How to Beat the Gray of Winter with Color
SAD. Seasonal Affective Disorder. That is what I feel in the winter. Living in the Pacific North West, winters can be gray and gloomy for weeks, all the way into months. The little town I used to live in was in a valley. I would go months with out sunlight. You don’t have to have a diagnosis for the gloomy weather to have an affect on you.
How can you have a happy winter? You may not be able to control the grey inside, but, you can control the color inside your home. Color has an influence on our moods. Color can reduce stress, stimulate energy and create happiness.
Self care is important year round, for some winter can be especially difficult. You don’t have to surround yourself with color to receive the positive affects of color. It is up to you how much color you add. Make sure YOU love it. Your home should be a place you feel happy and relaxed. Let your home represent you.
Color psychology is a new science, however, there is evidence color can help reduce stress, boost energy and more. These are some colors and the qualities of each color. These colors may help you this winter:
Red: invokes, love, passion
Red is an intense color that raises a rooms energy with love, passion and strength.
Red works best in rooms you want to feel invigorated in.
Orange: excitement and pleasure
Orange is also a stimulating color. it is said that orange boosts the amount of oxygen that goes your brain. It can also increase appetite and energy
Yellow: Happiness, joy communication
Yellow can bring out your intelligence, creativity and optimism.
You can use pastel shades of yellow for a more relaxed, less stimulating experience
Pink: Love, optimism
Pink is believed to boost feelings of calm, peace and hopefulness. Brighter shades like Fuchsia (my favorite) is linked to higher energy and confidence. Pink can reduce aggression and high heart rate or blood pressure.
Green: balance, serenity and joy
Green can improve your mood when you’re feeling sad, hopeless or depressed. This is because of its connection to nature. Green can preserve energy and reduce your heart rate.
Blue: Calmness, serenity, peace
Blue is known for being therapeutic and soothing. Blue is associated with wisdom and creativity. Light blues can help with help with insomnia and help you feel serene and calm. Blue can lower body temp, lower heart rate and slow breathing helping you to sleep better.
Purple: Relaxation, imagination and calmness
Similar to blue it can calm and relax you. Lighter shades such as lavender can help you to feel more helpful or optimistic, while darker rich shades of purple can inspire feelings of power or strength. Purple can enhance your senses and self awareness.
If you are new to color this may feel intimidating. Here are some steps to start bringing color into your space.
- What is your favorite color? Does it bring you joy?
- Choose one item of that color that brings you joy and add it to a room you spend a lot of time in. It could be something like a fuzzy soft blanket you lay at the end of your couch, a coffee mug or a small art print.
- If you feel like you are ready for for a larger step, paint an accent wall or maybe all the walls.
- This is a great time to add a colorful piece of art, whether it be an original painting or a print. Display it where you spend time. Especially so when this art makes you feel happy.
- Add a plant, plants reduce stress and keep us connected to nature even when everything looks dead outside.
- Adding a colorful painting, pictures or anything that reminds you of spring and summer memories, may also help give you something to look forward to. That has been very helpful for me.
