What color wakes you up in the morning? Experts agree on this energizing hue

The relationship between your paint choices and sleep is no secret – and the interest in color psychology, especially in the bedroom, shows no sign of slowing. However, while you may already know which color is best for a bedroom (in terms of helping you get to sleep), the question remains: what color wakes you up in the morning? 

If you've investigated which tones help you sleep better, you will be unsurprised to learn that light blue is at the peak of every expert's recommendation list. However, while this therapeutic bedroom paint idea has a way of pushing you into a peaceful slumber, we're equally as interested in the tone that will allow you to feel energized in the morning. 

The answer comes in the shape of yellow – the sunny hue that has the enduring ability to make you feel revitalized, energetic, and always joyful. So, if you find it harder to wake up than fall asleep, these yellow bedroom ideas are for you. 

What color wakes you up in the morning? 

'Bright shades of yellow and orange are great for helping wake you up in the morning because they are both attention-grabbing, cheerful, and energizing colors that stimulate the brain and make us feel more alert,' explains Vanessa Osorio, a sleep expert and sleep health content specialist at Sleepopolis.

The color yellow also 'imitates the brightness of natural sunlight' – meaning it has an impact on the regulation of our circadian rhythm. This is something our bodies naturally associate with the morning.

Helmut Biemann, the co-founder of On Demand Painter, reinforces the advice of this sleep expert. 'Our body is mainly attracted to bright colors like yellow to wake up to in the morning,' he says. 'Bright colors may help radiate positivity, too, while waking up in the morning.'

Similarly, Vanessa explains that the color orange is vibrant, 'increases our energy levels, and evokes feelings of happiness and excitement.'

Do LED lights wake you up?

All artificial light can impact your sleep in some way, but not all LED light is detrimental. Knowing what LED light color is best for sleep (red) is a failsafe place to start. However, Jeff Kahn, a sleep expert and the CEO and Co-Founder of Rise Science, adds that there is some form of light that is always beneficial to sleep. 

'Getting sufficient natural, outside sun exposure right when you wake (min. 10 minutes, and 30 minutes if overcast) is definitely the most science-backed "color" to wake to,' he says. However, if you can't get outside before dawn, Jeff suggests spending 30 minutes in the morning with a Carex Day-Light Classic Plus light therapy lamp [similar to this one on Amazon] while drinking coffee and making plans for your day. 

'As to why this works: light detected by the eyes is the strongest cue we have for our circadian rhythms. It helps suppress melatonin production and kickstarts the other hormones like cortisol responsible for alertness and serotonin, which boosts your mood, among other functions,' the expert adds. 

If you don't want to rearrange your bedroom color ideas completely, this light may be an effective alternative.