Blue health: the scientific reason why being near the water is good for you
Going for a lakeside swim or lounging on abeachoften feels refreshing and restorative. For many of us, access to seas orlakesforms a major part of picking a travel destination, especially if you usually don’t. . .
Going for a lakeside swim or lounging on abeachoften feels refreshing and restorative. For many of us, access to seas orlakesforms a major part of picking a travel destination, especially if you usually don’t have access to these environments. Whetherwild swimmingor taking in a coastal sunset, there’s a joy and calm to spending time by or in a body of water, but have you ever wonderedwhybeing near water feels so good? You can lose hours looking out at the ocean, forgetting about life’s worries for a while. Emails? Non-existent. Phone? Forgotten about. You may think there’s an element of being onholidayor simply being outside and in nature, but being near bodies of water also has specific positive impacts on us, in what has been termed ‘blue health’. Blue health is a growing field of study that focuses on how aquatic environments influence mental and physical well-being – highlighting how water can restore, relax and recharge us. Over the last decade or so,several studieshave found links between living in or having regular access to water and improved physical and mental health. While it might seem simple, the effects can be powerful. Thesestudieshave found cognitive benefits, reduced stress, improved mood and mental well-being, and positive effects on physical well-being. “From a psychological perspective, water has a unique ability to help us slow down. Many of us spend our lives in a constant state of stimulation, juggling work pressures, technology, notifications and endless mental to-do lists. Being near water gently shifts our attention away from those demands and into the present moment,” explains Helen Wells, psychotherapist and clinical director atThe Dawn Rehab Thailand. Being near water is scientifically proven to make us happieryotrakShe adds that the sound of waves, the movement of flowing water and the sense of openness often create a feeling of calm that can help regulate the body’s stress response. Blue spaces lower stress and anxiety, mostly because they give your “nervous system a chance to settle in a way that constant, focused attention perhaps doesn't allow. Being near water can feel like an escape from the noise of everyday life,” says Rebecca McBride, a therapist and social worker. And in a world where it feels like we’re constantly fizzing and on the go, blue health tends to encourage a quieter, more reflective state of mind. “Since blue spaces ask very little of us (you don’t need to do anything), they can be incredibly restorative for people who are constantly 'on' and rarely allow themselves to switch off,” says Wells. There's also something psychologists call awe, that specific feeling of smallness you get looking out at anoceanhorizon or a big open lake. “It's consistently linked to lower stress and a kind of mental reset, where your problems suddenly feel a little smaller, too. And water has an edge that green space doesn't quite have: it doesn't just calm you down, it also pulls you into moving, walking along a beach, swimming, paddling, so you get the calm and the physical benefit at the same time,” adds McBride. There’s also a strong connection between blue spaces and healthy habits. “People are more likely to walk, spend time outdoors and take breaks from screens when they’re around water, all of which support both physical and psychological wellbeing. ”Unlike some other wellness activities or spaces, blue health is accessible to so many of us. Wells shares that you don’t need a beach on your doorstep to benefit. “Even brief, regular contact with local waterways can provide an opportunity to reset, gain perspective and create a little breathing space in an otherwise busy life. ”