Could a dose of the blues lift your spirits?

Scientists have found that exposure to blue light boosts activity in the parts of the brain that handle emotions. They believe the findings could explain why light appears to improve mood in both humans and animals. Blue wavelengths within the spectral rainbow that makes up white light seem chiefly responsible for the effect, the research shows. Blue surroundings increased responses to emotional stimuli in the parts of the brain processing vocal sounds and memories.

Researchers led by Dr Gilles Vandewalle from the University of Liege in Belgium, reported the findings in the journal ‘Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences’.

(Source: Irish Independent 26-10-10)