Whether you spend time relaxing on a beach, fishing, on a boat, or doing anything near water, you are undoubtedly feeling the powerful calming effects of water.
It's not a coincidence. Looking at water has very real
benefits for health and peace of mind.
When something as simple as looking at the water has such a
powerful effect, it raises more questions than it answers.
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Why does the calming effect of water relax us?
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How does something as simple as looking at the
water help us feel more relaxed?
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Is it something we can use to reduce stress?
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Although the exact reason for the
"how" is a bit of a mystery, we know a lot about the "why".
Science explains why we feel more relaxed looking at water
on a biological level. Seeing or hearing the soothing sounds of moving water
triggers a response in our brains that induces a flood of neurochemicals. These
chemicals increase blood flow to the brain and heart, which induces relaxation.
The "blue mind" effect
Marine biologist Wallace J. Nichols wrote a book on the subject
of water and its healing powers. It's called Blue Mind: The Surprising Science
That Shows How Being Near, In, On, or Under Water Can Make You Happier,
Healthier, More Connected, and Better at What You Do.
It may be one of the longest book titles you've ever seen,
but it does a good job of outlining some of the proven benefits of being around
water. In addition, it is one of the few books on the subject. The author makes
some interesting points based on his own experience as a marine biologist, as well
as other scientifically supported research he has conducted.
In the book, Wallace explains that looking at or being near
water can provide a wide range of health benefits. These benefits include
reduced stress and anxiety, increased happiness, decreased heart rate, and
other things that extend beyond simply feeling calmer.
He calls this the "blue mind" effect, saying it's
a response we get when looking at water. His book explores many reasons why
water has this effect on us. Here are two of the key ideas:
There is a deep psychological bond with our ancestors
Many of our behaviors and reactions come from our DNA. This
includes the way our brains react to seeing water. Wallace says this goes back
to how our ancestors behaved thousands of years ago.
Our ancestors were frequently on the move and needed to find
water as a matter of life and death. For generations, they concentrated on
finding new sources of water. When they did, a calming response was triggered
in their brains, something we carry with us to this day.
Water represents a source of life
Water is important for our survival. It covers more than 70%
of the Earth's surface. Our body is made up of almost 70% water and water makes
up more than 70% of two of our most vital organs (the brain and the heart).
Wallace says this is why the sight or sound of water
triggers the release of relaxing neurochemicals for most people. Logically,
there is a deep biological connection between our brain and the vision of water
due to our dependence on it as a source of life.
The effect of the "red mind"
On the other hand, Nichols also talks about the state of
"red mind", in which a constant state of anxiety binds our mind.
Nichols explains how this occurs as a result of increased urbanization and our
constant need for technology. A somewhat recent report shows that 90% of young
adults are "constant checkers," meaning they engage with screens and
social media use almost all the time.
It is interesting to note that when we think of the color
red, most of us think of love and passion. However, the psychology of the color
red also signifies danger, power, energy, and war. Therefore, if we look at
this from the perspective of color psychology, it makes a lot of sense to see
how blue colors have a calming effect.
Even when you can't be physically near the water, looking at pictures of the water makes you feel calmer.
The benefits of being near water
There is a reason why you feel so at peace when you go to
the beach or are near the ocean. There's water. Science continues to study the
wonderful healing power that being near and observing water has on our mental
health and well-being. Let's explore some of the many calming effects of water.
Promotes a meditative state
The sound of waves crashing on the shore can alter brain
wave patterns to induce a meditative state. All of these can help reduce stress
levels, promote mental clarity, improve sleep patterns, and even help with
anxiety.
Water helps creativity
Don't you feel totally inspired when you are at the beach?
When our brain goes into relaxation mode, it tends to be more creative. Getting
away from all the bustle and busy thoughts into a calmer state can help you
feel more inspired and less judgmental of your thoughts.
Improve your physical abilities
While being near water won't cause you to lose more
calories, it will help enhance the benefits of being active. Trade a crowded
gym for a walk on the beach and you will train not only your body but also your
mind.
Water is rich in negative ions
For people who believe in the power of energy, water is very
rich in negative ions. The power of negative ions helps your ability to absorb
oxygen, improve serotonin levels, and improve your alertness and concentration.
Being near water can help you feel rejuvenated and improve your mood and stress
levels.
It makes you feel amazed and impressed
The feeling of wonder has many health benefits. However, it
has been scientifically proven to help you stay calm, control your temper, feel
more generous, and expand your sense of vastness. All these effects are similar
to what is known as forest bathing. Or, in general, being close to nature.
Why is the sound of water so relaxing?
The calming effect of seeing the water uses only one of our
senses. The calming effects of water are even greater if we also listen to the
sounds of the water. Whether it's the pounding of ocean waves on the shore or
the soft pattering of raindrops on the window, the sound of water also has a
calming effect on most people.
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Studies conclude that this is due to the way our
brains interpret noise and how we connect sounds with images in our brains.
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Our brains process noises as threatening or
non-threatening. We interpret water as non-threatening, even if it is loud and
crashing waves.
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Also, relate the sounds of water with calming
images stored in our memory. It brings us personal memories or images that we
have collected from television or other media.
However, taking a dip in the water is also very beneficial
for well-being. Soaking in natural water, such as when you are at the beach or
in a lake, can stimulate the body. The natural coolness of the water will
provide your body with a soothing treatment that will calm you down, both
mentally and physically, and help by calming your nerves. Even the warmest
waters during the summer can help relax muscles and relieve tensions held in
the body.
Ultimately, if you're looking for an easy and affordable way
to clear your mind, look for a blue space. You don't have to go to the beach or
the ocean; even your shower will do. Water has the absolute power to give you
mental clarity, improve your brain power and make you a happier person almost
instantly.
WATER AS A SOUND ELEMENT, WHITE NOISE
Human beings have developed a capacity for perception that
possibly distinguishes us from the rest of the species inhabiting this planet,
and it is through the senses that we can create situations and experiences
based on a degree of sensitivity that brings us closer to the relationship with
our environment.
Water is essential for life on Earth, however, as an element in space, it
plays a different role.
In the history of landscaping, water is used with a
conceptual language full of poetry and symbolism attributed by the human being.
Despite this, there are few episodes in which water is spoken of as a catalyst
for sound. Our calm or agitation at times is closely linked to the stimuli we
receive from outside. So the way we hear the water makes us perceive a space in
a certain way. If the water is constant and peaceful, it causes us peace. If
the rhythm is strong and hectic, it changes the ambient feeling to an alert
situation.
White Noise (WHITE NOISE) is defined as a wall of sonic
energy without patterns, where a random sound is manifested, consisting of the
same intensity in all its frequencies, like the sound of rain. If we were
talking about its equivalent, in color theory, it would be summed up as what
happens when all the colors in the light come together, obtaining white as a
result.
In this case, using white noise as a tool to stabilize sound
in a space is a clear example of how, through sensory activity, we are able to
establish a dialogue with the environment and, consequently, how it is used and
transformation of the same, according to our degree of sensitivity. Since, when
interpreting and modifying a space, it is essential to blend the physical
objective of a project with the sensory one. In gardens and even in large
cities, using the force and rhythm of the sound of water as a sound element to
create acoustic barriers can be a criterion to consider when designing since,
today, pollution does not only come from what what we see, but also what we
hear.
The reason for using white noise to establish tranquility in
a space is closely related to the sensitive qualities that we have as human
beings. As mammals, we come from our mother's womb, in which we spend months
developing in an environment where weeks before we are born, we are already
capable of perceiving sounds.
If we went back a few years, we would remember that, in the
beginning, life began in water. Perhaps this is the reason why we associate the
sound of water with inner peace. Possibly it is a memory stored in our
subconscious memory, from that moment in which we were an embryo inside our
mother's womb. Perhaps it is a memory that automatically sends us back to a
habitat where the sound of life is everything.
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