Chromotherapy guide
Chromotherapy sauna guide: what color light can and can't do
A chromotherapy sauna has programmable colored LED lights built into the cabin, so you can set the room to one color or let it cycle. It is a comfort and ambiance feature, not a medical treatment. This guide covers how the lighting works, where the idea came from, what research shows and which saunas include it.
What chromotherapy is and how it works in a sauna
Chromotherapy, also called color therapy or color light therapy, is the practice of using colored light in the belief that particular colors can improve physical or mental health. In a sauna it takes a practical form: colored LEDs set into the ceiling or walls and wired to the controls. You pick one color or let the lights cycle, from the control panel or, on some models, a phone app.
The LEDs emit visible light; the U.S. Department of Energy notes that LEDs "generate little or no IR or UV," so the lighting is not part of the sauna's infrared heating.
Sauna Republic's position. Chromotherapy is a wellness add-on rather than a clinically established therapy. We present it as programmable ambient lighting that sets the mood of a session, not as a medical treatment.
Where the idea came from
Clearlight's chromotherapy page traces the use of color for health to Ayurveda, ancient Egypt and traditional Chinese medicine. In 1878, Edwin D. Babbitt published The Principles of Light and Color; a catalog record for its 1896 second edition lists a subtitle promising, among other things, "chromo therapeutics" and "the etherio-atomic philosophy of force." That is color healing as 19th-century natural philosophy, not a clinical trial.
Evidence-based light medicine took a different path. The 1903 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine went to Niels Ryberg Finsen for his contribution to "the treatment of diseases, especially lupus vulgaris, with concentrated light radiation." Lupus vulgaris is a form of skin tuberculosis, and NobelPrize.org says that in 1895 Finsen used "concentrated beams of ultraviolet light" on patients with it, "with some success." The prize recognized a specific kind of light used against a specific disease, not colored light in general.
What the research says about color light therapy
Claims about sauna chromotherapy benefits run ahead of the evidence. We found no systematic review or meta-analysis of chromotherapy or color therapy for any health outcome. Our search was not exhaustive, so read that as "none found," not "none exists." The literature is mostly narrative reviews and small studies.
Even supportive reviewers call the work unfinished. A 2005 review by Azeemi and Raza, who favor chromotherapy, noted that researchers had explored its principles "without quantitative study." A 2022 narrative review by Sindhuja and colleagues, also favorable, concluded that "this field of alternative therapy needs a further and deeper study."
Color psychology is a genuine research field, but a young one. A 2015 review by Elliot in Frontiers in Psychology described that literature as "at a nascent stage of development," cautioned that findings from small studies "should be considered preliminary," and recommended "patience and prudence" about real-world application.
Chromotherapy colors and meanings: tradition vs research
How the common color associations compare with the research:
| Color | Traditional association | What research actually shows |
|---|---|---|
| Red, orange and amber | Energy and warmth. A theory described in Elliot's review holds that longer-wavelength colors "feel arousing or warm." | Not established. Harvard Health suggests dim red light at night because red light "is less likely to shift circadian rhythm and suppress melatonin." |
| Blue | Calm. The same theory holds that shorter-wavelength colors "feel relaxing or cool." | Points the other way. Elliot notes that "blue light increases subjective alertness," and in a 2003 laboratory study, 6.5 hours of blue light at 460 nm caused twice the melatonin suppression of green light at 555 nm. |
| Green, yellow, violet and others | Chromotherapy charts give each color its own effect on body or mind. | We found no evidence for these color-by-color claims. |
Chromotherapy vs light therapies with clinical evidence
Light therapies with clinical evidence each use a defined kind of light, at a defined intensity or dose, for a defined condition.
Bright light for winter-pattern seasonal depression
The National Institute of Mental Health says light therapy has been "a mainstay for treating winter-pattern SAD" since the 1980s: a 10,000-lux light box, about 20 times brighter than ordinary indoor light, used for about 30 to 45 minutes a day, usually first thing in the morning, from fall to spring. Colored mood lighting is not a substitute, and light therapy for depression is a decision to make with a healthcare professional.
Blue light for newborn jaundice
MedlinePlus explains that "special blue lights are used on infants whose bilirubin levels are very high" and "work by helping to break down bilirubin in the skin," with the baby's eyes shielded. It is supervised care for one specific condition and implies nothing about blue light for adults.
Red and near-infrared light at defined doses
Photobiomodulation, the research field behind red light therapy, uses red and near-infrared light at stated wavelengths. A 2017 review by Hamblin in AIMS Biophysics identifies the primary light-absorbing molecule as cytochrome c oxidase in mitochondria, and a 2009 review by Huang and colleagues in Dose-Response describes a frequently observed biphasic dose response, in which low levels of light have a much better effect than higher levels.
Clearlight publishes no wavelengths or irradiance for its chromotherapy LEDs, so the red setting is colored light, not red light therapy. For that, look at the Clearlight CORE tower, engineered for use inside an active infrared sauna with 650 nm red and 850 nm near-infrared LEDs (most Clearlight cabins need a circuit upgrade to run it during a session; see our CORE tower guide), or at Lumaflex panels, which Lumaflex lists as FDA-cleared Class II devices (see our Lumaflex buying guide). The Finnmark Trinity hybrids pair 650 nm red light with chromotherapy; with no irradiance figure for that red light, we attach no photobiomodulation findings to it.
Weighing chromotherapy in your next sauna?
Tell us which models you are considering, and a specialist will confirm the lighting each includes and reply with current pricing.
Get PricingWhy people choose chromotherapy anyway
If the health case is thin, the reason to choose chromotherapy is what it delivers: control over how the cabin feels. Clearlight's own therapy-stacking guide frames it the same way: its table of wellness tools lists chromotherapy's common use as "mood, ambiance, ritual-building." That is a sound reason to want it, provided you expect ambiance rather than a health effect. Our own therapy stacking guide shows where color lighting fits alongside red light, a diffuser and a cold plunge.
How to use color in your own sessions
Choose colors for the mood you want. We found no research identifying a best color for relaxation, so pick what you find pleasant.
The evening advice comes from research on light in general. In a retrospective analysis of 116 healthy adults aged 18 to 30, Gooley and colleagues (2011) found that ordinary room light (under 200 lux) in the eight hours before bed, compared with dim light (under 3 lux), delayed melatonin onset in 99.0% of individuals and shortened its duration by about 90 minutes. In a laboratory study by Lockley and colleagues (2003), 6.5 hours of blue light at 460 nm caused twice the melatonin suppression of green light at 555 nm of equal photon density. An international expert consensus recommends keeping light low in the evening, beginning at least three hours before bedtime, for healthy adults on regular daytime schedules, and Harvard Health suggests dim red light at night.
None of these studies involved a sauna, and a session is far shorter than the exposures tested, so take this as lighting guidance, not a sleep treatment.
Which saunas include chromotherapy or color lighting
Clearlight Sanctuary and Premier
Every Clearlight Sanctuary includes Medical Grade Chromotherapy as standard: 96 LEDs in 12 colors, programmable, integrated into the ceiling and run from the main control panel, with an optional Smart Device Control add-on for phone control. Every Premier has a standard 15-LED, 6-color system; the Medical Grade upgrade is a factory-installed option that must be ordered with the sauna and cannot be retrofitted after delivery. "Medical Grade" is Clearlight's product name for the lighting, not a sign of a medical device or treatment.
Lighting is one difference between, say, the two-person Sanctuary 2 and Premier IS-2; spectrum is a bigger one, since the Premier is far infrared only and the Sanctuary adds near and mid infrared. Our Sanctuary vs Premier guide compares the lines model by model.
Finnmark Trinity hybrids
The Finnmark FD-4 Trinity (two-person) and FD-5 Trinity XL (four-person) combine mid- and far-infrared heating with a Harvia traditional heater, plus 650 nm red light with chromotherapy. The FD-4 runs on 120V; the FD-5 needs 240V, and Finnmark states that an electrician is required. Both are in our hybrid sauna collection.
ThermaSol traditional cabins
ThermaSol's sauna cabins are traditional saunas with Harvia heaters, and the listings specify RGB LED color lighting on the Aalto, the Astra (recessed), the Lumaria and the Fortis outdoor cabin (recessed). Compare them in our ThermaSol sauna cabins buying guide or browse ThermaSol saunas.
What to check before you buy
Settle heater type, size and wiring first, since lighting does not change how a sauna heats. Then check these points.
For the rest of the decision, see our Clearlight saunas buying guide.
Frequently asked questions
Does chromotherapy in a sauna actually do anything?
It changes the color of the cabin light and the feel of the room. We found no systematic review or meta-analysis of chromotherapy for any health outcome, so think of it as programmable ambient lighting, not a therapy.
What color should I use to relax?
Whichever you find pleasant; research on color and mood is still at an early stage. Blue, often described as calming, is linked in research with alertness and with stronger melatonin suppression at night.
Is chromotherapy the same as red light therapy?
No. Red light therapy is defined by specific wavelengths delivered at defined doses; Clearlight publishes no wavelengths or irradiance for its chromotherapy LEDs, so their red setting is colored light. Our CORE tower guide covers an in-sauna red light option.
Can I add Medical Grade Chromotherapy to a Clearlight Premier later?
No. It is a factory-installed upgrade that must be specified when you order; it cannot be retrofitted after delivery. Tell your Sauna Republic specialist before the order is placed.
Which color is best before bed?
A dim red, amber or orange setting is the more sleep-friendly lighting choice. Harvard Health notes that blue light at night suppresses melatonin "more powerfully" and that red light "is less likely to shift circadian rhythm and suppress melatonin." This is lighting guidance, not a sleep treatment.
Do traditional saunas come with chromotherapy?
Some include color lighting. ThermaSol lists RGB LED color lighting on its Aalto, Astra, Lumaria and Fortis traditional cabins, and the Finnmark Trinity hybrids add chromotherapy to a Harvia traditional heater and infrared heating.
Is chromotherapy safe?
The lighting is ordinary low-intensity LED lighting, and LEDs, the Department of Energy notes, "generate little or no IR or UV." The heat is what needs care: follow your sauna's safety guidance, and consult a healthcare professional first if you are pregnant, managing a medical condition or taking medication.
Get pricing on a sauna with chromotherapy
Tell us which Clearlight, Finnmark or ThermaSol model you are considering, and a specialist will confirm its lighting options and reply with current pricing.
Request pricingBrowse the Clearlight indoor sauna collection to compare Sanctuary and Premier models side by side.
Clearlight, Sanctuary, Premier and CORE are trademarks of Sauna Works, Inc., dba Clearlight Infrared. Sauna Republic is an authorized Clearlight dealer. Finnmark, Harvia, ThermaSol and Lumaflex are trademarks of their respective owners. This article is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Clearlight describes its products as general wellness products; their statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, and they are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you are pregnant, managing a medical condition, or taking medication, consult a healthcare professional before use, and follow the manufacturer's safety guidance.
