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, 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.
How to use the lights during a soak
Most owners settle into a simple routine with the lighting rather than treating it as a programme to follow. A practical way to start:
- Set the light before you get in. Choose the colour or cycling mode from the topside panel while you are standing outside the tub, so you are not reaching across the controls with wet hands.
- Match the colour to the time of day. Many owners pick warmer tones for a morning soak and blues or greens later in the evening, when they want the garden to feel calm.
- Try a fixed colour for a full session. Cycling modes look good when friends are round, but a single steady colour is easier to judge. Give one colour a whole soak before deciding whether you like it.
- Dim the house lights. The LEDs show best when the patio and kitchen lights behind you are low. In bright daylight the effect is subtle.
- Switch off when you are done. Turn the lights off as you put the cover back on so they are not running unseen under the lid.
Which models have which lighting
Lighting varies by model, so it is worth checking the product page before you buy. Here is what the current product listings describe:
| Model | Lighting described on the product page | Seats |
|---|---|---|
| Yukon | Aurora Premium LED: perimeter lighting, underwater LEDs and a backlit waterfall | 2 |
| Montreal | Aurora Premium LED: perimeter lighting, underwater LEDs and a backlit waterfall | 3 |
| Calgary | Aurora Premium LED: perimeter lighting, underwater LEDs and a backlit waterfall | 4 |
| Okanagan | A large underwater multicolour LED | 4 |
| Cornwall | 3W LED lighting | 5 to 6 |
| Chilliwack sauna | LED chromotherapy mood lighting with over 20 colours | 1 to 2 |
| Tremblant sauna | LED chromotherapy lighting | 2 |
For the larger family models, browse the five seats or more range and check the lighting line in each specification.
Adding colour to a tub that has little lighting
If your current tub has a single light or none at all, the Floating Colour LED with Remote is a low-effort option. It is a small unit, 7.5 x 8.5 x 4 cm and about 0.1 kg, that floats on the water and changes colour from a remote. It will not light the footwell the way built-in LEDs do, but it adds a glow on the surface for evening soaks. Take it out before you add shock or run a deep clean, and store it dry with the rest of your spa accessories.
Safety and care around the lighting
- Built-in LEDs are sealed and wired as part of the tub. Never open a light housing or try to swap a lamp yourself while the tub is connected to power.
- If a light stops working, isolate the tub at the supply before anyone looks at it. Our team can arrange a service visit, or call 01293 824094.
- Footwell lighting is partly a safety feature. It helps you see the step and the seat edges when you get in after dark, so leave it on until everyone is out.
- Anyone who is sensitive to flashing light should avoid fast cycling modes and stick to a fixed colour.
More questions about hot tub lighting
Do LED lights affect the water chemistry?
No. The lights sit behind sealed lenses and do not add anything to the water. Keep testing and balancing as normal, with pH at 7.2 to 7.6 and chlorine at 1.0 to 1.5 ppm.
Can I use the lights in the daytime?
Yes, but you will barely notice them in bright sun. The effect is strongest at dusk and after dark.
Is a floating light safe to leave in the tub?
Remove it when the tub is not in use and before you shock the water. That keeps it out of the way of the cover and stops it bumping round the filter area.
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.
Choosing a hot tub?
Compare our hot tubs and swim spas, or visit our showroom near Gatwick.