Mood necklaces, also known as mood rings, are jewelry pieces that are designed to indicate the emotional state or mood of the wearer based on color changes. The necklaces contain special liquid crystals that are heat-sensitive and respond to changes in body temperature by changing colors.
How do mood necklaces work?
Mood necklaces work through a process called thermochromism. The mood necklace contains liquid crystals that are extremely sensitive to small changes in temperature. The crystals inside the jewelry are calibrated to respond to the subtle fluctuations in body temperature that occur with changes in emotions.
Body Temperature and Emotions
Our bodies undergo small physiological changes when we experience different emotions. For example, when someone is stressed or angry, adrenaline production increases, which leads to an increase in heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature. On the other hand, emotions like sadness and fear can cause a slight drop in body temperature as blood flow is redirected away from the extremities to support vital organs.
Mood necklaces capitalize on these body temperature changes by using liquid crystals calibrated to shift colors at precise temperature thresholds. As your body temperature rises and falls, the crystals change color accordingly. The color displayed is intended to represent your prevailing mood or emotional state.
| Color | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Black | Stressed, tense, nervous |
| Blue | Relaxed, calm |
| Green | Normal, balanced |
| Yellow | Happy, optimistic, creative |
| Brown | Confused, conflicted, depressed |
| Grey | Sad, pessimistic |
| Amber | Passionate, aroused |
Mood Necklace Color Meanings
The most common mood necklace contains the following color meanings:
Black: This indicates stress, nervousness, or anxiety. When you are tense or upset, your body temperature rises, turning the necklace black.
Blue: The color blue signals a calm, relaxed emotional state. Your body temperature decreases when you feel peaceful and centered.
Green: The green color represents a normal, balanced mood. This is the baseline color indicating you are in an emotionally stable state.
Yellow: Bright yellow corresponds to happiness, optimism, and creativity. Yellow signifies vibrancy and positive emotions.
Brown: A brown or murky color suggests confusion, sadness, or depression. Brown indicates your emotions are muddled or negatively valenced.
Grey: Grey represents sadness or pessimism. This color points to low energy emotions like grief, boredom, or fatigue.
Amber: Amber or gold tones indicate passion, arousal, excitement, or impulsiveness. The color amber reflects stimulated emotions and intensity.
How Accurate Are Mood Necklaces?
The major criticism of mood necklaces is that they provide only a rough approximation of emotions based on crude body temperature changes. Our emotions are extremely complex, multifaceted experiences that cannot be neatly categorized into a handful of color codes.
Factors unrelated to emotions also influence body temperature, including air temperature, exercise, digestion after eating, menstrual cycle changes, and illness. This can make the color readouts from mood necklaces less than reliable.
Additionally, people have different body temperature set points, meaning baseline readings can vary widely. What indicates happiness in one person may signal sadness or stress in another. The liquid crystal sensors have to be expertly calibrated to account for normal body temperature variations.
Most experts consider mood necklaces to be novelty jewelry that should not be used to accurately diagnose medical or psychological conditions. However, they can be fun jewelry pieces that promote self-reflection and mindfulness about your shifting emotional states. As long as you remain skeptical of their precision, mood necklaces can be a playful way to tune into your feelings.
Tips for Using Mood Necklaces
Mood necklaces provide the most accurate readings when worn properly. Here are some tips:
– Wear the necklace securely against bare skin, not over clothing. Direct skin contact allows the most sensitivity to body temperature changes.
– Give the necklace 10-15 minutes to calibrate and adjust to your baseline skin temperature when you first put it on.
– Remove or loosen the necklace when eating, drinking hot/cold beverages, exercising, showering, etc. to avoid skewed readings.
– Compare any readings to your actual emotional state. The color meanings are not definitive, but rather meant to promote self-reflection.
– Consider tracking your mood necklace colors and corresponding emotions in a journal. Look for any patterns over time.
– Avoid making major personal decisions solely based on your necklace colors that day. Use the readings as data points, not absolute directives.
– Remember that mood necklaces are imperfect tools, not scientifically proven emotional detectors. Have fun with any color changes without overanalyzing them.
Conclusion
Mood necklaces rely on thermochromic liquid crystals to indicate changes in the wearer’s emotional state through color variations. While they can be fun novelty jewelry, the color readings do not provide definitive diagnoses of your moods or emotions. However, with proper use and realistic expectations, mood necklaces can potentially promote greater self-awareness and personal reflection. Just beware of putting too much stock in their accuracy and enjoy them for their entertainment value. By paying attention to the mood necklace color meanings and patterns over time, you may gain some introspective insights into your shifting emotional landscape.
