What Color Light Is Good for Sleep
The bedroom affects your ability to sleep well. When you feel calm and content, you're more likely to fall asleep quickly. The colors in your bedroom, in particular, can make the difference between a good night's sleep or a night spent tossing and turning.
Color psychology experts found that some colors put us at ease, while others cause us to feel alert. In our article, we share the best and worst colors for sleep, so you can better understand how color affects the circadian rhythm.
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Best Bedroom Colors for Sleep
The best colors for sleep are blue, yellow, green, silver, orange, and pink. These colors reduce stress and soothe the nervous system. Try to stick with neutral or pastel shades for a soft, welcoming atmosphere.
Blue
One of the best bedroom colors is blue because it's associated with calm and relaxation. The brain is more perceptive to the color blue than any other color thanks to special receptors called ganglion cells, located in the retinas.
Ganglion cells collect information from visual surroundings and transform this information into chemical signals to the hypothalamus, a part of the brain responsible for producing hormones, like melatonin and cortisol. Melatonin is a sleep hormone and influences the sleep-wake cycle, and cortisol is a stress hormone, keeping your alert during the day.
Blue is a non-stimulating color, so when you see blue, the hypothalamus produces more melatonin and less cortisol. In contrast, a red room stimulates the brain and produces more cortisol, resulting in poor sleep quality.
Yellow
Softer shades of yellow create a tranquil environment because the muted tone imitates sunshine. Soft yellows alleviate stress and promote tranquility, so you can sleep peacefully. Brighter hues boost energy and should be avoided.
Green
The color green is another excellent color choice for relaxation. Green is also another easy color for the eyes to see because, like the color blue, they are sensitive to green light. Similar to a blue room, a green room helps us feel calm and peaceful because green is a non-stimulating color. The best green colors for sleep should have blue tones—warm tones like yellow may cause you to feel energetic instead of helping you unwind.
Silver
Silver is a great choice if you prefer neutral colors. Unlike dark gray tones, silver induces calm. Be sure to choose a matte silver color and not a shiny paint—the shine reflects any bright light, keeping you awake.
Orange
Light orange colors, including tan and beige, have a warm tone reminiscent of a sandy beach, creating a welcoming space in your bedroom. Choose orange colors with brown undertones, like terracotta, and avoid bright orange colors because they are invigorating to the brain.
Pink
Pink may not seem like a good color for the bedroom because of its red tones, but a soft, natural pink gives off a tranquil feeling. Avoid bright red tones.
Worst Bedroom Colors for Sleep
Purple, gray, brown, and red are the worst colors for sleep. Gray and brown promotes negative emotions, while purple and red boost alertness. Individuals with these bedroom colors are more likely to sleep less than 7 hours each night.
Bright Purple
Bright purple is not a good choice for the bedroom. Bright purple hues have reddish undertones, increasing energy levels and keeping you alert, but softer purple shades may boost sleepiness. If you're set on painting your bedroom purple, try to choose a more muted tone, like lavender, because of its cool undertones.
Dark Gray
Dark gray promotes depression because it gives a similar feel like a rainy day. Dark gray is a good accent color, but painting the walls this dark shade and adding gray bedding creates a somber atmosphere. Silver or gray with blue undertones are better choices if you want a neutral color.
Brown
Brown is a gloomy color, increasing subconscious feelings of sadness and causing restlessness instead of sleep—not exactly a cozy feel for the bedroom atmosphere.
Red
Red is an invigorating color, increasing heart rate. One study found the color red increases brain activity and boosts alertness, something you don't want when trying to relax and fall asleep.
Painting Tips
Before painting the bedroom walls, we recommend using flat paint and establishing a color scheme with sleep-promoting colors to create a cozy environment conducive to sleep.
Flat Paint
Stick with flat paint, instead of one with a high-shine or glossy finish. The shine reflects light, disrupting sleep. Flatter paints absorb light and are less invigorating, promoting relaxation.
Color Scheme
Decide on a color scheme for your bedroom before painting to avoid color clashing. Choose colors parallel to each other on the color wheel—contrasting colors are stimulating, because they clash with each other, so instead of a sleep-inducing environment, you may feel anxious and restless.
FAQs
What color light helps you sleep?
Warm light is better for sleep because the eyes are less sensitive to the longer wavelengths in warm light. Light bulbs with a yellow or red hue and are best for bedside lamps. Blue light, on the other hand, is the worst for sleep. Blue light from LED light bulbs and electronic devices disrupts melatonin production because your eyes are more sensitive to blue light.
Are white sheets a good color for sleep?
White bedding is an excellent choice for sleep because the neutral tone doesn't stimulate the brain, unlike bright red and purple tones. White is neutral and has a relaxing effect, pairing well with other colors conducive to sleep, including blues and yellows.
What colors make a room look bigger?
Soft shades and natural colors can make a room appear bigger and more open—you may want to consider light blues, pale greens, and off-white colors for smaller spaces, like a studio or one-bedroom apartments where space is limited. Another technique is painting the molding a lighter color than the walls, giving the illusion of a larger bedroom.
What are good neutral tones for the bedroom?
If you can't sleep, don't force yourself to stay in bed—this increases stress and makes it harder to fall asleep. Instead, get up, leave the room, and do a simple activity, like writing in your journal or reading a book. When you start to feel sleepy, go back to bed.
What color helps with anxiety?
Researchers have found the color blue induces feelings of tranquility and peacefulness, the opposite of anxiety. A blue room doesn't alert the mind, and instead, promotes calm, so you feel more at ease—you're likely to fall asleep and stay asleep than you would if sleeping in a brightly-painted bedroom.
Conclusion
Some of the best colors for sleep have a soft, natural hue to create a calm atmosphere, perfect for deep sleep. Choose colors appealing to your taste and create a color scheme to enhance sleep. Light blue is one of the best colors for sleep because the soft tone creates a calm and inviting atmosphere conducive for sleep.
What Color Light Is Good for Sleep
Source: https://amerisleep.com/blog/best-and-worst-colors-for-sleep/#:~:text=Warm%20light%20is%20better%20for,is%20the%20worst%20for%20sleep.