How Being Near Water Helps Mental Health

Podcast,Mental Health,Whole Person Health

How Being Near Water Helps Mental Health

08.05.2024 | 4 min read

Water covers 71% of Earth's surface. In Michigan, we are told that we are never more than six miles away from water or 85 miles away from a Great Lake. Most of us have sat on a beach, watched the water come in, or have used recorded sounds of water to calm down. These moments can be serene, but does being near water have a positive impact all the time on mental health?

On this episode, Chuck Gaidica was joined by Dr. William Beecroft, Medical Director of Behavioral Health for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network. Together, they discuss how being near a body of water can benefit our mental health.

Why does water have a calming effect?

“If you have the opportunity of being able to be close to a body of water, there's some physiologic things that we can talk about here, and there's also just some emotional things that it really can help facilitate for you,” Dr. Beecroft said. Being close to water can help improve or regulate levels of neurotransmitters and hormones, according to Dr. Beecroft.

“You actually have less cortisol, which is one of the more stimulating neurotransmitters and hormones in our body. And you also have more serotonin, which is one of the antidepressants, one of the more ‘happy chemicals’ in our brain,” Dr. Beecroft said. “Also, oxytocin, which is the neurotransmitter that helps us to bond to other people and have a sense of peace, is quite high when you're close to water.”

Does the size of the body of water matter?

“Looking at the studies, it really doesn't make any difference what the size of the water is.” Dr. Beecroft said. “Although the bigger it is, the more awe that there is, and that has a factor in and of itself.”

Even sitting next to a small pool of water can have an improved effect on stress levels and mood, compared to even other natural elements like a tree.

Mental health benefits associated with spending time near water

Being around water engages all five of our senses and is a three-dimensional, all-encompassing experience for the mind and the body. Dr. Beecroft gave examples of skipping stones and finding Petoskey stones, or scuba diving or snorkeling, as experiences in and around water that tap into our physical and mental sides at the same time. Engaging the mind and body together is one way water frees up stress and bottled-up anxiety and can keep the mind present instead of focused on stressors.

Dr. Beecroft shared how crashing waves have another method of positively affecting mental health. “I did find that when you are near a crashing sea, with big waves, that the waves actually break apart some of the water molecules and they release negative ions, and this is known to decrease heart rate and also to decrease blood pressure,” Dr. Beecroft said. “So it's interesting how just our environment, being in that kind of proximity to these kind of natural things really makes a difference with our physiology.”

How to incorporate regular exposure to water into routines

The costs of boating or having property on a waterfront aren’t realistic for most people and may cause stress for those who do live that lifestyle, Beecroft said. Fortunately, Michigan has an incredible public parks system and the miles of public shorelines and beaches that help to make Michigan outdoors famous.

Even indoor water features like fountains and fish tanks have a calming effect, which is why you may see water features in hospitals or doctors’ offices more often than you may expect.

“The research has found that some of these natural sounds, these natural phenomena, can be helpful for you. Maybe spend some more time going to a local park that has a water source of some sort,” Dr. Beecroft suggested. “In Lansing, we have that. We have that in Detroit. Most of our big cities are located near rivers or lakes themselves.”

Dr. Beecroft also suggested recording water features you see or spend time around briefly for use later. They can be soothing sounds and images or travel, work, sleep, or anytime you need to find a way to help calm yourself down. “You could be able to do that for a 15-minute break and be able to get the benefit of those sorts of things and then visualize,” Dr. Beecroft said. “The other thing is you can always close your eyes and visualize one of those things.”

Listen to the podcast, Benefits of Being Near Water, to hear the entire conversation. A Healthier Michigan Podcast is brought to you by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.

To hear more episodes on your smartphone or tablet, subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or your favorite podcast app.