I’ve intuitively been drawn to spending time near bodies of water. I love the sounds, the sparkle and the feeling of calm that I get from an expansive lake or a quiet stream. These “blue spaces” seem to give back and recharge me. I always thought that it was a nostalgia thing: I grew up near the ocean. I fondly remember walking across the rocky beach as a kid while the wind whipped the autumn waves into a frenzy. But I’ve discovered that being near water has beneficial effects for everyone.
Not A Swimmer? No Problem
You don’t need to enjoy water sports, be a swimmer or a boater to benefit from the proximity to water. I don’t do more than dip my toes in the water unless its extremely hot outside. I do enjoy a quiet canoe down the river, or across a bay, but those are the limits of my “watersportedness.” However, I benefit from being near these blue spaces on the coldest winter days when sports wouldn’t be possible anyway. It’s not the sports that create the benefit for me.
Health Benefits
Being near water encourages an active lifestyle including water sports, and the air can be less polluted to breathe, but the biggest benefit to me is that “… it also slows down our heart rate and reduces stress hormones, boosting our mental health…” according to Michael Depledge, chair of Environment and Human Health at the University of Exeter Medical School.**
Mindfulness Benefits
When we spend time near water, we start paying attention to the environment – sounds, play of light, movements – and that brings us out of our heads and into the present.* Ahhhh. More time in the present means less anxiety about the future or rumination about the past. Win/win.
Accessibility To Blue Spaces
You don’t need to live near the ocean, a lake or a river to benefit from blue spaces. Research found that even human-created water features have a positive effect on mood and a lowering of stress. A fountain will do in a pinch.* This is inspiring me to think about how I can add more water features to my home (maybe a simple fountain on the porch this summer?).
Get The Most From Your Vacation
If you really want to dive into this phenomena (pun intended), two hours per week was found to be sufficient to get the benefits. When booking your next vacation, remember that according to research, even a view of the lake, ocean, or river benefits your mental health.* It really is worth paying more for a room with a view!
Which bodies of water do you find restorative? Comment below.
**https://globalnews.ca/news/4320204/lake-water-mental-health-blue-space/
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