Chromotherapy: Coloured Light, Saunas and What the Evidence Shows
Chromotherapy is the practice of using coloured light, today most often coloured LEDs built into saunas and relaxation rooms, to influence mood and wellbeing, and reference sources rate the evidence for any health effect as insufficient. It differs from photobiomodulation, red and near-infrared light therapy defined by wavelength and dose on the skin. Below: history, the contrast with red light therapy, the mood studies, sauna colours by day and evening, green light, safety, study settings and how our devices fit.
Key takeaways
- Reference summaries find no good scientific evidence that coloured light treats disease. EBSCO, Color therapy
- In a small preliminary study of 12 people, blue room lighting brought stress readings to their lowest point in about 1.1 minutes, against about 3.5 minutes under white light. Minguillon, 2017
- In a lab study of 62 people, brighter and more saturated colours felt more stimulating. Wilms and Oberfeld, 2018
- Photobiomodulation is defined as non-thermal light therapy that acts through light-absorbing molecules in cells. Anders, 2015
- In a sham-controlled trial of 76 people, 633 nm and 830 nm LED light twice a week for four weeks reduced wrinkles by up to 36%. Lee, 2007
What is chromotherapy?
Chromotherapy, also called colour therapy, is the use of colour or coloured light for therapeutic purposes. Most people meet it today as a lighting feature in saunas and spas.
A 2005 review traces light and colour healing to ancient Egypt, Greece, China and India. Azeemi and Raza, 2005 It notes that the Persian physician Avicenna, born in AD 980, linked red to moving the blood and blue to cooling it.
The modern practice took shape in the nineteenth century. Wikipedia, Chromotherapy
- 1876: Pleasonton published a book promoting blue light.
- 1877: Pancoast published "Blue and Red Light".
- 1878: Babbitt published "The Principles of Light and Color", assigning colours to conditions.
- Early twentieth century: Ghadiali set out a full system of colours for specific complaints.
Later practitioners added chakra colour schemes. Reference sources separate this tradition from mainstream phototherapy, such as bright light for seasonal affective disorder or ultraviolet light for psoriasis. EBSCO, Color therapy
How is chromotherapy different from red light therapy?
Chromotherapy is defined by the colour you see, while red light therapy, or photobiomodulation, is defined by a wavelength absorbed by cells at a measured dose. One works through the eyes and the room; the other is shone on the skin from a set distance.
The 2015 editorial that set out the term describes photobiomodulation as non-thermal light therapy from lasers, LEDs or broadband sources. Anders, 2015 It acts through light-absorbing molecules in cells.
Results depend on wavelength, energy per area, power per area, time and pulsing. Huang, 2009 Lower doses can stimulate more than higher ones, so more light is not always better.
| Feature | Chromotherapy | Photobiomodulation |
|---|---|---|
| What defines it | The colour seen: red, blue, green and so on | Wavelength in nm, irradiance and dose |
| How light reaches you | Seen by the eyes as room or sauna lighting | Shone on the skin at a stated distance |
| What studies report | Colour names, room brightness, seconds to minutes | nm, mW/cm², J/cm², minutes, sessions per week |
| Usual aim | Mood, relaxation, atmosphere | Skin, muscles or joints, depending on the trial |
| What the evidence supports | Insufficient evidence for health conditions | Sham-controlled trials for specific uses, such as facial wrinkles |
See our guides to photobiomodulation therapy and LED light therapy colours for more.
Is the red light in a chromotherapy sauna the same as red light therapy?
It is visible red light, but a colour setting alone does not tell you whether you are getting a red light therapy session. Unless the maker states the wavelength in nanometres and the irradiance at a stated distance, treat it as ambient light.
Red light therapy trials name these numbers. In the 76-person trial above, groups received 633 nm, 830 nm, both, or sham, and elasticity rose by up to 19%. Lee, 2007
A controlled trial of whole-body red and near-infrared units reported irradiance, dose and minutes for each unit. Wunsch and Matuschka, 2014 To judge any light sold as therapy, look for:
- Wavelength: a number in nm, such as 630 or 660 nm, not only the word "red".
- Irradiance: power per area, in mW/cm² or W/m².
- Distance: the distance at which that output was measured.
- Heat versus light: infrared sauna heaters warm you; Mayo Clinic notes they heat your body directly without warming the air. Mayo Clinic, 2024
Our red light therapy vs infrared sauna comparison covers the heat side.
Can chromotherapy help you relax after a stressful day?
One small study found that blue room lighting brought stress readings down faster than white light, although people did not report feeling less stressed. For stress or anxiety as health outcomes, the evidence is insufficient.
In the Granada study, 12 healthy volunteers did a 6-minute stress task, then sat in a small "chromotherapy room" under blue light at 471 nm and white light, 10 minutes each. Minguillon, 2017
- Brain and heart readings: minimum stress came at about 1.1 minutes under blue, against about 3.5 minutes under white.
- How people felt: 10 of 12 said blue felt more relaxing, but self-rated stress did not differ between groups.
The authors say the sample "is not large enough to obtain solid scientific evidence". A 2024 study of 30 people in virtual blue rooms found no significant change in self-rated stress. Dastan, 2024
Ongoing anxiety or low mood needs a GP. Light boxes for seasonal depression are a separate practice using 10,000 lux of white light. NHS See our red light therapy vs SAD lamps guide.
Which sauna light colour is best for relaxing?
No colour has been shown to be best. Lab work suggests brightness and saturation matter as much as hue, so a soft, dim setting you enjoy is a reasonable choice.
In the Mainz study, 62 people viewed 30 colours on a large LED panel for about 30 seconds each. Wilms and Oberfeld, 2018
- Hue: red was most arousing, then green, then blue, at medium and high saturation.
- Saturation and brightness: both raised arousal strongly.
The authors say a colour's effect "is not determined by, for example, the hue alone".
A survey of 4,598 people in 30 nations linked red with love and anger, yellow and orange with joy, and white with relief. Jonauskaite, 2020 It rated colour words, not lights: associations, not effects.
A 2015 review calls the field "at a nascent stage of development". Elliot, 2015 In practice: lower the brightness, pick a softer shade you like, and skip fast colour changes if flickering light bothers you.
Which colour should you use in an evening sauna before bed?
In the evening, keep any coloured light dim and avoid bright blue, because blue light suppresses melatonin the most. This guidance comes from melatonin research rather than from sauna studies.
As our red light therapy for sleep article explains, melatonin is suppressed most by light at 446 to 477 nm. Red light at 10 and 40 lux did not suppress it, while blue at 40 lux did.
Brightness still counts: red light at about 75 lux in the hour before bed made people more alert. A low red or amber setting is the gentler evening choice.
Is green chromotherapy good for migraines?
The green light migraine research used dim green room light seen by the eyes for 1 to 2 hours a day, not sauna lighting or light on the skin. A 2026 review of 13 studies rated the certainty of the evidence as very low.
In the Arizona study, 29 people used white light for 10 weeks, then a 525 nm green LED strip for 10 weeks, at 4 to 100 lux from 1 to 2 metres. Martin, 2021 With green light, headache days fell from 7.9 to 2.4 a month in episodic migraine and from 22.3 to 9.4 in chronic migraine. White always came first.
The 2026 review covered 668 people and called for blinded, sham-controlled trials. Bain, 2026 Neither Kivorla device has green light, and neither is designed for migraine; our green light therapy article has the detail. New, sudden or severe headaches need a doctor.
Can chromotherapy lower blood pressure or detox the body?
There is no good evidence that coloured light lowers blood pressure, controls blood sugar or detoxes the body. The sauna research that exists concerns heat, and it is still preliminary.
EBSCO's reference summary finds no scientific evidence that coloured light or gemstone therapy is effective. EBSCO, Color therapy
A 2018 review of sauna heat gathered 40 studies with 3,855 people. Hussain and Cohen, 2018 Only 13 were randomised trials, most with fewer than 40 people, and most reported benefits. Mayo Clinic notes that "larger and more-exact studies are needed". Mayo Clinic, 2024 Neither source looks at coloured lights.
Is chromotherapy safe for your eyes and during pregnancy?
No side effects of chromotherapy have been reported, and the monograph rates it possibly safe when used appropriately. Reference sources still advise care with LEDs close to the eyes, and not enough is known about pregnancy and breastfeeding.
- Eyes: critics note that inconsistent LED use could potentially harm the retina. EBSCO, Color therapy Do not stare into any coloured LED; blue is the colour the retina is most sensitive to.
- Pregnancy: for sauna heat, ask a doctor if you are pregnant or have a heart or blood pressure condition, and follow the sauna maker's guidance.
- Medicines: Cleveland Clinic advises avoiding LED light therapy with sun-sensitising medicines such as isotretinoin and lithium. Cleveland Clinic
Our precautions rule out photosensitising medication, so anyone taking a medicine should check with their pharmacist or doctor before using our devices. They also rule out use during pregnancy, and the panel manual also lists breastfeeding and preparing for pregnancy.
What settings did colour light and red light studies use?
Colour studies lasted seconds to minutes and measured room brightness, while red light trials stated the wavelength, the output on the skin and sessions over weeks. That difference is the clearest practical line between the two.
| Study | Light | Brightness or output | Time | Schedule | Where the light went |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minguillon, 2017 | Blue 471 nm vs white, room LEDs | Room lighting, not matched | 2 blocks of 10 minutes | 1 session | Seen by the eyes |
| Wilms and Oberfeld, 2018 | Red, green, blue at 3 saturations and 3 brightness levels | Self-lit LED panel | About 30 seconds per colour | 1 session | Seen by the eyes |
| Dastan, 2024 | Virtual blue rooms | Headset display | 5 minutes | 1 session | Seen by the eyes |
| Martin, 2021 | 525 nm green vs white LED strip | 4 to 100 lux at 1 to 2 m | 60 to 120 minutes | Daily, 10 weeks | Seen by the eyes |
| Lee, 2007 (sham) | 633 nm, 830 nm or both, LED | Not given in the abstract | Not given in the abstract | 2 a week, 4 weeks | On the face |
| Wunsch and Matuschka, 2014 | 611 to 650 nm red or 570 to 850 nm broadband | 5.9 to 13.3 mW/cm² for the red part | 12 to 25 minutes | 2 a week, 30 sessions | On the skin, whole body |
Trial doses do not convert into home settings, but the pattern carries over: a stated wavelength, a set distance and regular sessions for weeks.
How do Kivorla devices fit alongside a chromotherapy sauna?
Our devices are photobiomodulation devices with stated wavelengths and output, not chromotherapy or mood lights, and neither has green, cyan or white light. Use them outside the sauna, on clean, dry, cooled skin, on a different day or at a different time.
The 9-Spectrum Red Light Therapy Panel carries 480, 590, 630, 660, 670, 810, 830, 850 and 1060 nm, each dimmable from 1 to 100%. The 480 nm channel is blue, 590 nm is an amber band, one of nine wavelengths, 630 nm is orange-red, and 810 to 1060 nm is invisible near-infrared. Its stated output is at least 1,567 W/m² at 6 inches.
- Position: hang it on a door or wall with the included door hook, pulley, hanging cables and screws, or stand it upright on the floor.
- Distance: 6 inches for a joint, 12 inches for a broad area.
- Timer: 10 to 15 minutes per area, set from 1 to 30 minutes on the controller; if no time is set, it stops at 5 minutes.
- Eyes: goggles on and eyes closed; near the face, turn side-on, never aimed straight at the face.
- Evening: dim the 480 nm blue channel to 1% or switch it off, keep red and near-infrared, and finish about two hours before bed.
- Rest: at least 6 hours between 30-minute sessions.
The surface stays at or below 40°C. To stay near gentler, studied ranges, lower each wavelength's brightness, use a shorter timer, or step back from 6 to 12 inches.
The 4-Wavelength Red Light Therapy Mask is a cordless, full-face silicone shell with an eye opening and no diodes over the eyes. Its red mode combines 665 nm red with 850 and 1064 nm near-infrared; its blue mode combines 460 nm blue with 850 nm near-infrared. Brightness (50, 70 or 90%) and the 5, 10 or 15-minute timer are set on the handheld controller or by voice. The manual allows 10-minute sessions up to 4 times a week at high brightness, or 15-minute sessions up to 3 times a week, never more than 20 minutes a day, counting both modes together. Keep your eyes closed.
Read the precautions before ordering: they also cover epilepsy, thyroid conditions and broken skin. Standard shipping to the US, UK and Germany is free. Under our return and refund policy, returns are accepted within 30 days: an unopened device with its seals intact is refunded less a 10% restocking fee, and an opened device that is undamaged and complete is refunded less 20%.
Kivorla devices are general wellness devices, not medical devices, and are not chromotherapy lights. Speak to a doctor about anxiety, low mood, headaches or blood pressure, and before sauna use if you are pregnant or have a heart condition.