You’ve probably seen those soft glowing blue, red, or green lights in a sauna or spa. And if you’re someone who frequents saunas, you know they’re not just there for ambience.
These lights are part of something called chromotherapy or color therapy where lights together with the heat provide you with therapeutic benefits.
Sounds fancy?
Well, this is actually pretty simple and really interesting. Here, each color is thought to support your body and mind in different ways.
But how do you know what each one means?
That’s where the chromotherapy color chart comes in.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through what a color therapy chart is, how it works, and how it might make you feel a whole lot better.
So, let’s get started.
Key Takeaways
- Chromotherapy (also known as color therapy) is a natural wellness technique that uses visible light colors to enhance physical, emotional, and mental well-being.
- A chromotherapy color chart acts as a visual wellness guide, matching specific light colors to targeted health outcomes like energy, relaxation, mood, sleep, focus, and recovery.
- Each color offers a unique therapeutic benefit:
🔴 Red: Boosts circulation, energy, and muscle recovery.
🟠 Orange: Enhances creativity, mood, and respiratory function.
🟡 Yellow: Improves digestion, focus, and motivation.
🟢 Green: Balances emotions and promotes calm.
🔵 Blue: Reduces anxiety, improves sleep, and soothes inflammation.
🟣 Indigo: Aids sinus relief, intuition, and mental clarity.
🟪 Violet: Supports spiritual connection and nervous system regulation.
- Using a color chart in infrared saunas or light therapy sessions helps personalize your wellness routine, making each session intentional and results-driven.
- Chromotherapy is non-invasive, safe, and beginner-friendly, with sessions typically lasting 10-30 minutes for optimal effect.
- With consistent use, chromotherapy may improve sleep quality, boost mood, reduce stress, ease pain, enhance focus, and support overall wellness.
- You can easily practice chromotherapy at home with affordable LED light panels, color-changing bulbs, or sauna systems equipped with chromotherapy features.
- Optional techniques like color breathing meditation amplify relaxation and deepen the healing impact of each light session.
- Chromotherapy is a low-risk, high-impact wellness method suitable for most people looking for a natural boost in body-mind harmony.
What is chromotherapy?
Before we get into the specifics of a sauna chromotherapy chart, let me first quickly walk you through what chromotherapy is all about.
For starters, chromotherapy or color therapy is a natural wellness practice that uses colors to help improve how you feel, both physically and emotionally.
The idea here is pretty simple: Different colors affect your body and mind in different therapeutic ways.
For instance, some colors can help you relax, while others can give you an energy boost. And this method of healing goes way back to ancient times to civilizations like the Egyptians, Indians, and Chinese who believed that colors had powerful healing effects.
Today, you’ll often find chromotherapy being used in saunas, spas, and wellness centers. Just know how to use a sauna with chromotherapy lights the right way and you can boost your overall health significantly.
What is a chromotherapy color chart?
At its very basic, a chromotherapy color chart is a guide that shows which color can help with what. You can think of it like a wellness menu where each color has its own special benefit.
This chart helps you choose the right light color based on how you’re feeling or what you’re dealing with.
In fact, whether you’re feeling stressed, tired, or discomfort, there’s a color for you. And the chart makes it super easy to match your needs to a color.
For instance, red might help you feel more energized, while blue could help you relax and unwind. It takes the guesswork out of your wellness routine and gives you a clear starting point.
All in all, here’s what each color in a sauna light therapy color chart stands for:
| 🌈 Color | 💡 What It Does | 🧘 Use When You Need |
| 🔴 Red | Boosts energy & circulation | • A wake-up boost • Post-workout recovery • Feeling fatigued |
| 🟠 Orange | Uplifts mood & lungs | Low mood • Creative block • Chest tightness or breathing issues |
| 🟡 Yellow | Improves digestion & focus | Brain fog • Tummy troubles • Need motivation |
| 🟢 Green | Calms & balances emotions | Stressed out • Overwhelmed • Emotional rollercoaster |
| 🔵 Blue | Relaxes body & mind | Anxiety • Trouble sleeping • Muscle tension |
| 🟣 Indigo | Clears sinuses & deepens thought | Headache • Sinus pressure • Need clarity or focus |
| 🟪 Violet | Inspires peace & spiritual calm | Meditation • Winding down • Feeling spiritually disconnected |
1. Red for energy and circulation
Red is a powerful and warming color that’s often used in sauna light therapy to boost your energy. So much so that if you’ve been feeling tired, sluggish, or just not yourself, red light can give you a much-needed pick-me-up.
Also, it helps by stimulating blood flow and supporting your nervous system. This results in better circulation, improved energy levels, and even a little mental boost.
Moreover, athletes often use red light for recovery because it helps muscles repair faster.
In short, red is the go-to color when your body or brain needs a kickstart.
2. Orange for creativity and respiratory support
Orange is a vibrant and cheerful color that brings warmth and positivity. And it is known to help lift your mood and boost creativity.
So, if you’re feeling stuck, emotionally drained, or dealing with a mental block, orange light can help open things up.
On a physical level, orange is often associated with supporting your lungs and airways. Meaning, if you’re someone with asthma, bronchitis, or breathing discomfort, you might benefit from this color.
3. Yellow for clarity and digestion
The color of brightness and focus, yellow is fantastic for days when your brain feels foggy or you need a little mental clarity.
You see, yellow is believed to stimulate the nervous system and give your mind a boost. And a lot of people use it to help with concentration, memory, and focus.
Also, it’s linked to your digestive system. That’s because yellow light can help stimulate digestion and support your gut if you’re feeling bloated or sluggish after meals.
Emotionally, yellow brings feelings of optimism and happiness. It’s a great color when you need a boost in both body and mind.
4. Green for balance and calm
Green is nature’s color and it’s all about balance and calm. And if you’re feeling stressed, anxious, or emotionally overwhelmed, green is your color to turn to since it is incredibly soothing and helps your body and mind relax.
Speaking of chromotherapy, green is said to bring harmony to your nervous system, reduce tension, and restore balance.
Also, it’s a neutral color, meaning it’s neither too warm nor too cool. And this makes it ideal for everyday use.
So, whether you’re meditating, relaxing after work, or just trying to unwind, green helps create a peaceful and steady environment.
5. Blue for relaxation and inflammation relief
Blue is the ultimate relaxation color that’s cool, calming, and gentle on the senses. And if you have trouble sleeping, feel anxious, or just need to chill out, blue light while sauna bathing before bedtime can help.
In fact, blue is often used to support better sleep patterns and promote a sense of peace.
But, that said, blue isn’t just good for the mind as it’s also great for your body. That’s because it can help reduce inflammation, which is helpful for people dealing with pain or chronic conditions.
6. Indigo for intuition and sinus support
Indigo is a deep and rich color that’s tied to your “inner knowing.” And it’s often used to support mental clarity, intuition, and emotional insight.
This color is great for those moments when you’re feeling scattered and need to reconnect with yourself.
Plus, it is connected to the areas of the body like the eyes, ears, and sinuses. So, if you deal with sinus pressure or eye strain from screen time, indigo light might help provide some relief.
Simply put, this color is perfect for those quiet and reflective moments, especially if you enjoy meditation or journaling.
7. Violet for spiritual awareness and nervous system
Violet is the color of peace, stillness, and spiritual connection that’s perfect for winding down or going deeper into relaxation and reflection.
Violet is said to support the nervous system and help you feel more at ease, especially if you’ve been anxious or overstimulated.
Also, it can help open your mind and heart, making it ideal for spiritual practices like prayer, meditation, or intention setting.
While violet promotes feelings of calm, serenity, and trust emotionally, it’s gentle but supportive on a physical level and encourages your body to slow down and find balance.
How to use a chromotherapy color chart?
Now that you know what a chromotherapy color chart is all about, you might be curious how to use one. After all, this rainbow-like chart might look super confusing at the first look.
But what if I told you that it’s not as complicated as it seems?
You see, the chart shows you which color to use depending on how you’re feeling or what your body needs. Think of it like a color-coded self-care guide that makes it easier to decide what to use and when.
Here’s how you can use a light therapy color chart like this in five simple steps:
Step 1: Identify your wellness goals
The first step in using a sauna color therapy chart starts with understanding what your wellness goals are.
And to that end, take a deep breath and ask yourself what you need right now?
For instance, maybe you’re in the sauna because you’re hungover or feeling exhausted and need more energy. Or you might be anxious or tense and want to calm your mind.
Once you figure out how you’re feeling, you can match that with a color. Here’s how:
- Feeling tired and sluggish? Try red or orange.
- Feeling anxious or stressed? Go with blue or green.
- Having trouble sleeping? Choose indigo or violet.
This simple step helps you use sauna chromotherapy with real intention instead of just guessing.
Step 2: Refer to the chart
Having figured out what you’re feeling, grab your chromotherapy color chart and go through each color and its use.
You see, most charts are really easy to read. And they list each color along with the benefits it offers, kind of like a cheat sheet.
For instance, red might be labeled as energizing, green as calming, and yellow as good for focus.
Don’t have a chart in your sauna?
Well, you can easily find a printable one online and keep it somewhere easy to reach, like near your sauna setup.
Step 3: Choose the right setting
Once you’ve picked your color, it’s time to get set up. Most chromotherapy-friendly saunas and light therapy devices will give you two options. Here, you can either:
- Manually pick one color and stick with it for the whole session.
- Use a color rotation mode where the light gently shifts through the full spectrum.
Now, if you’re addressing a specific issue like wanting better sleep or easing muscle tension, stick with just one color.
But if you’re just doing a general relaxation session or want a little bit of everything, the rotating option is great.
Step 4: Set the duration
When you’re first starting out with chromotherapy, you don’t need to dive into long sessions right away.
Instead, I suggest you start small with 10 to 15 minutes of chromotherapy exposure. This gives your body time to adjust to the light and lets you see how you feel afterward.
And if all goes well and you enjoy the experience, you can slowly build up to 20 or even 30 minutes.
Note: If you’re using an infrared sauna with built-in lights, the chromotherapy session will usually match the length of your sauna session.
Step 5: Stay consistent
Like any wellness routine, consistency makes a big difference in chromotherapy. That’s because even though you might feel good after just one session, the real magic of chromotherapy comes with regular use.
And once you make it part of your daily or weekly routine, you’ll start to notice how your body and mood respond over time. So much so that you’ll feel calmer, sleep better, or have more energy throughout the day.
In fact, even short 10-minute sessions can make a positive impact if you stick with it.
Bonus: You can also try color breathing meditation
Here’s a little something extra to deepen your chromotherapy experience: color breathing meditation. This is super simple, and you don’t need any experience to try it.
As you sit under your chosen color light, close your eyes and breathe slowly. Imagine that color gently filling the room around you.
Then, as you breathe in, picture the color flowing into your body. Visualize it filling your chest, your arms, your legs, just about every part of you.
Now, while you exhale, imagine any stress or tiredness leaving your body.
This kind of visualization helps you relax even more and really feel connected to the healing power of the color.
What are the benefits of a chromotherapy color chart?
More than a pretty-looking chart, a chromotherapy color chart is actually a very practical tool that helps you take better care of your body and mind.
And one of the biggest infrared sauna color benefits it offers is personalized therapy. That’s because instead of guessing what might help you feel better, the chart points you straight to the color that targets your specific need.
Also, the chart makes chromotherapy more accessible since you don’t have to be an expert or spend tons of money to get started.
All it takes are a few minutes a day to build it into your routine. And here’s what you stand to get out of it:
1. For physical health
Chromotherapy is often used to support physical healing in gentle and non-invasive ways. Here, different colors target different parts of your body and help with things like circulation, inflammation, skin health, and even digestive function.
Red and orange, for instance, are warming and help stimulate blood flow. And this is great if you’re recovering from a workout or dealing with fatigue.
Similarly, blue and violet are cooling and help calm inflammation, which is useful for anyone with sore muscles or joint pain.
Yellow, at the same time, might help boost digestion, and green is known for balancing your body’s systems.
You won’t see overnight miracles for sure. But with regular use, you will start feeling better overall.
2. For emotional & mental wellness
Did you know that chromotherapy also plays a big role in emotional wellness?
Yes, that’s right!
You see, color has a direct impact on mood, and using it mindfully can help lift your spirits or bring you peace when life feels overwhelming.
For instance, if you’re stressed or anxious, blue and green can calm your nervous system and help you relax.
Similarly, if you’re feeling down or uninspired, yellow and orange can boost your mood and motivation.
Violet and indigo are excellent when you need to clear your mind, gain clarity, or connect with yourself on a deeper level.
Chromotherapy can be especially helpful for people who have trouble unwinding at night or waking up in the morning. After all, it gives your body the cues it needs to shift into a better rhythm.
3. For practicality
One of the best things about chromotherapy is how flexible and easy it is to use. You don’t need a spa membership or fancy training to get started.
In fact, once you have access to a basic color light through an infrared sauna, a light therapy panel, or even a color-changing light bulb, you’re ready to go.
The chromotherapy color chart gives you quick and clear guidance on how to use the light for your unique needs.
Also, it works well with other wellness routines, like meditation, yoga, stretching, massage, and breathing exercises. So much so that you can use color therapy as a quick midday reset or build it into your bedtime wind-down.
Best of all, it puts you in the driver’s seat of your own wellness journey, helping you respond to how you feel in real time.
How to use a color therapy chart in an infrared sauna?
Infrared saunas are one of the easiest and most relaxing ways to enjoy chromotherapy.
That’s because any modern saunas come with built-in colored LED lights that you can switch based on your mood or health needs. So, just sit back, sweat it out, and let the color light do its thing.
Whether you’re looking to wind down or boosting your energy, adding chromotherapy to your sauna session can make the experience even more healing and enjoyable.
Final thoughts
By now, I am sure you know in great detail what a chromotherapy color chart is. Also, you know all the infrared sauna colors benefits that you stand to get by following this chart consistently.
Got more questions about chromotherapy or looking to install a color therapy sauna?
You can get in touch with us!
At Steam Shower and Sauna, we bring top-of-the-line sauna accessories and equipment from industry leading manufacturers. And we’ve got all your sauna installation needs covered on a budget.
Frequently asked questions
Is chromotherapy safe?
Yes, chromotherapy is generally very safe for most people.
In fact, it uses only visible light. Meaning there’s no UV radiation or harmful effects and it’s non-invasive and gentle on the body.
That said, it’s still important to listen to your body and not overdo it, especially if you’re new to light therapy. And if you have certain health conditions like epilepsy, light sensitivity, or severe skin disorders, it’s always best to check in with your doctor before starting.
For the majority of people, though, chromotherapy is a low-risk, natural way to support wellness.
How long should a chromotherapy session last?
One of the questions I am often asked by sauna-goers is how long to stay in a steam sauna with chemotherapy light.
Now, the ideal session time can vary depending on your goals and experience level, but most people start with 10 to 15 minutes.
If you’re feeling comfortable and enjoying the session, you can slowly work up to 20 to 30 minutes.
Also, if you’re using it inside an infrared sauna, your sauna session may naturally fall within that range.
For targeted LED devices, shorter sessions are often enough, especially if you’re focusing on just one area like your face or chest.
Can I use chromotherapy at home?
Absolutely!
Chromotherapy has become super accessible, and you don’t need a fancy spa to try it out. There are many affordable LED devices available online, from small handheld tools to full-size panels or lamps.
Moreover, people even use color-changing light bulbs in their bedrooms or bathrooms to create a soothing environment at home.
You can also practice color meditation. Simply close your eyes, breathe deeply, and visualize the color you need.
Jordan is a content writer covering steam showers, saunas, home wellness, and modern bathroom design. With a focus on practical, research-based information, Jordan helps readers make informed decisions about creating relaxing, spa-inspired spaces at home.
