Top 3 Colours that Help Your Brain Learn Better

Colour cues have been proven successful and widely used in marketing as well as learning. In psychology, colours are known to have a powerful impact on the brain and on emotions. Using the right colours can promote the brain’s ability to take in and process information. In young kids, colours help them either pay better attention or stay calm in certain environments. In people suffering from Alzheimer’s, studies have shown that colours help them significantly improve memory. 

When it comes to learning, coloured-texts and images, as opposed to black and white, help you to better learn and recall information. Using the right colours can definitely create remarkable results. Here are the top three colours that I have used myself and found helpful, especially for exam preparation and working on detail-oriented tasks.

Red for Memory

Have you ever thought why red is used in warning signs? Red is not only associated with danger and anger, but also grabs our attention instantly. A study by The University of British Columbia has shown that red, along with blue, is best for the brain when it comes to learning. Red, in particular, should be used when you need to better memorise and retain information.

Red stands out. Since it has the ability to instantly grab people’s attention and provoke a response, using red in learning helps them to pay careful attention to avoid mistakes. By marking or highlighting texts in red, you know they are important and likely to be remembered in detail.

Green for Concentration

Some research has suggested that green is great for your concentration. This colour is believed to improve focus.

In psychology, green is believed to promote feelings of relaxation and calmness. It is soothing to the eyes and gives you the feeling of a return to nature. If red grabs your emotional attention, green attracts your intrinsic interest. It is no coincidence that nature and the colour green have a positive impact on our mental and physical health.

Green suggests a safe and peaceful environment. When green is used in a study or work space, it gives you serenity and mental clarity. It reduces tension, lowers your pulse rate and therefore helps you to better concentrate on your study.

Blue for Productivity and Learning

When most people think of blue, the first thing that comes to mind is a blue sky. Blue generally suggests spaciousness and a sense of well-being. Similar to green, blue is also believed to stimulate feelings of relaxation and calmness. 

Blue is widely used by financial businesses as it create a sense of security and trust. Blue is also used by educational institutes to signal intelligence. In learning, many studies have shown that blue help in promoting productivity and cognitive thinking. It also boosts people’s ability to think outside the box.

Adding blue to learning or working environments is recommended by many educators to effectively boost your performance. If your work heavily requires cognitive skills, including logical reasoning, attention and information processing, this colour is ideal. 

The effects of colours on humans can be positive, negative or neutral, depending on the use. Lighter or darker tones of the same colour may give varied effects. Be creative but also mindful when choosing the colours for your learning.

No need to convert your entire study or work space to green, blue or red if it makes you feel overwhelmed. Actually, too much stimuli could be counter productive. Instead, you may consider adding some of these colours to your stationery essentials, like notepads, notebooks, post-it notes, coloured pens, highlighters. You can also add some of these colours to your chairs, bookshelves or walls. Have fun with it but also keep it all in balance.

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All rights reserved. Used by Permission of Gamma High IQ Society and DeepGamma.