Water always had a calming effect on me. For as long as I can remember, I had a deep connection with water. Water is more than hydration. I feel an overwhelming sense of calm when I am near a river, lake, or ocean. Especially when I feel stressed, I appreciate the calming effect of water.
It’s scientifically proven that being near, in, and around water has a calming effect on our minds. The increased calmness happens because water has a way to induce neurochemicals in our brain, reducing stress and anxiety. In addition, water increases our overall sense of well-being, lowering our heart and breathing rate. Because of its calming effects, we are increasingly looking to water to help treat anxiety disorders.
Why does water make me feel calm?
If you are like me, being around water can make you feel calm. I don’t claim to know the exact reasons for the calming effects of water. Water is special for so many reasons. It is life itself. We can’t live without water. Everything about water is wonderful, the way it tastes, feels and sounds.
Why does being in water feel so good?
If you are stressed, anxious, seeing red, or feeling angry, it’s well documented that being in water can make you feel better. Water can calm your mind. It can give your mood a boost. You can experience the benefits of the water whether you’re near the sea, river, waterfall, lake, river, listening to the calming sound of a fountain, or even swimming pool.
Why does being in water make you feel better?
We are naturally drawn to water for good reasons. One is the utility; we need water to survive. But water also has various positive cognitive and physical effects too. People who live nearby coasts report having an improved sense of physical health and well-being. And contact with water triggers a meditative state that enhances our mood and helps us live a calmer and healthier life.
Why does looking at water relax us?
According to research published in the journal Health Place, spending time near water or at the beach can help you relax. People who live by water claim to have improved mental and physical health. And people with ocean views report feeling more relaxed than those without, according to a study published in the Journal of Coastal Zone Management.
Why do I feel better near the water?
One reason you feel better near the water is its blue color. People associate the color blue with calm and peace. In addition, being near the water changes your brain waves, transferring your mind into a subtle meditative state.
The rhythmic ebbing and flowing you hear de-stimulates your brain when you’re near the sea. And the noises associated with bodies of water activate your parasympathetic nervous system, the part of the brain responsible for slowing you down and helping you relax.
Even something as simple as touching the sand on the seashore can contribute to a soothed state of mind.
Why are people happier near water?
People are happier near water because water contributes to lowering stress and anxiety. In addition, spending time near water, especially in coastal areas, is associated with physical and mental health improvements.
The subjects of a 2013 study on happiness in natural environments reported coastal and marine environments to be the happiest locations.
Being happier is to be closer to water
Living near water can improve your mental health, but not as much as spending time on the seashore. In other words, people who spend time near water can expect a greater improvement in their mental health.
Being close to water can enhance your mood due to beneficial environmental factors such as less noise pollution and more sunlight. In addition, many people who live by water also engage in more physical activities such as walking, cycling, running, surfing and swimming.
Water also has a restorative effect coupled with a meditative quality, reducing stress and negative mood and inducing a positive mindset. Spending time near water forces you to be in tune with natural forces. For example, it forces you to concentrate on the wind and the sound sounds of crashing waves.
What are the psychological benefits of water?
One of the main psychological benefits of water is that it can help reduce anxiety. To be around water is known to increase your overall well-being. Something as simple as having a water garden or water feature in your home offers psychological benefits. You might find the sound of running water improves your mental health.
Having a water feature or a pond in your garden can help you reduce the stress from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. If you can replicate nature in your living environment, it can help you deal with the mental and physical stress of your life. Exposure to water can induce aesthetic joy, positive thoughts, promotion of spirituality, psychological restoration, and pleasure. Studies show that water promotes good mental health.
Having a fountain, waterfall, or pond not only adds beauty to your backyard and home. Water features deliver the psychological benefits of water to the comfort of your own home. Being around water can promote creativity, focus, better sleep, a sense of calmness, focus, creativity, and better sleep quality.
Why does water have a calming effect?
Water has a similar effect on your brain as the act of meditation. It has the power to recalibrate your brain and create a zen-like calmness. Enjoying the sound of water is shown to be an effective way to reduce stress hormones, cortisol and epinephrine. These stress hormones are associated with various health ailments when levels are high. If you can find a way to reduce stress hormones, it will help to reduce anxiety.
Water releases negatively charged ions into the air. The process purifies the air and combats free radicals. Negative ions may boost concentration, alertness, and energy, simultaneously relieving stress and depression. Water fountains, ponds, and waterfalls can help you achieve all these beneficial attributes.
Why is the sound of flowing water so relaxing?
There is a scientific reason why the sound of flowing water is so relaxing. The sound of flowing water triggers an immediate response in your brain that induces a flood of neurochemicals.
Why is the sound of the ocean soothing?
Researchers at Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS), published in Scientific Reports, found that natural sounds such as the sound of flowing water or ocean waves affect the rest-digest autonomic nervous system. For example, the gentle burbling of a creek or the sound of flowing water can physically soothe your mind, helping you relax.
Why does the sound of water help you sleep?
University research shows that the sound of water can help you sleep. The 2012 study by Orfeu Buxton, a professor at Penn State University, reveals that the calming sound of water calms the mind, helping you fall asleep and stay asleep. For example, the slow, whooshing sound of crashing waves is non-threatening, which is the reason they help you sleep.
Why do I feel connected to water?
We feel connected to water, especially oceans. The minerals in the ocean air can reduce stress. Negatively charged ions in the ocean air combat free radicals, enhancing concentration and alertness. The salt in the water preserves melatonin, tryptamine, and serotonin levels in your brain. The result is a better mood and an overall sense of wellness. The sounds of ocean waves alter your brain’s wave patterns, producing a sense of relaxation.
Even the temperature of the water can have an effect on your emotional health as well. Cool water helps to soothe your nerves. And warmer waters tend to help you relax. Based on my own personal experience, I believe this to be true. When I’m immersed in the ocean’s lair, I feel the most relaxed and free. It is a way to forget my worries, relax, recharge and de-stress.
Why does drinking water calm me down?
If you are looking for a quick, easy, and healthy way to unwind from your stress-filled life, all you need to do is drink a glass of water. The simple act of drinking water can calm you down and soothe your anxiety. Something as simple as staying hydrated can indeed relieve stress. In a sense staying hydrated is a type of stress management.
Your organs need to stay hydrated to function properly. Being dehydrated prevents your body to perform at it’s best – and that can lead to anxiety. We know that dehydration can increase stress hormones such as cortisol. If you don’t drink enough water, you are putting unnecessary stress on your system.
Of course, water cannot solve every problem in your life. It won’t get rid of your credit card debt, help you find a dream job, or help your kids get straight A’s in school. But drinking a sufficient amount of water can help you deal with the stressors of your life. When you are under stress, you are more likely to get dehydrated. Stress dehydrates you because it causes your heart rate to increase. And you are losing water because you are breathing heavily. People who are preoccupied with stress will more likely forget to drink enough water.
Why is the ocean so relaxing?
Have you ever wondered why time flies when you are relaxing by the ocean? There’s a reason why the ocean is so relaxing for many of us. The ocean helps your mind enter a meditative state, effectively soothing your mind. Watching and listening to the ocean doesn’t put a strain on your brain. The ocean helps your brain enter into a state of mindfulness. Being in this relaxed state has similar effects to meditating, which has been linked to reduced levels of anxiety, improved focus, and heightened mood. So if you struggle to find a way to relax your mind get around water.
Calming effects of water quotes
“Life in us is like the water in a river.” ― Henry David Thoreau
“All of us have in our veins the exact same percentage of salt in our blood that exists in the ocean, and, therefore, we have salt in our blood, in our sweat, in our tears. We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea — whether it is to sail or to watch it — we are going back from whence we came.” – President John F. Kennedy
“Nothing is softer or more flexible than water, yet nothing can resist it.” ― Lao Tzu
