The Blue Mind Effect
Watching the crystal blue waves of the ocean.
Listening to the rain.
Sitting on a dock and watching the wind ripple through the clear fresh water of a lake.
Floating on your back in the sea or swimming pool...
If imaging those experiences made you feel calm, you would be experiencing the powerful effect that water can have on our mental health; a phenomenon known as the ‘blue mind effect’.
The ‘blue mind effect’
Wallace J. Nichols, a marine biologist, created the term ‘blue mind’ to describe the “mildly meditative state we fall into when near, in, on or under water.” Research into this theory has proven that spending time near the water is essential in order to achieve elevated and sustained happiness. Wallace stated, “It’s the antidote to what we refer to as ‘red mind’, which is the anxious, over-connected and over-stimulated state that defines the new normal of modern life.”
More research has shown that being in, near or under water can provide an extensive list of benefits both for our body and mind. These include a lower heart and breathing rate which in turn lowers one’s stress and anxiety levels, increasing overall sense of well-being and happiness leading to a boost in creativity and clear thinking. Of course, all these are reliant on the waters being clean, healthy and safe – blue and clear.
Colors are known to create different feelings and moods in us. Blue brings about feelings of serenity and calmness. It is also often seen as a sign of stability and reliability. Found throughout nature in varying shades, blue is the color of the oceans, lakes, sky. It is no wonder why we turn to the rhythm of the seas or rain for a moment of peace. As bodies of water simultaneously change and stay the same, we experience both a refreshing, thought-provoking novelty and a soothing familiarity – a monotony allowing for a state of involuntary attention, essential to problem-solving and creativity.
Simple ways you can experience it
According to the blue mind theory, watching water from a distance is just as powerful as being in or on it. The best way to experience this effect in your life is being near the ocean. However, not everyone is able to live a life by the ocean. We forget that water is all around, wherever we are. Here are a few alternative ways you can easily tap into the blue mind effect at home, wherever you may live.
Spring is here and summer is on the way. When it rains, go sit by an open window or outside on your patio, close your eyes and listen to it fall through the trees or onto your roof. Breathe deeply and notice how fresh it smells. Be mindful of the way water feels as you swim in your pool or local pool in the warmer weather, be aware of the sound of your breathing under the water. In the same way, a hot shower can ease anxiety and a cold one can invigorate the mind and body.
Or something as simple as watching videos of the ocean, like this one, can immediately recreate the powers of nature in your own home. Following accounts on social media, like Ryan Pernofski, can create a few seconds of stillness as you scroll. One of my personal favorites is this video from Paul Nicklen. It’s a beautiful capturing of ‘the song of the ocean’. Perhaps you’d like a creative boost while you work or a calmness as you fall asleep? Simply listening can also cause the blue mind effect, and there are plenty of resources allowing you to listen to the ocean or the rain. A Wish to the Ocean is a piano piece ‘accompanied’ by the sound of waves. There are many others online or on apps with only the sounds of the ocean, rain or a flowing river.
The blue mind effect is found in the songs and rhythm of the most important element on earth in all its forms - a beauty in Creation to be marvelled at.
Tikvah is an editor who has loved good stories for as long as she can remember. Words inspire her and she believes they have the power to change the world. In her spare time, she can be found reading, writing poetry, taking photographs, drinking coffee, going for walks and looking for inspiration.
