The impact of color and light on our mental health
Light has an impact on life. It can improve or disrupt sleep , cognition , and general well -being. It can improve mood , stabilize the circadian rhythm and with it, the night's sleep. It can also bring relief from depression and activate us to have a shorter reaction time.
Rachel and Stephen Kaplan, psychology professors at the University of Michigan, have conducted numerous studies on how humans react to the environment. One of them is The Experience of Nature: A Psychological Perspective. In it they talk about brightness, saturation and hue.
Brightness. Bright light can intensify emotions , while dim light stabilizes (does not fade) them. This suggests that people make more rational decisions and are more willing to negotiate and compromise in this latter enlightened condition.
Saturation is the intensity of a color. Higher saturation amplifies emotions. Dull colors can reduce them.
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And in terms of tonality, light acquires different properties. The natural one can create a more cheerful environment , but the artificial one can be manipulated to create different emotions and physical reactions.
All this contributes to creating the environment in which we unfold, color and illuminate, sometimes unconsciously.
Creating better everyday environments
The theme of the environment has special emphasis now. Dr. Mónica Llanos Encalada, a clinical psychologist, indicates that the trend is to take advantage of natural light and open spaces.
Today architectural designs propose large windows, uncovered spaces, skylights, semi-transparent ceilings, so that as much natural light as possible can enter.
That is why banks, airports, shopping centers are very bright places, even if by artificial means, to create an alert and well-being mood, as opposed to dim or dark places, in which workers or visitors could be listless, in states of drowsiness.
This is noticeable in depression, in states of mourning or in mental disorders, in which people tend to withdraw and sleep during the day. Sleep is an "escape route" from suffering, says the psychologist. Contact with nature, on the contrary, benefits. " Direct sunlight not only has a psychological effect, but also affects the immune system and therefore mood."
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Taking this into account, Llanos explains that it is not only that we are influenced by what surrounds us, but sometimes, unconsciously or impulsively, we surround ourselves with elements that do not help us in the long term.
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When you're in very high or very low moods, don't make decisions you'll have to live with for months or years. Like the painting of environments where he spends considerable time: office, doctor's office, study, workshop, kitchen, rest areas... or clothes.
“Personality is reflected in color. Open your closet and see what colors prevail , the dark ones? Perhaps it means that you want to be inconspicuous, want to hide in your clothes or are down.
Consciously choose the colors of the place or the objects with which you are going to deal with on a daily basis. Make an inventory of the colors that predominate. The light ones, the strong ones, the dark ones, the trendy ones?
"I'm not against dark colors, but we need to choose colors unconsciously, thinking what effect they will have on us day after day , knowing that what looks good in another place or on another person does not necessarily apply in our case" . Therefore, in 'peaks' of emotion, it is better not to buy or make decisions with lasting effects.
The role of lighting
During the pandemic, Llanos notes, the demand for construction and decoration materials increased, because being confined, people sought to be more comfortable. Which does not mean having more luxuries. “Homes are not decoration stores,” he adds. “They are places to share”, not to store.
If the home is not pleasant for the inhabitant, no matter how much has been invested in it, it will turn out. “Before these two years , the culture of being with the family, of sharing leisure, of playing had been taken away from us . The confinement, by force, made us resume certain customs.”
And now? "We have to learn to live in balance." Not being locked up anymore, but having a home where we feel comfortable , and not suffocated. “The first person who feels comfortable at home should be me; if I get it, the rest will too.”
Home is not just a place to sleep. It is very important to enjoy it. "Many spend years wanting to have their own home, and then the time spent there is so minimal that it becomes a contradiction."
The psychologist encourages concentrating on common spaces, such as living rooms, where the family can meet. "Not create house-museums, luxury houses, but houses to live in."
Take advantage of sunlight at home, standard colors. It is not a decorative throwback, says the psychologist. "It's cyclical, appreciating simple, natural things again." For example, think of large windows or bay windows, whenever possible, so that light enters and your spaces can be oxygenated (which is also recommended).
Try not to clog up your entire lot with cement. Every home should have a green space, patio or small balcony where you can go out for a moment to sit down, have a coffee, garden, and chat. It is impressive, says Llanos, the feeling of well-being just by changing the color or the lighting source of an environment. "I must realize that I need that space." Do you want to share something good with your family? Offer them the possibility of light.
Let there be light
The direction of a light source can transform spaces and impact the way people feel there. Llanos underlines this, and the Lighting Engineers of the United States (IES), a scientific group with more than a century of existence, agrees with her.
Light positioned above eye level can create a sense of restraint, formality, sobriety. Light located below eye level can cause a more intimate, informal feeling, highlighting the importance of the individual.
The IES has created its own booklet in which it shows these effects in more detail and how they impact a space. Use it to analyze and improve your own site.
- Intense light right on the person: tension.
- Pendant light, close to the person, with additional lighting on the perimeter, in warm colors - relaxation.
- Brilliant light on the work surface or on the wall, in cool tones: productivity and visual clarity.
- Bright light on the walls and on the ceiling - spaciousness, space.
- Very low light, at the same level as the person, with little perimeter and with dark areas in the rest of the environment: privacy, intimacy. (F)
