What Is Chromotherapy?

We’re going to guess you’ve clicked up on a number of buttons labeled “Buy Now” or “Add to Cart” in the past year or so. 

Ever notice the buttons tended to be colored orange? 

That’s because Amazon, Etsy, and other e-retailers know something about the color orange: it inspires impulsive behaviors. 

(Such as purchasing this.) 

People have known for years colors seem to do more than just illustrate daily life. Example? A recent study showed the color of restaurant plates seemed to directly affect how diners perceived their food. In medical facilities, picking the right colors for hallways and doors is more than just a matter of taste – it can directly affect how patients behave. 

This direct link between colors and human behaviors has been lighting up the wellness industry. Many spas make use of a technique called “chromotherapy.” Also known as color therapy, chromotherapy is an alternative, holistic health treatment often used in infrared saunas to help people relax and change things about themselves. 

Interestingly, chromotherapy isn’t exactly a new therapy – it has a surprisingly long history. 

History Of Chromotherapy 

The roots of chromotherapy go back centuries; followers of ayurvedic medicine associate areas of the body (which they call “chakras”) with certain colors. Most consider a 10th-century Persian scholar, Avicenna, as the founder of chromotherapy. His book, The Canon Of Medicine, was a medical encyclopedia which included passages about chromotherapy. Avicenna claimed the color red increased blood flow, blue (or white) helped cool it, and yellow had painkilling qualities. 

The first American to explore chromotherapy was a Union Civil War general named Augustus Pleasonton, who published a number of his experiments in his 1876 book The Influence Of The Blue Ray Of The Sunlight And Of The Blue Color Of The Sky, which examined how the color blue may have healing properties for people. 

It’s important to remember that chromotherapy isn’t meant to replace actual medicine; rather, it’s a way to enhance the experience of an infrared sauna. However, the interesting links between behavior and colors seem to hint at a deeper relationship between humans and the colors which make up our world. 

What Is Chromotherapy Actually Like? 

There are as many forms of chromotherapy as there are colors. Some spas project colors onto your skin as you get a massage; others may place colored pieces of silk on particular places on your body. Meanwhile, others will have you close your eyes and face a colored lamp or include colored lighting in an infrared spa to enhance your experience. 

In general, spas will have a color therapist – someone familiar with chromotherapy – conduct a short interview with you about the effects of each color, and which one is best suited for your current needs.  

What Do Chromotherapy Colors Actually Do? 

Sunlighten, a manufacturer of high-grade infrared saunas, includes a comprehensive list of colors and their various effects on their website. Here’s a partial list of colors and the effects they have during chromotherapy: 

• Red: Stimulation and energy; increases blood circulation and the heart rate. 
• Orange: Helps treat breathing diseases like asthma; is also associated with fat loss. 
• Yellow: Cleanses the blood and skin; also seems to stimulate happiness. 

• Green: Another color with cleansing properties. Also seems to stimulate regeneration. 
• Blue: Anti-inflammatory and muscle-relaxing benefits; also helps mind and body tension. 
• Indigo: Helps treat ear, eye, and nose issues. Also has calming effects. 
• Violet: Helps detoxify; additionally, it stimulates spirituality and healing. 

5 Benefits Of Chromotherapy You Can’t Miss Out On 

Again, while chromotherapy is in no way a replacement for medical treatment, its use appears to have some genuine benefits for regular users. They include: 

• It helps seasonal affective disorder (SAD): A genuine depressive disorder, the Mayo Clinic reports SAD is related to the change in seasons. Marked by sensations of low energy, depression, and sleeping problems, medical professionals have recommended the use of “light boxes” to help treat SAD. 
• Improved circulation: Some colors, like red, have the same effects of heat, which helps circulation – especially when done in an infrared sauna. 
• It can help heal the skin: Red light therapy has also been used to help heal and repair skin. 
• It can be used to treat conditions like acne: Blue light therapy has been used to treat acne for years. One study showed nearly 80% of a group of people who received blue light therapy to treat their acne showed improvement after five weeks. 

• It can improve sleep patterns: Some studies seem to show certain shades of blue can help people sleep better. 

Explore Chromotherapy For Yourself At Sculpt Spa 

We’re proud to offer chromotherapy as an option in our infrared saunas. You can relax, enjoying the benefits of an infrared sauna while receiving the enhanced benefits of chromotherapy. 

Sculpt Spa in Spring Valley, is a leading provider of aesthetic services in the Las Vegas area. Offering body contouring, infrared saunas, and a wide range of aesthetic and vitamin injections, Sculpt Spa is your destination for making your best you. Operating a comfortable, stress and judgement-free environment, you’ll be able to receive cutting-edge aesthetic treatments in a relaxing, spa-like setting. 

See for yourself and book an appointment today!