The Science:
Real Research. Real Results.
The Question:
Can Light Ease Stress?
Modern life is full of stressors, but what if light itself could help us recover? That was the driving question behind UC Davis’ Color Lab, an interdisciplinary research collaboration between the California Lighting Technology Center (CLTC) and the Center for Mind and Brain (CMB). Their goal: to implement human-centric lighting to find out whether ambient lighting could become a passive wellness tool.
The Experiment:
Stress, then Light
Using a modified Trier Social Stress Test, participants were asked to perform public speaking and mental math tasks under pressure—eliciting measurable stress. Afterward, they were placed in rooms lit with one of five colors: white, amber, blue, green, or red. Researchers monitored brainwaves, cortisol levels, and behavioral responses to assess how each light affected stress recovery.