There’s something magical about slipping into a hot tub after dark. The warm water, the massage jets, the steam rising into the cool night air. It’s a sensory experience like no other. But when you add colour-changing LED lighting into the mix, your evening soak transforms into something far more powerful than simple relaxation. Welcome to the world of chromotherapy.
If you’ve been shopping for a hot tub from brands like Jacuzzi or Hanscraft, you’ve probably noticed that LED lighting and chromotherapy come up again and again as key features. But what does it actually mean, and is it worth paying attention to? Let’s dive in.
What Is Chromotherapy?
Chromotherapy, sometimes called colour therapy or colour light therapy, is the practice of using coloured light to support physical and emotional wellbeing. The idea is simple: different colours of light can influence how we feel, both mentally and physically.
This isn’t a new concept. Ancient Egyptian and Greek civilisations built special rooms designed to bathe people in sunlight filtered through coloured glass and crystals, believing that different hues could promote healing. In more recent centuries, scientists and researchers in Europe, the United States, and India have continued to study how colour affects mood, energy levels, and even certain physical symptoms.
In a modern hot tub, chromotherapy is delivered through built-in LED lights that can cycle through a full spectrum of colours, or hold a single colour of your choosing. When combined with warm water and hydrotherapy jets, it creates a multi-sensory wellness experience you can enjoy every single day at home.
How Each Colour Can Affect You
One of the most appealing things about chromotherapy is how intuitive it is. Most people naturally associate certain colours with certain feelings and the research tends to back those instincts up. Here’s a quick guide to the most common colours used in hot tub chromotherapy:
- Blue: Promotes calm, reduces stress, and may help lower blood pressure. Ideal for winding down before bed.
- Green: Balancing and restorative. Often associated with harmony and is thought to help soothe headaches and support restful sleep.
- Red: Energising and invigorating. Believed to support circulation and can help you feel more alert and awake.
- Orange: Warm and uplifting. A good choice when you need a mood boost or a spark of creativity.
- Violet/Purple: Calming for the nervous system. Associated with relaxation of the muscles and a sense of inner peace.
- Yellow: Bright and cheerful. Thought to stimulate mental clarity and promote a positive outlook.
Most modern hot tubs let you choose a fixed colour to match your mood, or set the lights to gently cycle through a sequence, transitioning smoothly from one hue to the next for a truly immersive experience.
How Is Chromotherapy Built into a Hot Tub?
Today’s premium hot tubs don’t just have a single light bulb glowing underwater. Brands like Jacuzzi and Hanscraft have integrated LED lighting systems directly into the design of their spas, making chromotherapy a core part of the experience rather than an afterthought.
Jacuzzi hot tubs feature the ProLite™ LED Lighting system across many of their collections, including the popular J-300™ and J-400™ series. This system is fully programmable: you can turn lights on or off, change colours, and adjust settings directly from the spa’s control panel or even from your smartphone using the SmartTub™ app. Jacuzzi models also incorporate illuminated waterfalls, exterior corner accent lighting, and even LED-lit cup holders, creating a cohesive, ambient glow that extends well beyond the waterline.
Hanscraft takes a similarly thoughtful approach. Colour LED lighting comes as standard equipment across their HC Series, OKA Design line, and even their entry-level Plug & Play models. Their hot tubs feature a backlit waterfall combined with underwater LED lighting, and the OKA series adds a touchscreen control panel and optional Wi-Fi module so you can manage your lighting and other spa settings from your phone. Hanscraft describes their lighting as creating an “atmosphere full of colours”, and when paired with their Aquatic AV audio system (also standard on the OKA line), you get a complete sensory environment of light, sound, and water.
In both brands, the LED technology is energy-efficient, long-lasting, and designed to withstand the demanding environment inside a hot tub (heat, moisture, and water treatment chemicals included).
The Benefits of LED Chromotherapy in Your Hot Tub
So why should you care about coloured lights in your spa? Here are the key benefits:
Stress relief and relaxation. This is the big one. When you combine warm water, massage jets, and soft, soothing light, your body and mind get a clear signal that it’s time to unwind. Cooler tones like blue and green can slow your breathing and heart rate, helping you let go of the day’s tension.
Better sleep. Many hot tub owners report sleeping more deeply after an evening soak. Adding calming colours to your routine can amplify this effect, helping you establish a pre-sleep ritual that signals your brain to prepare for rest.
Mood enhancement. Feeling flat after a long week? Warmer colours like orange and yellow can lift your spirits, while a gentle colour cycle can simply make your soak feel more special and enjoyable.
Ambience and aesthetics. Let’s be honest, LED lighting looks stunning. Whether you’re entertaining friends, enjoying a quiet evening with your partner, or soaking solo under the stars, the right lighting turns your backyard into a private wellness retreat.
Safety. Beyond the wellness benefits, well-placed LED lighting also makes your hot tub safer to use after dark. Illuminated steps, exteriors, and cup holders, as seen in Jacuzzi models, help you see where you’re stepping and keep drinks secure.
What to Look for When Buying a Hot Tub with Chromotherapy
Not all LED lighting systems are created equal. Here are a few things worth checking before you buy:
Full spectrum vs. limited colours. Some budget hot tubs only offer a handful of colours. Look for systems that provide a full RGB spectrum, giving you the widest range of chromotherapy options. Both Jacuzzi’s ProLite™ and Hanscraft’s colour LED systems deliver this.
Placement of the lights. The best systems use multiple LED points positioned in different areas: underwater, around the perimeter, behind waterfalls, and on the exterior. This creates a more immersive and even lighting effect compared to a single bulb.
Ease of control. Can you change colours from inside the tub? Is there a smartphone app? Jacuzzi offers the SmartTub™ system, and Hanscraft provides an optional Wi-Fi module on many models, both allowing convenient remote control.
Durability and energy efficiency. LED lights use a fraction of the energy of older lighting technologies and last significantly longer. Make sure the system is purpose-built for hot tub use, waterproof, heat-resistant, and chemical-resistant.
Integration with other features. The best hot tub experiences come from features working together. Look for models where the lighting complements waterfalls, audio systems, and jet programmes, as both Jacuzzi and Hanscraft have designed their spas to do.
Common Myths About Chromotherapy
Myth: Chromotherapy is just pretty lights with no real effect.
While chromotherapy is not a replacement for medical treatment, there is a genuine body of research supporting the idea that colour and light influence mood, stress levels, and relaxation. The combination with warm water and hydrotherapy amplifies these effects significantly.
Myth: You need expensive, specialist equipment for colour therapy.
Not at all. When you buy a hot tub from Jacuzzi or Hanscraft, chromotherapy-capable LED lighting is already built in, often as standard. There’s no extra device to install or maintain.
Myth: LED lights in hot tubs don’t last long or fade quickly.
Modern LED systems like Jacuzzi’s ProLite™ are specifically engineered for the spa environment. They’re built to last for years, consume very little energy, and maintain their brightness over time.
Myth: All hot tub lighting is the same.
There’s a big difference between a single white bulb and a multi-point, full-spectrum LED system with programmable controls. The quality, placement, and integration of lighting vary hugely between brands and price points.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use chromotherapy every time I soak?
Absolutely. There are no known risks to using coloured LED light during your regular hot tub sessions. It’s designed to be enjoyed as often as you like.
Does chromotherapy replace medical treatment?
No. Chromotherapy is a complementary wellness practice. It can enhance your relaxation and mood, but it’s not a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.
Will the LED lights affect my water chemistry or temperature?
Not at all. LED lights produce very little heat and are sealed away from the water system. They have no impact on your water chemistry, temperature, or filtration.
Can I leave the lights on a single colour or do they have to cycle?
Most systems, including those from Jacuzzi and Hanscraft, let you choose. You can select a single fixed colour that suits your mood, set a slow colour transition cycle, or turn the lights off entirely. It’s completely up to you.
Are hot tub LED lights safe?
Yes. Hot tub LED lights operate at low voltage and are fully waterproof, specifically designed and tested for submersion in heated, chemically treated water.
Conclusion
Chromotherapy might sound like a luxury, but in modern hot tubs from Jacuzzi and Hanscraft, it’s a thoughtfully integrated feature that genuinely enhances your soaking experience. Whether you’re drawn to the calming glow of blue light after a stressful day, the energising warmth of red before a weekend morning, or simply love the way colour-changing lights transform your garden after dark, there’s real value in choosing a hot tub with a quality LED lighting system.
The best part? With brands like Jacuzzi and Hanscraft building colour LED lighting into their standard specifications, you don’t need to treat chromotherapy as an add-on or an afterthought. It comes ready to enjoy from the moment your hot tub is installed.
So the next time you’re comparing hot tubs, take a closer look at the lighting. It might just be the feature that turns a good soak into a great one.