Using colors for therapeutic purposes is nothing new. People respond to certain colors on a psychological level, encouraging them to feel or behave a certain way.This type of approach is considered an alternative medicine method, along with practices like reflexology and acupuncture. Since humans, as well as other living beings, react to light and dark, they are also stimulated by the presence of colors or their absence.

When it comes to chromotherapy, this approach is based on the fact that color is a type of light comprised of electromagnetic energy. Different colors have different intensities of this energy. If you observe this from an alternative medicine standpoint, the body consists of energy fields known as chakras, which are believed to be responsible for a person's well being. When chakra is unbalance, that can affect behavior and physical health, but chromotherapy can help one to realign themselves.

Psychology recognizes colors as a valuable resource that can help people recover from trauma, elevate mood, affect appetite, and have an overall soothing effect. This is why you will often find walls in hospitals painted green or blue, with both colors symbolizing life, tranquility, and healing. Sunlight is the best example of how much color can affect someone's life. Lack of sunshine makes people moody, depressed, less productive, and lethargic, something often observed in winter or during cloudy days.

With so many benefits of light therapy, JNH Lifestyles added a chromotherapy bulb to enhance the experience in its infrared saunas. But before we explore all the benefits it leads to today, let us take a step back into the past and find out how light therapy came to be.

History of Light Therapy

A long time ago, ancient civilizations, like Egypt, Greece, India, and China used color light therapy. For example, ancient Egyptians used colors to imitate things from nature. They painted their temple floors green to resemble the grass growing on the banks of the Nile. Blue was also greatly present in their lives, showing respect for the bright skies. Some papyri from 1550 BC even mention color as a "cure." Records show them having temples for healing,which used crystals to create colors when the sun shone through them.

The Chinese, on the other hand, connected colors with natural elements — fire, water, earth, wood, and metal. They used them to build energy in the body through Feng Shui. In India, Ayurveda practitioners believe that every living being is covered with a coat of many colors that change based on a person's mental and physical health. In ancient Greece, Aristotle was one of the first people to present theories and studies regarding light.

When the Middle Ages arrived, Paracelsus revisited the idea of using color rays for healing by combining them with herbs and music. At the time, he was ridiculed and all his work was burned, but today he is considered one of the best medicine men of his time. In a way, he was a pioneer of light therapy by using techniques that are widely used today.

Color always played a crucial part in human life and development. After all, it inspired Sir William Herschel to experiment and discover infrared light, among others. The famous psychiatrist Carl Jung believed that colors are associated with different stages of a person's life. Throughout time, many healers, physicians, scientists, and psychiatrists recognized the impact colors have on humans. Edwin Dwight Babbitt was one of the first promoters of chromotherapy, whom many even consider its pioneer. In the 19th century, he published a book called The Principles of Light and Color, in an effort to introduce a new therapeutic system. Dinshah P. Ghadiali is another person who strongly believed in chromotherapy and continued his study of color further into the beginning of the 20th century.

Chromotherapy And Infrared Saunas

Using infrared saunas already exposes you to the health benefits of infrared therapy [1]. From lowering blood pressure, reducing cardiovascular risks, and improving the condition of your skin, to lessening pain, helping you relax and encouraging a better night's sleep. An infrared sauna session is highly beneficial by itself, but by complimenting it with a chromotherapy bulb, you can harvest even more positive health benefits depending on the colors you choose [2].

JNH Lifestyles’ Chromotherapy Light brings six color options to the table: red, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Every JNH Lifestyle's infrared sauna is equipped with a socket to install the bulb, which is sold separately on our website. By incorporating the use of color therapy while inside an infrared sauna, you can enhance your spiritual and physical energy. In order to take advantage of the most relevant color to your life, you should know more about its benefits as your light therapy.

Red can increase energy, making your heart beat faster, which improves circulation. This is especially beneficial if you feel fatigued, are suffering from low blood pressure, have anemia, and/or feel apathetic. Yellow can be great for concentration, stimulating the brain and helping fend off signs of depression. As mentioned before, blue has a soothing effect and can help with insomnia, stress, and anxiety. Blue is a good color to use in an infrared sauna to enhance its beneficial effects for lowering high blood pressure and to create a more relaxed environment [3].

Violet is the color of spirituality, ideal for people who suffer from anxiety and depression. It is recommended for emotional distress, nervousness, and sleep problems. Similarly, green inspires balance and harmony; because of its energizing properties, it can help with boosting the immune system and lessening headaches. Before you use any of the available colors, listen to your body and find the one that suits your current mood.

Advantage of Infrared Sauna Accessories

If you want to gain maximum results from using infrared saunas, you should try the many accessories available at JNH Lifestyles, like the chromotherapy light. The great advantage of having a personal infrared sauna is that you can upgrade it any way you want and make your sessions more comfortable. To find out more about chromotherapy and its benefits, speak with one of our JNH Lifestyles’ specialists to better understand the importance of adding chromotherapy to your infrared sauna.

Resources:

[1]Hussain, J and Cohen, M. (2018). “Clinical Effects of Regular Dry Sauna Bathing: A Systematic Review.” ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, The National Center for Biotechnology Information, April 2018, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5941775/.

[2]Samina T. Yousuf Azeemi and S. Mohsin Raza. (2005). “A Critical Analysis of Chromotherapy and Its Scientific Evolution.” ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, The National Center for Biotechnology Information, December 2005, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1297510/.

[3]Adamskaya, N, et al. (2011). “Light therapy by blue LED improves wound healing in an excision model in rats.” ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, The National Center for Biotechnology Information, September 2011, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22081819.