A Definitive Guide to the Best Colors for the Bedroom

Did you know that the color of your bedroom affects so much more than just how the room looks? What if you could choose colors that would affect how you sleep and your overall mood when you wake up? Thanks to a variety of behavioral studies that have been done over the years, you actually can. Colors affect mood for children and adults, and the colors you choose have an effect on your body that carries over even after you close your eyes for the night. 

Best Colors for Sleeping

It’s no secret that your body needs the right amount of sleep for optimal health and wellbeing. According to a study conducted by Travelodge if you want to make sure you are getting the most sleep every night, paint your room blue. Participants in the survey reported an average of 7 hours and 52 minutes of sleep in rooms with a blue hue. If you consider color psychology, blue is known to promote feelings of calm, and it can even lower your heart rate and blood pressure. These things work together to help you rest more and get better sleep each night – all based on the color your eyes see before you close them. 

For those who prefer something other than blue, other colors provide good sleep as well. People sleeping in a yellow room reported an average of 7 hours and 43 minutes of rest each night. While you might not want to use the brightest, cheeriest hue available, pale yellow will create a space that is inviting, cozy and warm to welcome you to sleep each night. 

Finally, those who sleep in green rooms report an average of 7 hours and 36 minutes of sleep. Green has a calming effect on the body, helping to promote relaxation so you can drift off faster. And, if you like to be on trend, Kelly green is popular this spring.

Best Color for Waking Up Happy

If you want to improve your chances of waking up happy and ready to face the day, blue is also the color you want for your bedroom. While this correlates with the fact that blue rooms provide more sleep, it does differ drastically from other colors. For example, of those who wake up in green rooms, only around 22% report that they feel upbeat and happy. 

Best Color for Romance

If you’re one of those who automatically thinks of the color red when you think of romance -- roses, valentines, etc. -- that doesn’t translate to the bedroom. A rich caramel color will look great by candlelight. 

Choosing Your Hues

Depending on the colors that interest you the most, the shade that you choose matters as well. Light, muted or pale tones seem to offer the most benefits, but the darker shades provide similar effects. In most cases, it is best to avoid the brightest, most vivid colors in the spectrum, as they could have the opposite effect and not provide the calm and relaxing mood you are trying to create. 

You can also pair the colors with the accents that you love the most – as long as the most prominent color is the one of those mentioned, you’ll be sleeping better, waking up happier, and enjoying more intimate moments each night based on the primary color you choose. 

Images used with permission, courtesy of www.bigstock.com and www.dreamstime.com