Surfing
Surfing
Understanding the Blue Mind Theory: How water influences our well-being
Read ahead to learn all about this potential mind-body-water connection.
Red Bull surfer Kai Lenny will take any chance he can get to spend time in the sea.
“Anything that involves the ocean, I’m game!” he says.
Kai Lenny
© Mike Coots / Red Bull Content Pool
According to some, Lenny’s surfing skills aren’t the only thing benefiting from all that time riding the waves. The Blue Mind Theory suggests that being in or near water improves mental health and restores our innate connection with nature. Whether you’re watching casually surfing the waves or taking in the epic swells at Red Bull Magnitude, there’s never a bad day by the water. So, what is the Blue Mind Theory?
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Background and origin of the Blue Mind Theory
The Blue Mind Theory is the idea that being in proximity to water can ease your mind into a meditative state. The theory became popular after the marine biologist Dr. Wallace Nichols published his book ‘Blue Mind’ in 2014.
Nichols claims that being in or near water triggers a positive response in our brains. According to Blue Mind science, since humans are mostly made of water, our brains see it and think, “I’m in the right place.” Call it the surprising, soothing neuroscience of water environments.
This neutral, calm Blue Mind state contrasts what Nichols calls the “Red Mind” state in which our modern world causes most of us to live. Whereas Blue Mind may bring serenity, Red Mind is said to cause overstimulation and anxiety. In a 2012 TED Talk, Nichols suggested that Red Mind can bring about toxic stress that kills neurons — and your creativity along with it.
Annie Reickert surfs at Red Bull Magnitude at Jaws
© Christa Funk / Red Bull Content Pool
It’s hard to argue against the connection between stress reduction and water if you’ve ever put down your phone and grabbed your surfboard. Whether you catch a giant swell or just dip your toes in, water can provide immense natural stress relief.
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Scientific basis of the Blue Mind Theory
The psychology behind Blue Mind Theory
Many already know that the sounds of the ocean’s waves can do wonders for inducing a relaxed state. (Just think about how many meditation apps have ocean waves as a sound option.) Nichols proposes that one of the reasons behind the positive psychological effects of water pertains to how our brains evolved.
Essentially, he says, we’re hard-wired to be in survival mode, which is why some of us might struggle with relaxing in unchanged environments. Our brains can’t always shut off the instinct to search for changes in our settings. Bodies of water, however, exist in a simultaneous state of consistency and change. The flow of water can tell our brains that it’s safe to relax.
Blue Mind science and surfing
Aside from Nichols’ theory, other scientific studies have shown that exercising in the great outdoors offers more mental health benefits than working out indoors. A study published in Extreme Physiology and Medicine found that exercise in nature versus indoors has both psychological and physical benefits.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has also acknowledged the connection between water and mental health. For example, the CDC recommends aquatic therapy or swimming as an effective way to, respectively, combat depression and lower anxiety.
Silvia Nabuco and participants at Red Bull Magnitude in Hawaii
© Ha'a Keaulana
Surfing combines all these benefits for a fun workout that can boost your overall well-being. The International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health came to this conclusion when exploring the correlation between water exposure and lowered stress.
While being near the water decreases stress hormones such as cortisol, the negative ions in the oceanside atmosphere increase serotonin and other happiness hormones. On top of that, surfing can be the perfect vehicle for enjoying unstructured play — something we don’t always get enough of as responsible adults.
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Benefits of the Blue Mind Theory
You can spend the day diving into the waves or watching peacefully from the shore. Either way, there’s a strong chance you’ll reap one or more of the below benefits of being near water.
- Better problem-solving. The state of being near a constant yet changing environment can trigger a phenomenon known as involuntary attention. Experiencing involuntary attention in natural surroundings can have a restorative effect that improves your overall problem-solving skills and creativity.
- A calmer nervous system. That feeling of calm you get near a body of water isn’t just in your head. The sight of water can actually lower your heart rate and boost all those feel-good hormones such as oxytocin.
- Less stress and better physical health. The relaxed state you can drift into when you’re near water helps more than your mental health. The negative effects of stress on the body can exaggerate physical ailments such as gastrointestinal distress. If being near water reduces your stress levels, you might feel the benefits from head to toe.
Carissa Moore rides it out
© Ben Thouard
Applying Blue Mind Theory in your daily life
If you surf, you might already experience the Blue Mind Theory’s effects in your daily life. That said, depending on your location and the weather, it’s not always possible to get to the ocean. If that’s the case, here are a few ways you can incorporate Blue Mind Theory into your daily habits no matter where you live.
- Indulge in a relaxing bath. If you can’t travel to water, bring the water to you. Draw a bath and enjoy the calming effects of being submerged.
- Walk near a body of water. Sometimes, a stroll around the lake or by a local creek can be enough to calm you down. Even a visit to the aquarium can lead to Blue Mind benefits.
- Meditate in water. Immersion in any body of water can be a great opportunity to focus on the present moment and observe your thoughts. You can float in a bathtub or try active-movement meditation such as swimming or stand-up paddle boarding. Doing a slow, concentrated activity such as Tai Chi next to a body of water can bring similar improvements to your mental state.
- Design your home based on Blue Mind. Add some water to your personal environment for Blue Mind benefits. This can be something as small as a fish tank or a fountain in your backyard.
Wash away the stress with Blue Mind Theory
Blue Mind Theory tells us that water can have great power over our well-being. Getting close to water can truly brighten your day, from low-tide to the monster swells at any stop on the WSL Big Wave Surfing series. Any time spent near blue water can lead to increased relaxation to better problem-solving. If you surf, this might not be news to you — but it’s pretty cool to have science confirm what you’ve already known.
