Sauna Chromotherapy is the use of colored light to enhance the therapeutic effect of a sauna. Each color has a unique benefit and healing impact on the body and mind.
Also known as color therapy – it is a popular way of complementing the benefits of sauna, improving over-all health, and boosting mood.
GUIDE TO SAUNA CHROMOTHERAPY
Sauna light therapy is the practice of adding different colors of light inside a sauna to boost health and restore harmony. Each color is believed to trigger a specific response and encourage certain health benefits.
Chromotherapy uses different colors to treat different conditions – physical and mental. This means you can change the color of light in the sauna to match the type of therapeutic effect you need.
Every color of light has a unique frequency, vibration, and electromagnetic energy that triggers a specific response in the body. This means each color has a role to play in healing the body and calming the mind.
The key to chromotherapy is understanding the effect of each individual color and knowing when to use them.
CHROMOTHERAPY COLOR GUIDE
The seven primary colors used in sauna chromotherapy are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. When these seven colors are combined they create natural white light. Each one has its own unique vibrations, frequency, and electromagnetic energy.
The colors used in chromotherapy are closely aligned to the seven colors of the chakras in ayurvedic medicine. Ayurvedic is the world’s oldest holistic medicine and originated in India over 3,000 years ago.
Chakras are believed to be centers of energy in our bodies and each one has its own color. Advocates of color therapy believe colored light stimulates our chakras and restores balance between mind and body.
RED LIGHT – ENERGIZING
Red light is invigorating and used to stimulate blood flow. It is associated with the root chakra at the base of the spine. It is believed red light promotes good health in the kidneys, spine, bladder, and endocrine gland.
ORANGE LIGHT – FERTILITY
Orange light is believed to promote reproduction, kidney, and adrenal gland health. It is associated with the sacral chakra which is located in the lower abdomen. It is used in color therapy to treat the testes and ovary endocrine glands.
YELLOW LIGHT – LYMPHATIC SYSTEM
Yellow light nurtures a feeling of empowerment and well-being. It is used to stimulate the lymphatic system. Yellow is the color of the solar plexus chakra located between the navel and sternum. This light is used to treat the liver, pancreas, gallbladder, and digestive system.
GREEN LIGHT – CLEANSING
Green light is used to purify and cleanse the body. It is the color of the heart chakra – located in our chest. It is a powerful healing color and is used to treat the heart, lungs, nervous system, immune system, and skin. See how sauna cleanses your skin – more here.
BLUE LIGHT – CALMING
Blue light can cool the body, calm the mind, and alleviate inflammation. It is associated with the throat chakra and is used to stimulate the thyroid gland. It is the color of choice for treating the throat, ears, hands, and mouth.
INDIGO LIGHT – CLARITY & SELF ESTEEM
Indigo light is used to promote improved sleep, clarity, self-esteem, and intuition. It is associated with the third eye chakra, also known as the brow chakra. It is located in the middle of the forehead, just above the eyebrows. Indigo is used in chromotherapy to stimulate the pituitary and pineal glands.
VIOLET LIGHT – CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
Violet light stimulates the central nervous system. It is associated with the crown chakra located on the top of the head. Violet is the color for promoting clarity, spirituality, dreams, and sleep cycles. It stimulates the pituitary gland and brain.
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HOW DOES COLOR THERAPY WORK?
So, how does sauna chromotherapy work? The treatment uses colored light to help trigger biochemical processes in the brain while you sit in the sauna. Each color has a unique vibration and wavelength that enhances mood and boosts health in a specific way.
It is believed the colored light triggers a biochemical process in our brains as we visualize the color. This in turn stimulates the release of hormones that have a calming and healing effect on the mind and body.
Sauna light therapy uses a wide range of colors – but the most popular are – Blue for its calming and anti-inflammatory effect, Green for cleansing and purifying, Yellow for boosting the lymphatic system, and Red for stimulating and boosting energy levels.
Looking for a sauna that’s chromotherapy equipped? Check out our independent review of the HigherDose Infrared Sauna – complete with color therapy.
DOES IT REALLY WORK?
Chromotherapy has been used for thousands of years and dates right back to the ancient Egyptian civilization. It plays a key role in both traditional Chinese medicine and Indian holistic ayurvedic healing.
But there has been very little research done on it by Western medicine. In fact, some researchers have been met with resistance when proposing to design a study of its effects.
Advocates of chromotherapy swear by its healing effects, while others will highlight there is no scientific data to back up these claims. The truth is, there has been very little scientific research done in the area.
WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN USING SAUNA LIGHT THERAPY?
Chromotherapy involves the introduction of colored light in the sauna and this will be the only difference compared to a regular sauna session. The colored light will not affect the sauna in any other way.
The only difference will be the introduction of colored light. So, you can expect the sauna to be flooded with colored light of your choosing.
Your body will heat up in the same way as it would in a regular sauna and you can expect all the regular health and relaxation benefits of a normal sauna session – complemented by the chromotherapy.
THE HISTORY OF COLOR THERAPY
Color therapy has a rich history and has been used for thousands of years dating back to the ancient Egyptian civilization. Its healing powers feature prominently in traditional Chinese medicine and Indian Ayurveda holistic healing.
Color therapy was popular thousands of years ago with the ancient Egyptians. Color played a central role in their society – the floors of their temples were green to represent fertile land and the ceilings often blue to represent the clear skies.
SEASONAL EFFECTIVE DISORDER
In more recent times it has become understood that people can suffer a condition known as Seasonal Effective Disorder if deprived of regular sunlight. Light therapy is now a recommended approach to help relieve the symptoms of SAD.
Another interesting use of color is in buildings such as hospitals, offices, and locker rooms in stadiums. Colors are being carefully chosen in many environments affect the mood of people inside rooms and buildings.
For example, home teams often paint the walls of their locker room red to boost energy levels and excitement. And a shade of pink called Baker-Miller Pink is used to paint prison walls as it has been observed to reduce hostility among the prisoners.
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What Are the Benefits of Sauna Chromotherapy?
Sauna chromotherapy comes with a wide range of potential health benefits – both physical and mental. The results of the chromotherapy session will depend on the color of light you choose to use. Each color comes with its own specific benefits.
Among the most popular benefits of sauna light therapy are – relief from stress and anxiety, boosting energy levels, detox the body, stimulate blood flow, improve sleep and mental focus, and treat specific areas of the body such as the central nervous system, digestive system, and immune system.
What Colors Does It Use?
The colors used for sauna chromotherapy or infrared sauna light therapy are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. These are the seven primary colors that when combined form natural white light.
They are also the colors of the seven chakras – your spiritual energy cores. See the color guide above to learn when each color should be used and the health benefits it can stimulate.
How Do You Do Sauna Chromotherapy?
The only difference between a regular sauna and a sauna with chromotherapy is the addition of colored light. So, you don’t have to do anything different at all.
Just sit inside the chromotherapy sauna the same as you would in a regular sauna. Lie back, relax, and let your body absorb the colored light and sauna heat.
What Are the Benefits of Combining Chromotherapy with Infrared Sauna?
Combining chromotherapy with infrared sauna will complement the healing and relaxation effects of your time spent in the sauna.
By carefully choosing the color of light for your chromotherapy session you can tailor the benefits to your particular set of needs.
Some of the most popular light colors for infrared sauna light therapy are blue for its calming effects, red light for stimulation and your energy levels, green light for system detox, and yellow light for your lymphatic system.
What is Chromotherapy Used to Treat?
Chromotherapy is used to treat a wide range of physical and mental conditions. By carefully choosing the right color of light you can tailor the chromotherapy session to your needs. Each color light treats a number of specific conditions.
Chromotherapy can be used to boost health, calm the mind, and treat many conditions, including – boost energy levels, stimulate blood flow, stimulate the lymphatic system, system detox, calm the mind, relieve anxiety and stress, improve sleep, boost mental focus, and to treat the kidneys, spine, bladder, liver, pancreas, gallbladder, digestive system, heart, lungs, nervous system, immune system, and central nervous system. See above for a full guide to the colors needed to target specific treatments and ailments.
What Are Chromotherapy Lights?
Chromotherapy lights are a special type of light that emits a specific color for use in color light therapy. The most popular colored lights used in chromotherapy are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Each color is believed to have its own set of healing and treatment benefits.
What is a Chromotherapy Bath?
A chromotherapy bath is a bath that uses colored lights for color therapy effect. They use underwater LED lights to create a constant light color or to generate a continually changing color sequence. They are popular among people who like to relax while bathing.
What’s the Difference Between Chromotherapy & Red Light Therapy?
Chromotherapy is the use of regular colored light for therapeutic effect. Red light therapy uses red or near-infrared light to gently heat the body.
The key difference is that red light therapy is heating the body for therapeutic effect. It uses very low levels of heat and doesn’t hurt or burn the skin. It is used to help heal damaged skin and muscle tissue.
Is There Any Evidence Chromotherapy Works?
Chromotherapy has been used for thousands of years and dates right back to the ancient Egyptian civilization. Advocates of chromotherapy swear by its healing powers and it plays a key role in traditional Indian and Chinese medicine.
There has been very little scientific research done to investigate its effects, so there is little to no data available to back up these claims.
Does Chromotherapy Work for Weight Loss?
There is no evidence to show that chromotherapy can be used to help with weight loss. While there may be a lot of anecdotal stories linking color therapy to weight loss – there is no concrete scientific evidence to back up these claims.
Does Chromotherapy Improve Sleep?
Indigo and violet light are used in chromotherapy to improve sleep quality and sleep cycles. Indigo light is associated with the third eye chakra and is believed to stimulate the pituitary and pineal glands. Violet light is used to stimulate the central nervous system and is associated with the crown chakra.
Does Chromotherapy Work for Depression?
Fans of chromotherapy use blue light to calm the mind and red light to boost energy levels. It is also believed that indigo light can improve sleep and clarity of thought. On the other hand, there is no scientific evidence to back up these claims that chromotherapy can treat depression.
Are There Online Chromotherapy Courses?
Yes, the internet is awash with online chromotherapy and color therapy courses. You can take your pick from professional chromotherapy courses, diplomas in color therapy, and introductory courses. A quick google search should return many potential online courses.
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About the Author
ELLIE COLE
• Health & Wellness Consultant
Ellie is a fully trained and highly skilled massage therapist. Hailing from sunny Florida, she brings a wealth of expertise to the health and wellness realm. She holds a LST qualification in Massage from the esteemed Swedish Institute College of Health Sciences and specializes in techniques that promote relaxation and healing.
Her experience extends beyond massage and encompasses a diverse range of therapies including infrared sauna. She developed her expertise at the Equinox Sports Club in San Francisco and has led sessions in pilates fusion, outdoor run clubs, and vinyasa yoga. Ellie is highly regarded for her ability to tailor treatments to individual needs.
When not immersed in the world of holistic wellness and local sports and fitness clubs she enjoys exploring Florida’s natural beauty and participating in outdoor activities. With her unique blend of expertise, experience, and passion for wellness Ellie looks forward to helping you discover the benefits of sauna and sauna therapy.
The red color helps me relax. It can be calming as well.
Ive tried it and thought it was good. The colors really affect your mood and make you feel better. The red light in an infrared sauna is really good. It makes you feel cosy and relaxed.
I just really like the colors. Even though I didn;t realize they were part of a therapy. It’s nice to sit in a sauna when the colours keep chaning.
There’s a blue light on all the time inside mine. It’s like a small circular light stuck to the roof. Is that there for chromotherapy or just as a regular light.
Color therapy in a sauna is great. My favorite is Green light. It’s very relaxing and freeing.