form of heat, and since colors are on the same light spectrum as infrared, colors also produce energy.

Every color has a different frequency and wavelength, which means that every color produces a different form of energy. Each color affects the mind and body differently.

Phototherapy (light therapy) uses a bright white full-spectrum light. Researchers have found that the use of light therapy can be effective in the treatment of cancer, SAD (seasonal affective disorder), eating disorders, insomnia, as well as, alcohol and drug dependency.

We can only see the colors from white light with the help of a prism, where the light is split into the 7 visible colors through a process called refraction. Refraction basically changes the speed of the wave of light and displays a color.

Healing with Color Therapy

For centuries color has been an effective treatment for physical, spiritual, emotional and mental issues. Healing temples of light and color were built in ancient Egypt, and colored panes of glass were used to flood patients with color from the sun's rays.

Since each color has a unique wavelength and oscillation, when an individual color is used with light, the color has the ability to provide the body with healing energy. The electrical impulses and fields of energy that are generated by color activate biochemical and hormonal activity in our body.

Therapeutic Advantages of Light

Throughout the world hospitals and research centers have found that light has a therapeutic effect on chronic pain, depression and immune disorders. Full-spectrum, ultraviolet, colored, and laser light can all play a role in healing.

The healing properties of blue light have been effective in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, as well as healing injured tissue. Studies have proved that pain could be significantly reduced when exposed to blue light for as little as 15 minutes.

A therapist who is trained in color therapy will have a number of tools at their disposal. They may use gemstones, candles, colored contact lenses, crystal color wands, and even fabrics. Even the color of their office walls was likely selected based on the color's healing characteristics.

The use of color light therapy for healing is a non-invasive, holistic practice that can be used by itself or with other healing methods. It has been proven to be safe and beneficial for adults, children and even animals. However, it is worth noting, that its not a substitute for seeking professional medical advice.

Healing Characteristics of Color

Our mind and body is impacted differently by different colors. Below you'll find the most common colors used in sauna color therapy. It's important to note that you should never look directly into chromotherapy lights.

Red

• Simulating, forceful and vigorous.
• Associated with power and vitality with a cheering effect.
• AVOID when angry, overly excited, or with any condition that shouldn't be stimulated.

Orange

• Orange is a warm color with a stimulating effect.
• AVOID if you are overly excited or anxious.

Yellow

• Yellow is a warm color with a stimulating effect.
• Yellow is a color of joy, happiness and mental alertness.
• AVOID if you are under nervous strain, with neuralgia, or with diarrhea.

Green

• Green is a color of contentment and trust.
• Green is often applied before and after other colors to bring greater balance.

Blue

• Blue is relaxing, soothing, and calming.
• Blue is a cool and sedating color.
• Blue is the color of the sky, so it has a great influence on our circadian rhythms, work and rest patterns.
• AVOID prolonged exposure to the eyes.

Indigo

• Indigo is a cooler color, so it has a relaxing affect on the mind and body.
• Indigo enhances intuition and strengthens the imagination.

Violet

• Violet is a cooler color so it has a soothing and calming affect.
• Violet is considered a spiritual color to help promote feelings of unity with the world.

Medical Disclaimer: The information provided is not meant to diagnose, treat, or cure any condition. We recommend consulting your medical professional.