How we React to colour and its Impact on our Central Nervous System.
Rods and cones are photoreceptors found in abundance in the retina. The Rods are sensitive to the intensity of light whereas the cones are wonderful in that they give us our colour vision. Life would be pretty dull if we only saw in black and white.
Our vision is a true gift!
There are around 6,000,000 cones in the centre of the retina and these are sensitive to three wavelengths of light.
- 10% are sensitive to blue light wavelength, (450-495 nm)
- 30% sensitive to green light wavelength and (495-570 nm)
- 60% are sensitive to red light wavelength. (620-750 nm)
If a different colour wavelength enters the eye, then a mix of cone types activate to create the incoming colour.
Each activation is converted into an electrical signal which is then transmitted via complex wiring of the visual pathway. However, there is also a non visual effect of colour triggering our central nervous system which instils different effects on our mood and emotions.
Impact of Green and Blue
Greens and Blue have shorter wavelengths of the visual spectrum and modulate the parasympathetic nervous system responsible for calming us into a relaxed states. Greens and blues make us feel less anxious and easier in our selves.
Being in nature has the same effect as we are bathed in a sea of greens and possibly blue skies.
Impact of red
Reds have a longer wavelength which activates our sympathetic nervous system responsible for our fight or flight response. Reds ultimately put us into an alert mode! Reds set us on warning mode ready for danger or risk.
