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Emotions are the essence of human experience, deeply intertwined with our physical and psychological well-being. They aren’t just fleeting feelings—they shape our health, behaviour and decision-making.
In this article we will be focusing on six fundamental emotions that are universally recognized: sadness, happiness, fear, anger, surprise and disgust. By connecting these 6 emotions to colours, we can create a vivid map of this complex landscape, linking emotional experiences to bodily manifestations and visual cues.
🟡 Yellow: Happiness
Neurobiology: Happiness releases dopamine and serotonin, hormones that improve mood and energy levels.
Health Impact: Reduces stress hormones, strengthens the immune system and promotes cardiovascular health.
Integration: Savoring moments of happiness can lower blood pressure and boost long-term resilience.
🔵 Blue: Sadness
Neurobiology: Sadness involves reduced serotonin and increased activity in the limbic system, encouraging introspection.
Health Impact: When prolonged, sadness can lead to fatigue, weakened immunity and sleep disturbances.
Integration: Short-term sadness can foster reflection and emotional processing, helping to build emotional strength.
🟢 Green: Disgust
Neurobiology: Disgust is linked to activation in the insular cortex, designed to protect us from harmful stimuli.
Health Impact: May trigger nausea or gastrointestinal responses as the body rejects perceived toxins.
Integration: Acknowledging disgust helps set boundaries and maintain both physical and psychological health.
🟣 Purple: Fear
Neurobiology: Fear triggers the amygdala and releases adrenaline, initiating the fight-or-flight response.
Health Impact: In acute moments, fear sharpens focus and reaction time, but chronic fear can strain the heart, disrupt digestion and weaken the immune system.
Integration: Managing fear allows us to face challenges more effectively and prevents its detrimental effects on long-term health. You can do so by slowing down, taking deep breaths and refocusing your thoughts, allowing the brain's frontal lobes to control the amygdala.
🔴 Red: Anger
Neurobiology: Anger activates the sympathetic nervous system, leading to an adrenaline surge and heightened physical readiness.
Health Impact: Chronic anger can contribute to hypertension, cardiovascular strain and tension headaches.
Integration: Learning to channel anger constructively can reduce its harmful effects and turn it into a force for positive change.
🟠 Orange: Anxiety
Neurobiology: Anxiety stems from hyperactivity in the amygdala and dysregulated cortisol levels.
Health Impact: Leads to muscular tension, jaw clenching, gastrointestinal discomfort, and sleep issues. Chronic anxiety can also weaken the immune system.
Integration: Relaxation techniques and mindfulness can mitigate anxiety’s impact and restore physical harmony.
Essential insights on emotions:
Emotions arise from the overall state of the brain and body, rather than being distinct entities. The brain generates predictions to minimize uncertainty and guide actions.
Research suggests that avoiding sadness, even slightly, can restrict our ability to fully experience life and diminish our capacity to feel other emotions, such as joy and happiness.
Fear, Anxiety and Anger: Together, these emotions form a protective triad that helps us navigate challenges, provided they are kept in balance.
Anxiety and Excitement: 2 emotions that are high arousal emotions with very similar physiological experiences, so shifting from feeling anxious to excited can be as simple as reinterpreting the emotion or verbalizing it.
Emotions can also be complex, example: fear, anger and disgust make the complex emotion of 'hate'.
There is not enough words in one language to express all the emotions we might feel.
Facial expressions are not universally tied to specific emotions. Instead, we interpret others' emotions by considering their movements within the context of the situation.
Paying attention to the subtleties of physical sensations, instead of relying on emotional labels, can offer valuable insights to inform different actions.
Emotions are inherently neutral, neither good nor bad by nature; they constantly flow throughout the body regulating everything including thoughts.
Effective social interactions, which are crucial for survival, depend on our ability to recognize and respond to the emotions of others.
According to 'Bodily maps of emotions', emotions can become stored or trapped within the body as follows:
anger in the head or chest; chronic anger can affect the liver
disgust in the mouth and stomach
sadness in the throat and chest, chronic sadness can affect the lungs
anxiety in the chest and gut
shame in the face and chest
happiness in a diffuse pattern all over the body
chronic fear can affect the kidneys
Embracing Emotions for Optimal Health
Understanding the physical manifestations of emotions allows us to address their root causes and nurture our overall well-being. Practices like mindfulness, physical activity and social connection can help integrate emotions into our lives, promoting both mental and physical health.
References:
Nummenmaa, L., Glerean, E., Hari, R., & Hietanen, J. K. (2013). Bodily maps of emotions. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111(2), 646–651. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1321664111
Ekman, P. (1992). An argument for basic emotions. Cognition & Emotion, 6(3–4), 169–200. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699939208411068
MSEd, K. C. (2024, June 22). The 6 Major Theories of Emotion. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/theories-of-emotion-2795717
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