As we mark Mental Health Awareness Day, it’s important to explore the various ways we can support mental well-being. While therapy, exercise, and mindfulness are often highlighted, one lesser-known but powerful tool is colour. Colours have a profound impact on our mood, emotions, and mental health, influencing us in ways we might not even realise.

From ancient practices to modern psychological studies, it has been shown that the colours around us can evoke specific emotional responses and play a significant role in promoting positivity and calm.

The Psychology of Colour

Colour psychology studies how different hues influence human behaviour and emotions. Our surroundings, including the colours we are exposed to daily, can uplift us, soothe us, or sometimes even overwhelm us. Here are some key ways in which certain colours have been shown to positively affect mental health:

  1. Blue: The Colour of Calm Blue is widely recognised for its calming and tranquil effects. It's often associated with serenity and can reduce feelings of anxiety and stress. Whether it's a clear sky or calm ocean, blue tones have a natural ability to help lower blood pressure and heart rate. This is why it is commonly used in environments like hospitals, meditation spaces, and bedrooms, where peace and relaxation are crucial.

  2. Green: Balance and Renewal Green is a colour strongly connected to nature, symbolising growth, balance, and renewal. Studies show that exposure to green can reduce stress and promote relaxation. It’s often used in spaces meant to rejuvenate the mind, such as parks, therapy rooms, and even offices, to encourage mental clarity and focus.

  3. Yellow: Uplifting and Energising Yellow is known as the colour of happiness, optimism, and warmth. It stimulates mental energy and can uplift the spirits. While too much yellow might be overwhelming, accents of this bright hue in spaces can inspire creativity, boost mood, and enhance positivity. This is why yellow is often used in places like kitchens or creative workspaces.

  4. Purple: Mindfulness and Creativity Purple, particularly softer shades like lavender, has been associated with mindfulness and spiritual connection. It’s a colour that encourages introspection and imagination, helping to create a calm mental environment. In fact, many wellness spaces use purple to enhance creativity and meditative states.

  5. Pink: Compassion and Comfort Soft shades of pink are often linked to feelings of compassion, warmth, and comfort. While bright pink can be energising, paler shades are soothing and can help foster a sense of care and emotional security. It’s often used in therapy spaces to promote feelings of safety and tenderness.

  6. White: Simplicity and Cleanliness White often symbolises cleanliness and simplicity, and it can offer a fresh mental space by creating a feeling of clarity. White environments tend to feel more open and uncluttered, which can help ease overwhelming feelings and promote a sense of calm.

Colour in Everyday Spaces: Enhancing Mental Health

Incorporating the right colours into our everyday environments can be a simple but effective way to promote mental well-being. Here are some ideas for using colour to boost mental health:

  • Home Décor: Consider painting your walls in soothing colours like soft blues or greens, or adding bright accents like yellow in spaces where you want to feel uplifted and energised.
  • Clothing Choices: Wearing certain colours can influence how you feel throughout the day. Try experimenting with wearing calming blues on stressful days or energising yellows when you need a mood boost.
  • Work Environment: Introduce plants, green art, or small accessories in your workspace to bring nature and calm into your workday. Even small pops of colour can enhance focus and reduce stress.

Colour Therapy (Chromotherapy)

Colour therapy, also known as chromotherapy, is an alternative healing method that uses colours to balance energy and promote mental health. Chromotherapy practitioners believe that different colours correspond to different emotional and mental states, and exposure to these colours can help bring harmony to the body and mind. For example:

  • Blue light is often used to calm anxiety.
  • Green light is thought to promote healing and balance.
  • Red light can help energise and revitalise.

While chromotherapy is not yet widely accepted in mainstream medical practice, its use in wellness centres and holistic therapies continues to grow.

As we reflect on ways to support mental health this Mental Health Awareness Day, it’s worth considering how the colours in our environment can have a positive effect on our emotions. From the calming effects of blue to the energising power of yellow, colour is a powerful tool in creating spaces that promote emotional balance, relaxation, and happiness. Whether through mindful decorating, personal style, or therapeutic practices, colour can be an ally in maintaining mental well-being.