There is something profoundly healing about being in and near water: the refreshing sea breeze, the gently lapping waves, the sun shining on the rippling surface of the water. The Victorians knew this and prescribed sea air as a remedy for melancholy. So did the French, who sent sick people to natural hot springs for centuries.
These days, we are more acutely aware than ever of the benefits of being in nature. Hundreds of studies enumerating the positive effects have been reflected in health policies and urban renewal projects, inviting people into the great outdoors and in doing so relieving the many health burdens of modern life. The purpose is that.
But when we rush off to embrace Mother Nature and boost the health and mental well-being that comes with it, we may want to stop and consider exactly where we are going. We are increasingly addicted to spending time in green spaces, but according to the latest research, blue spaces — areas next to water — can benefit us even more. .
The idea that nature provides us with spiritual well-being is not new.Japanese custom shinrin-yoku, or “forest bathing,” is an established tradition of connecting with nature through all the senses. It became popular in the 1980s after studies demonstrated that it lowered heart rate, stress hormones, blood pressure, and had a calming effect on both the body and mind.
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