The color that reduces stress: the tone of calm

There is a color that reduces stress and gives us calm. It is the tone that lives in the sea and rocks the oceans. It is the color of that clear sky on bright summer afternoons and clear autumn mornings. Thus, blue, and all those settings where it leaves its palette printed, provides a setting conducive to relaxation and well-being.

It is interesting to know that, although the color blue is currently one of the favorites of the general population, in the past it was not. absolutely. If this was so, it was due to a simple reason: it was not visible much. Beyond that tone present in the sky and in the seas, it was not common to see it form part of the daily life of societies prior to the 12th century (with the exception of Egyptian culture).

It was precisely in this century when, thanks to new chemical and manufacturing techniques, blue went from being a rather “strange” tone to being part of religious canvases, coats of arms and the works of the most select. artists. Overnight, the general population experienced the psychological and emotional impact related to said hue..

It was associated with divinity, the mystical, royalty and elegance. Later, when the 18th century arrived and with the development of new pigments, a much wider range of blues appeared. With them, and thanks to the studies developed by Michel Pastoureau, An undeniable reality became evident: blue was the favorite color of all Western countries. It was the tone that generated well-being and confidence in human beings…

The color that reduces stress

We have been carrying out studies for years in the unknown world of color psychology, obtaining surprising results.. What Newton himself began, and which Goethe later continued, was later developed in the books of Eva Heller. Today, universities around the world analyze the relationship of color with the world of marketing and advertising or with the aim of creating more welcoming, as well as productive, work environments.

So, something that experts have known for years is that the color that has the greatest power to reduce stress is blue. This resounding conclusion may attract attention, since as we already know, most of us filter colors by associating unconscious content with them.

However, let’s relax for a moment. Let’s try to evoke the feeling that comes from being in front of a calm sea, a sea of ​​blue waters that fades on the horizon with a sky of the same color. If we reproduce the image well, the calm that emanates is immense, comforting, wonderful and this is something that most of the population experiences.

On the other hand, something that scientists from the University of Granada (UGR) in collaboration with the San Rafael de Granada School of Special Education have demonstrated is that Blue light generates a very beneficial effect when the person experiences acute psychosocial stress (when we argue with someone, when we work under pressure…) In fact, the color blue brings more calm than the color white.

Likewise, in the work carried out by Eva Heller it was possible to see that rooms or school environments where blue predominates reduces the appearance of tantrums or behavioral problems in children. Its calming effect is undeniable.

The color blue, omnipresent

The stress-reducing color is also the most ubiquitous color in advertising brands. Most people look for it because behind it, neuromarketing experts are clear about what this tone generates in our subconscious:

Blue is not just visual, it is above all, experiential.It generates trust, tranquility, calm and order. Likewise, big brands such as Facebook, Twitter, Ford, Volkswagen, IBM, Roche, BBVA, Carrefour or MRW use it because they know that blue instills reliability and loyalty.

To conclude, we do not need to paint our entire house sky blue to achieve a constant calm effect. If we did it this way, we would eventually get used to it and the brain would experience a certain perceptual overload. The key is in balance, knowing that when we have a bad day, there is nothing as healing as taking a walk on the beach or lie down in a park to gaze at the immensity of the sky.

The color that reduces stress is always within our reach, and sometimes it is enough to turn our face in search of a window and simply disconnect and immerse ourselves in this magical shade.