What Is Chromotherapy?
Max PiggottChromotherapy, also known as colour therapy, is a complementary wellness practice that uses different colours of light to support relaxation and create atmosphere. It’s been part of various traditional and holistic wellness systems for centuries, and it now shows up in modern spa products as adjustable LED lighting systems built into hot tubs and saunas. This guide explains what chromotherapy actually is, what colours are commonly associated with which moods, and what to expect from the LED system in a Canadian Spa product.
What chromotherapy is — and isn’t
Chromotherapy is based on the idea that different colours of light may influence mood, atmosphere and how relaxed or energised someone feels. It’s used widely in spa, sauna and wellness settings — and most owners of hot tubs with chromotherapy LED lighting will tell you it noticeably changes the experience of a soak.
It’s also worth being honest: chromotherapy isn’t a recognised medical treatment. There’s a long tradition of associating colours with energy and mood, but it’s a complementary wellness practice rather than a clinically-evidenced therapy. We describe how it’s used and what owners report, without making medical claims.
Common colour associations
The colours used in chromotherapy each carry traditional associations. These are the most commonly described:
- Red: Energising and stimulating, often associated with vitality and warmth.
- Orange: Warm and uplifting, sometimes linked with creativity and joy.
- Yellow: Bright and cheerful, often described as supporting focus and a positive mood.
- Green: Balancing and natural, traditionally associated with healing and calm.
- Blue: Calming and soothing, widely associated with relaxation and rest.
- Indigo / Purple: Inspiring and reflective, often linked with meditation and quiet contemplation.
Different traditions assign slightly different meanings, and personal experience varies — what feels calming to one person may feel uninspiring to another. The honest test is which colour you actually find yourself reaching for at the end of a long day.
How chromotherapy is used in modern wellness
You’ll find chromotherapy most commonly applied through:
- Built-in spa lighting: hot tubs and saunas with multi-colour LED systems that let you select a single colour or cycle through several. This is by far the most common application in residential settings.
- Home wellness lamps: standalone chromotherapy lamps for use in living rooms, bedrooms or meditation spaces.
- Light therapy in spas and salons: dedicated chromotherapy panels used as part of a treatment session.
The most popular use by some distance is built-in spa lighting — it adds atmosphere to a soak with no extra effort, and there’s no separate device to manage.
Chromotherapy in Canadian Spa products
Modern Canadian Spa hot tubs and saunas come with multi-colour LED lighting systems built in as standard. You’ll find:
- Perimeter “waterline” lighting around the outside of the cabinet
- Underwater LED safety lighting in the footwell
- Cascading LED-backlit waterfall lighting on selected models
- A range of colours plus a cycling option, controllable from the topside touchscreen
The system runs on low-voltage circuits with long-life bulbs — so once it’s installed there’s nothing to maintain. Most owners pick a single static colour they like and use the cycling mode for entertaining or special evenings. To explore the models that include chromotherapy lighting as standard, see our hot tub range and sauna range.
What UK owners actually experience
The honest experience of chromotherapy in a hot tub: it makes the soak feel significantly more atmospheric. A blue or green-lit spa on a dark UK winter evening looks and feels different from one with the lights off — softer, calmer, more like a deliberate space rather than just a piece of garden equipment. Many owners settle into a habit of using a particular colour for their wind-down sessions and a different one for entertaining. We’re careful not to claim therapeutic effects beyond that, but the change in atmosphere is genuine and easy to feel.
Frequently asked questions
Is chromotherapy backed by science?
Some elements (the general effect of light and atmosphere on mood) are well-supported in psychology research. The specific therapeutic claims attached to individual colours are not — chromotherapy is a complementary wellness practice rather than a clinically-evidenced treatment. We describe it honestly here.
Can chromotherapy treat anxiety, depression or other mental health conditions?
No — and we wouldn’t make that claim. If you’re experiencing persistent low mood, anxiety, or other symptoms affecting your daily life, please speak to your GP. A pleasant blue spa light may help your evening feel calmer, but it isn’t a substitute for proper support.
Do all Canadian Spa hot tubs include chromotherapy lighting?
Multi-colour LED lighting is standard across our acrylic hot tub range, including the perimeter, underwater and waterfall lighting elements. Specifications vary slightly by model — check the individual product pages on the hot tub range for full details.
Can I change the colour or run a cycling pattern?
Yes — the LED system is controlled from the topside touchscreen. You can hold a single colour for ambience, or run a cycling pattern that gradually transitions through the available colours.
Does the lighting use much energy?
Very little. The LED system runs on low-voltage circuits with energy-efficient bulbs. Lighting is a small fraction of a hot tub’s total running cost — the heater is by far the biggest consumer.
A simple, atmospheric upgrade
Chromotherapy in a hot tub or sauna isn’t going to change your life — but it does change how the spa feels every time you use it. Soft blue at the end of a long week, calming green for a weekend morning soak, a cycling rainbow when friends are round. Browse our hot tub range or sauna range to see the chromotherapy lighting options included as standard, or talk to our team about which model would suit your home.
UK Spa Buying and Ownership Guide
After reading What Is Chromotherapy?, many customers ask the same practical questions: what hot tub size fits best, how much does a hot tub cost to run, and which model gives the best long-term value in UK weather. The right answer normally comes from comparing insulation quality, jet layout, seating comfort, and ongoing maintenance support, not just headline price.
Canadian Spa Company UK supplies hot tubs, swim spas, saunas, replacement hot tub covers, filters, chemicals and accessories with nationwide delivery. If you are planning to buy a hot tub UK homeowners use year-round, shortlist models by intended use first: daily recovery, social entertaining, or family wellness. Then compare power requirements, cover quality, and service access so ownership stays simple over time.
For clearer next steps, use the links below to compare ranges, check current hot tub prices UK buyers are paying, and book support when needed.