Colour Therapy & Productivity: How Colours Influence Our Mood, Health & Work

Did you know that in blue rooms, we work more thoroughly but slower? Or that yellow rooms boost efficiency? Red energizes us, and disputes at a major hospital in Oslo, Norway, disappeared after departments were repainted. It may sound surprising, but it's true—colour has a real impact on our mood, health, and productivity.

Now imagine your reaction if you walked into your bank and saw violet-striped walls, or if your kitchen was painted brown and violet! Our surroundings matter, especially since we spend so many hours at work. The colours around us affect how we think, feel, and interact with others.

Colour Connected

The influence of colours has been recognized throughout history—from ancient Egyptians to thinkers like Isaac Newton, Goethe, and Rudolf Steiner. Modern businesses invest heavily in colour psychology to choose product colours that stimulate purchasing behaviour.

Today, people use colour analysis to enhance their beauty and understand which shades suit them best. Even traffic safety has a colour connection—UK studies found that yellow and brown cars were the least likely to crash, while red and white cars had the highest risk. Mercedes-Benz research even named orange with gray-lilac stripes as the safest car colour—though not a popular aesthetic choice!

Colour Therapy: More Than Just Aesthetic

Human beings instinctively react to colours, just as we do to lights, sounds, and smells. Colours can lift us up or drain us, and they’re even used in medical settings. A Norwegian cancer clinic won global praise for choosing healing colours in their interior design. Oslo’s general hospital also reported improved work relations after repainting with calming shades.

Swedish psychologist and architect Karl Ryberg uses colour light therapy to treat stress-related and psychosomatic conditions. His Stockholm-based institute helps with ailments like back pain, migraines, infertility, and depression through the use of therapeutic light and colour.

Ryberg also collaborates with designers to build harmonious workplaces. His work highlights the potential of colour to transform tense environments into peaceful, productive spaces.

Inger Naess & Colour Energy

Inger Naess, founder of Colour Energy and a pioneer in colour therapy, believes that colour will soon become a key science. Since founding her company in 1989, she has created colour-based products like Colour Bath and essential oils sold globally.

Naess explains that our body contains seven energy points, and imbalances in these areas can be corrected using the right colours. For instance, blue fosters leadership and communication but too much can result in sarcasm and judgment. Red boosts vitality but can lead to anger. Green can balance red energy, offering calm and grounding.

She emphasizes tailoring workspaces to employees’ colour energies. A staff overwhelmed by aggressive tones like red-orange may perform better with softer hues like green or blue. Conversely, overly passive environments may benefit from energizing red tones. Her colour analysis has helped companies resolve issues by adjusting environmental colours to suit team dynamics.

So, can colour really improve creativity, well-being, and collaboration at work? According to Naess, yes—but it depends on understanding the people within the space. Colours aren’t just visual choices—they’re energetic tools for transformation.