The Best Colors for Sleep

This content was created by the National Sleep Foundation.

What your bedroom paint colors have to do with sleep quality

It might not be your upcoming work review or the fight that you had with your best friend that’s keeping you awake at night—it could be your bedroom paint colors.

So what’s the “magic” color when it comes to bedroom hues? Believe it or not, people whose rooms are painted blue tend to sleep longer than those who get their shuteye in rooms with different colors.

The reason has a whole lot to do with your eyes. Specialized receptors in the retina of your eyes—called ganglion cells—are most sensitive to blue. The ganglion cells are responsible for relaying information to the part of your brain that controls your body's 24-hour rhythm, which, in turn, affects everything from performance to how you feel physically during the day. The color blue is associated with feelings of calm which, when picked up by your ganglion cells and relayed to your brain, helps reduce blood pressure and heart rate, all of which help you receive a solid night’s sleep.

If the color blue isn’t your style, at least try to keep your bedroom wall color in the realm of relaxing shades, like grays, silvers, and neutrals, since these cool colors have also been known to help lower blood pressure and heart rate. Warm colors, like pale yellow, may also work, since they can help create an inviting, cozy feel.

Keep in mind, however, that simply painting your walls blue won’t be the only thing that helps you sleep well at night. Following a sleep schedule and obeying proper sleep hygiene rules are both essential to a good night’s sleep, as well.