Color psychology: This color improves your brain's performance

There are colors that we find more beautiful than others. That's why we might buy clothes in those tones more often or decorate our homes with them. For some, it's pale, natural tones; for others, it might be warm colors like yellow or cooler shades like blue. But what effect does it have on us when we surround ourselves with certain tones? Scientists have been studying color psychology, the question of how colors affect us, for years.

Certain colors can not only influence our mood, but also our performance and productivity. Blue tones, in particular, are said to stimulate our brains. But is there any truth to this?

According to science: Blue optimizes our cognitive performance

If a study from the University of Arizona and Harvard Medical School is to be believed, it's actually true: The results of the research suggest that blue light increases our performance. According to the researchers, the reason for this effect lies in our brain's photoreceptor system. This is linked to the circadian rhythm, or our natural sleep-wake cycle. Our brain associates the color blue with things like brightness and daylight—just think of a bright blue sky. This stimulates our brain, ensuring that it optimizes its resources and performance.

Another study from the University of British Columbia in Canada took a closer look at the effects of the colors blue and red. "Previous research suggested that blue and red both enhance the brain's cognitive performance," says Juliet Zhu, one of the study authors. "But until now, there was disagreement about which color provides a greater boost."

The research team discovered that there is indeed a difference in the effect of the two colors. Red can particularly improve performance in highly detail-oriented activities—such as memory and proofreading texts. Blue, on the other hand, delivers better results when it comes to creative activities such as brainstorming and developing new solutions.

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The color blue creates space for creativity

This seems logical: After all, we associate red with stop signs and grading exams. Therefore, the color puts us on alert, while blue conjures up images of the vast sky and the sea. This positive association ensures that our brain is alert but relaxed enough to be creative and productive.

So, if you need your full brain power because you're working on a big task, perhaps a text or a craft project, using the color blue can not only motivate you but also improve your cognitive performance.

But be careful: Conversely, you should be careful with blue light, for example, if you want to sleep. It's not for nothing that most smartphones now have a function that filters out blue light. Because before we go to bed, our brains should slowly enter sleep mode so they can regenerate during the night.

Brigitte

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