Colors = Your Mood - Your Attitude - Your Thinking - Your Stress Level - Your Mind

Can the color you wear really affect your mood? Research says yes; color can absolutely affect your mood, behavior and stress levels.

Color specialist Leatrice Eiseman says how colors affect us correlates to that colors behavior in nature. Eiseman has asked thousands of people what they think of specific colors and has found many patterns. She explains, “We have a repository of information about a color. For example, the color blue is almost always associated with blue skies, which when we are children is a positive thing — it means playing outside and fun. Evolutionarily it also means there are no storms to come. This is why it reminds us of stability and calm.”

She cautions that there are no magic bullet answers, but there are generalities that can be gleaned from decades of research on the patterns of what people think about each color. So, how can you pick the perfect color for each situation? Based on the research, here is your personal color guide:

What Color You Should Make Your Desktop: Green

What color you choose for your desktop and the colors you choose for your website can greatly affect your productivity. The color green is restful for eyes and produces the least amount of eyestrain. This is a good choice for computer desktops if you are in front of a screen for many hours.

What Color to Wear for a Work Out: Orange

Orange is a color of stimulation and enthusiasm. Orange is a nice mix of red’s passion and yellow’s joy. Research has found that orange increases oxygen supply to the brain, produces an energizing effect, and stimulates brain activity.

What Color to Wear on a Date (if you’re a woman): Red

Red is the color of passion and gets the blood pumping. Women can wear this to get their date’s heart racing.

What Color to Wear on a Date (if you’re a man): Blue

Blue is the most stable color. Women love seeing stable men. It is also calming and can help relax both you and your date’s nerves.

What to Wear If You Want to Be Seen As Aggressive: Black

Researchers examined statistics from more than 52,000 National Hockey League games and found that teams were penalized more for aggression while wearing black jerseys. (Hockey teams have two color jerseys and switch for home and away games). Interestingly, the NHL in 2003 changed it’s jersey policy so that home teams had to wear white. The authors of the study compared the sets of data and found that the same teams were assessed significantly more penalties for aggression when they wore the black jerseys than when they wore white.

What Colors You Should Paint Your Office: Blue and Green

In 1999, researchers at Creighton University found that colors significantly influence employees’ emotions and efficiency. Workers in blue offices felt the most centered, calm and hopeful towards their work. Since blue can lower heart rates and green reduces anxiety and is associated with money, a combination of blue and green is best for the workplace.

What Color You Should Never Wear to Work: Grey

Grey inspires people to be passive, uninvolved and have a lack of energy. If you like wearing gray, pairing it with a brighter color will help offset the effect.

Choosing the color of your office, your clothes or your desktop should not be taken lightly — colors do affect our moods and productivity. However, colors are not the only thing that affects us — one can still be efficient in a gray suit or workout well in a black outfit. But, when given the choice, picking a color that will work with you, and not against you can only help.

The color is everywhere and has many functions. In nature, animals and plants use color for camouflage and to facilitate mating. Humans decorate and dress with color for expression. Color preference has a psychological effect on mood and affects people on a subconscious level.

Color and Wellness

Encouraging mental wellness through the use of color is a very old practice that exists in many cultures. Practitioners of Feng Shui, acupuncture and other adjustments for better living introduce various colors in the form of gemstones, colored fabric, candles, and prisms.

If you’ve ever chosen to clothe of a specific color based on your mood (perhaps you chose black clothing when you felt down, or bright yellow when you were feeling energetic) then you’ve practiced colorology, also known as chromotherapy. Chromotherapy is actually an alternative medicine that uses color and light to balance a person’s energy where it is lacking — mental, emotional, physical or spiritual.

Color for Stress Management

Different colors produce different psychological, emotional, and physical effects. Some colors are calming and can help you relax and release your worries; some colors are stimulating. Surrounding yourself with the right colors can be an excellent stress management tool. If you are suffering from stress, consider changing the colors in your environment.

The Effects of Different Colors

The color chart below outlines the different effects of different colors. Wearing the colors or decorating with them is a great way to harness their specific benefits.

Red

Red is not the color to use for stress management. It is an exciting and stimulating color, usually associated with passion and vigor. Use this color when you need to lift yourself out of an emotional slump.

Pink

Pink is soft and tranquil. Its peacefulness promotes a better balance of energy.

Orange

Like red, orange is not calming but, rather, stimulating and intense. It can help invigorate you when you are feeling down.

Yellow

Yellow is sunny and cheerful but softer than red or orange. It’s a great color to lift your spirits and combat stress.

Green

Green is restful and quiet. It’s a soothing color that invites harmonious feelings that diffuse anxiety.

Blue

Blue is tranquil and peaceful. It has a tremendous stress management quality that encourages calmness. Personally, I’ve found that dark blue has the most calming effect. If you’re stressed or anticipating stress, try wearing dark blue.

Violet

Violet represents strength, peace, and wisdom. It can encourage feelings of inner peace when worn. Decorating with violet can give your space a peaceful feeling that relieves stress.

White

White is symbolic of clarity and freshness. However, it needs to be a clean, bright white. Dingy or dull white can cause your emotions to be dull.

Black

Black exudes power and elegance that is strong but can be overpowering at times. Conversely, it can also represent submission. It’s a color that can impact your world either way; be mindful when decorating with or wearing black.

How do you use color to influence your mood? Do you find color therapy beneficial for stress management? Leave a comment below and share your thoughts with us.

Results may vary. Information and statements made are for education purposes and are not intended to replace the advice of your doctor. Global Healing Center does not dispense medical advice, prescribe, or diagnose illness. The views and nutritional advice expressed by Global Healing Center are not intended to be a substitute for conventional medical service. If you have a severe medical condition or health concern, see your physician.