Today's useless fact - What colors should I use in my bedroom to help me relax and sleep?

Color theory links offer plenty of ideas about what colors are relaxing in a bedroom. However, most sources admit that your personal preference should come first in any color decision. The colors you find restful and relaxing may not be the same as what someone else would choose. That said, here's what we learned about the effect colors have on moods, plus some popular ideas about tranquil bedroom colors.

Early research suggested that red raised people's heart rates and blood pressures while blue lowered them, but more recent research showed that those reactions were based on the colors in isolation, not in real-world environments. Several current studies found that the saturation or strength of a color had more effect than the hue itself. So, a bright red and a bright blue can be equally exciting, and a dull, soft red or blue can be similarly calming. In addition, current research has found that people feel an environment increases in complexity when deeply saturated colors and multiple colors are present.

Home & Garden Television's Living With Color page explains how colors can be passive, active, or neutral. Bright colors -- especially bright reds, oranges, and yellows -- are active and can energize people. Colors related to water and sky -- cool blues, greens, and lavenders -- are passive and can feel calming. Tans and grays tend to be neutral and have less effect. This page also says that green is the easiest color for the human eye to see, while yellow is the most difficult.

Color professor J.L. Morton agrees that green is restful to the eye and says that this color also promotes healing. In Medieval times, green symbolized fertility, which could help the romance factor in your bedroom. Green, violet, and blue all get a thumbs up for relaxation and calm from DIY.net, as well.

To apply these theories to your bedroom, you may want to concentrate on a few colors in soft, lighter shades and choose passive or neutral colors. Muted greens, blues, and purples, and neutrals like tan and gray, all seem conducive to a sleeping environment. But if those colors don't appeal to you, try muted versions of your favorite colors and stick to just a few colors in the room. Check out our Color Perception category for more.