Scientists agree: Studies show that being near “blue spaces” can improve your mental health

It’s well known that green spaces improve our mental health, but research shows that blue spaces are even more beneficial. So, it is little wonder that when we seek to get some R&R that we head to the beach or lake.

Several scientific studies have found that gazing on open water or merely being near to it reduces our blood pressure and heart rate, as well as anxiety and stress while increasing our happiness and relaxation. Even watching an aquarium live feed or video of marine life can lower levels of psychological distress and improve mental and emotional wellbeing.

The blue mind

Marine biologist Wallace J. Nichols dubbed the positive mental state produced by water the “blue mind.” Focusing our attention on waves or flowing water creates what researchers have termed “soft fascination,” allowing our minds to effortlessly reset.

Being around bodies of water activates our parasympathetic nervous system, the “rest and digest” part of the autonomic nervous system, which brings the body back to its baseline by lowering our cortisol levels and slowing our heart rate, helping us recovery from stress.

The sound of water, especially those sounds associated with the ocean, prompts the body to produce neurochemicals such as dopamine and oxytocin, two of the so-called “feel-good hormones,” which encourage feelings of pleasure and relaxation along with stress reduction.

While the mental and emotional benefits of water can be gained from any blue space, including fountains in city settings, research has found that the wider the body of water the greater the effect it has been shown to have on participants.

So, if you’re feeling a little stressed out, make your way to a blue space near you. Or simply turn on the TV and watch a nature documentary about water, or lay down with some watery white noise in the background and feel the blue mind wash over you.

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