Our reactions to color are intensely personal. You may feel a burst of joy when looking at a vase of blazing sunflowers, or feel suddenly relaxed by a hotel room’s “not-a-care-in-the-world” neutrals or been awed at the fleeting magic of a rainbow while walking in your neighborhood.
If so, you have intuitive knowledge that colors evoke intense emotions.
However, while color may be all around us, its hold remains mysterious. Artists and philosophers have grappled for centuries with how to harness its emotional power.
In the past decades, scientists have been trying to explain color’s emotional effects. One theory is that color was a matter of life and death in our evolutionary history. The fact that humans can distinguish millions of shades helped our long-ago ancestors discern the blush of a potential mate, the sparkle of thirst-slaking water on the horizon, and the pallor of illness on a loved one. It is believed that our evolutionary past hardwired us to respond to certain colors in specific ways.
Scientists are now focusing on how the qualities of a color affect our emotions. Its brightness and saturation may have more influence on mood than its hue. For example; a 2017 study in Psychology Research found that colors with higher saturation boosted peoples heart rate.
Research has revealed that people like colors based on how much they like the objects they connect with those colors.
Blue is popular because it is associated with good things — the sky and the ocean. Brown is less favored because of its connection to substances like faeces.
Red is often associated with anger. It is also a go-to color for energy. Studies show that viewing it improves alertness and athletic performance. The color of blood, fire, and lips.
Our reaction to a color may also be rooted in a vivid childhood memory — while gray might seem dishwater-dreary to some, it may have been the shade of your childhood treehouse and delight you.
The way to enhance your mood with color may be both simple and liberating.
A 2018 study found that across cultures, humans connect bright colors with positivity.
To produce a peaceful vibe, a pastel palette is recommended. Pastel colors are muted, calming energies. Nature is healing, so bring that mood into your space. Adding the green of live plants can reduce stress as well.
Changing up your colors can give you a fresh start too. A good reason to repaint is if you are going through a big life transition. Or paint just one wall in your home office a bold color and swivel toward it when you need a boost.
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