Log out, shut down, and find the nearest body of H2O
Mental health could be as close as your bathtub. As Wallace J. Nichols, Ph.D., marine biologist and conservationist, explains in his book, Blue Mind, being in or near water gives our minds the chance to relax, rest, and reset—breaking away from what Nichols calls our everyday Red Mind.
“Red Mind refers to our new normal, which is over-connected, over-committed, often distracted, mildly anxious,” he describes, with people plugged into 24/7 news cycles and social media. Left unchecked, our Red Minds can turn to Gray Minds—stressed, burned out, and overloaded. “Blue Mind is the break that we all need,” Nichols says. “It’s about logging out and shutting down the technology, and stepping outside and finding the place that makes us relax and reset.”
Here, Nichols shares five things you need to know about the Blue Mind—and how to achieve one.
Water helps us relax and come up with our best ideas
Immersing ourselves in or being near water for as little as 20 minutes a day—or just 90 minutes a few times each week—can make us more open, relaxed, and creative. Water gives our brains a break: It holds your attention but doesn’t demand it; can provide auditory stimulation without the need to process information; and, when we float in it, water even defies gravity. We get our best ideas—our world-changing ideas—not when we’re under stress, but when our minds are open.
Wild water sources offer a bevy of Blue Mind opportunities
For some people, their wild water might be right out of the door—they’re living in a place with access to a river or lake or ocean, a reminder to get out there and enjoy it. In some other cases, you might need to take a little trip—or a wildly big trip—to get to water. In any case, getting out there and walking along the edge of the water, or getting on a boat and being out on the water, or engaging in or learning a new activity—like surfing or scuba diving or free diving or swimming or kayaking—is worthwhile. Prioritise water in your life; it will never be a bad decision. It’s all about getting out there and really touching it and having that adventure at whatever level you’re comfortable with, whether that be long walks on the beach or learning to dive in the ocean.