What Is Blue Mind Theory?
Have you ever been hypnotized by a water fountain or fallen asleep to the sound of ocean waves? Do you find solace in a warm bath or shower after a stressful day? Did you love to splash in puddles as a small child? While things like meditation, exercise, and journaling can help you achieve a meditative state, sometimes being completely immersed by water is what you need to calm an overactive mind and connect you to nature and your inner being’s wisdom.
Water is healing for the soul. Whether it’s an ocean, lake, river, pond, creek, or water fountain. It’s not a coincidence that you feel calm and at peace when near, on, or in a body of water. This phenomenon was named “Blue Mind Theory” by author and marine biologist Wallace J Nichols. His 2014 book “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” dives deep into the benefits of water.
Water soothes us in a way the other elements can’t. Water feels like home since we spend our gestation period floating in the womb. Our bodies are comprised of around 60-70% water, and our brains even more at around 70-80%. We are literally one with water— it’s no wonder it makes us feel safe and comforted.
When people reflect on their happiest memories, they’re often reminded of summer at the beach or a tropical vacation. Even if you don’t live in an oceanside tropical paradise or can’t afford faraway vacations, you can still find ways to chase the blue mind. Below are some ways you can get in touch with your blue mind.
Blue Mind Theory Science-
Being surrounded by water can help us exit our fight-or-flight stage and reduce our cortisol levels. This allows for our nervous system to enter its parasympathetic state, where we feel more relaxed and grounded. When our nervous system is on high alert and our cortisol is raised consistently, it can lead to health issues down the line.
Predictability/Surprise-
Bodies of water strike a balance of simultaneously being predictable and surprising. The water flow can be pretty consistent, but every now and then a huge wave crashes and delights you, sending a small hit of dopamine to your brain. This predictability allows our nervous system to relax and feel comfortable while surprising us with something new and flooding our brain with feel-good hormones.
Red Mind-
Red mind is how current society lives most of the time. Screens, notifications, deadlines, emails, etc, are constant and bring us feelings of stress, anxiety, and overstimulation. While the red mind state keeps our current world spinning, it’s crucial to not let it consume your whole life. Aim for more balance when living in a red mind state. Put your phone down and replace it with water and nature as often as possible.
Water Safety-
As healing as water is, you shouldn’t play around with it, as it’s extremely powerful. If you’d like to spend more time in the water but have no idea how to swim, consider taking lessons or only venturing into shallow areas with lifeguards present. Do not attempt to learn how to swim on your own or enter large bodies of deep water unsupervised if you’re inexperienced in water.
Surfing-
There’s a reason that the stereotypical surfer bro is relaxed and easy-going. Surfing and learning to ride the waves can make you more resilient. Just as in life, you never know how large a wave is going to hit, so you need to be ready for anything. Surfing has been a form of rehabilitation for people suffering from addictions. The high people get from riding a wave can be a helpful and healthy replacement for those looking to come off of their more harmful addictions. There have also been positive results from surfing for those suffering from PTSD and depression.
Other Blue Mind Sports:
- -Kayaking
- -Canoeing
- -Water skiing
- -Wakeboarding
- -Beach volleyball
- -Jet skiing
- -Fishing
- -Sailing
Swim-
Swimming is a fun and low-impact form of exercise that’s easy on your joints. Whether you prefer to doggy paddle or perfect your breaststroke by doing laps, it can be as intense or as relaxed as you want it to be.
Wild swimming, especially popular in the UK, is where people have taken to open water swimming in natural waters all year round — even in the depths of winter. It’s a way to form community, get exercise, and give you all the cold plunge benefits during the colder months.
Bath-
There might not be much that a warm bath can’t cure. Feeling sick? Take a bath. Broken heart? Take a bath. Sore? Bath. Need to unwind after a stressful day? Take an MF bath. The ritual of bathing is a spiritual practice if you want it to be.
Make it as luxurious and relaxing as possible by adding Epsom salts for sore muscles, bath oils for soft skin, rose petals for a luxurious and romantic touch, or bath bombs for a blast of essential oils and colour. Soak your troubles away and let your worries melt into the water and down the drain. Taking a bath is a very grounding experience. If you’re feeling anxious and uprooted, this is an easy way to bring you back down to earth.
Hydrate-
Since our bodies and especially our brains are comprised of mainly water, you should not only surround and immerse yourself with water, but also consume it. Aim to drink around 8 glasses per day. Reach for a glass of water as soon as you wake up to hydrate your brain and body, and help you get the day started.
Fill up a large water bottle every day to have on hand. If you’re not a huge fan of drinking plain water, you can add flavour packets. Aim to eat many water-rich foods in your diet to increase hydration, like watermelon and cucumbers.
Cold Plunge-
While everyone loves to be warm and enjoy hot showers, hot tubs, or hot baths, there’s nothing that makes you feel more alive quite like a cold plunge. Cold plunge studios and at-home tubs have become increasingly popular over the past few years due to the many benefits of an icy dip. Improved circulation and immunity, reduced stress and anxiety, lymphatic drainage, and increased mental fortitude. A cold plunge isn’t easy, but the benefits far outweigh the initial discomfort.
Float Tank-
Sensory deprivation tanks are filled with a high salt-to-water ratio, allowing you to remain buoyant and float. This happens in a dark tank, but depending on the float studio, you can add glow balls for extra light or music if the idea of being completely deprived of your senses makes you uncomfortable. This experience assists you in entering a completely meditative state while remaining lightweight in the water. People have been said to have great breakthroughs and revelations during float sessions.
Nature-
If you want to hang out in or near bodies of water, then that typically requires getting in the outdoors. Spending time in nature has many advantages for your physical and mental health. Getting fresh air, vitamin D, and listening to the sights and sounds around you connects you with the universe, heightens your intuition, and calms your nervous system. Spend as much time in nature and around water as you can to increase mental well-being.
Accessing Blue Mind Theory-
If you live in a place where you aren’t able to easily access large bodies of water, there are still ways you can include the blue mind theory into your life.
- Pond– Even big cities tend to have ponds where you can gaze at the fish or birds floating around.
- Aquarium– Visiting an aquarium and viewing underwater life is a way for you to enter your blue mind.
- Sounds– Listening to beach waves on YouTube or watching a video of waves crashing against the sand can help you move into a blue mind even if you’re not physically present.
- Fountain– Having a small indoor fountain with running water can ease your mind and calm your nervous system.
- Bird Bath– If you have a backyard, set up a bird bath and live out your Disney princess fantasy.
Final Thoughts-
The blue mind theory revolves around how humans love to be in, on, under, or near water for our overall health and well-being. Since our current society lives in the overstimulating “red mind” most of the time, we must create balance and aim to spend more time in our blue mind state.
Being in your blue mind can relax your nervous system, assist you in leaving fight-or-flight, and help you access your parasympathetic nervous system. This reduces your cortisol levels and helps you feel safe and grounded. Getting in the water by swimming, surfing, or doing other water sports like kayaking, fishing, or even lying on the beach will help your brain move into its blue mind state.
If you don’t live near any water, you can visit an aquarium, take a bath, go for a float, cold plunge, listen to ocean sounds on YouTube, and drink enough water daily to reap blue mind benefits.
