WHY BEING NEAR WATER REALLY DOES MAKE US HAPPIER
The immeasurable sense of peace that we feel around water is what Nichols calls our ‘blue mind’ – a chance to escape the hyper-connected, over-stimulated state of modern-day life, in favour of a rare moment of solitude.
More recent studies have found that people who live near the coast are generally healthier and happier. Other studies have found that when shown photographs of natural green spaces, people’s stress levels drop, plus the more blue spaces in the photos, the more they prefer them. The human voice is considered the number-one source of workplace stress Real-estate data suggests a water view adds a 116.1 per cent premium to a property; and real-world figures reveal we’re willing to pay 10 to 20 per cent more for the same room with a sea view in a hotel.
For the ultimate in luxury, we seek out overwater bungalows in the Maldives, and underwater hotels all around the world. And even in places where water isn’t always a given, such as urban metropolises including Pittsburgh and Austin, crowds frequent refurbished riverways and gather in freshwater pools. Paris, too, now has its long-anticipated canal swimming pools, where tourists and locals alike can take a dip.
During a British study last year, researchers observed people on a visit to the aquarium: participants watched an empty tank of water, a partially stocked tank (home to fish, crustaceans, and plants), then a fully stocked tank, containing double the number of species. Other experiments involved measuring people’s heart rates and blood pressure while watching either an empty, partially stocked, or fully stocked tank. As it turned out, even just looking at an empty body of water at an aquarium proved to be relaxing. But the experience grew boring after time. The antidote? Biodiversity. As wildlife, flora and fauna increased in the tank, so too did the therapeutic benefits of standing there. With more wildlife, people’s blood pressure and heart rates dropped – and they wanted to stay longer. It’s a poignant argument for keeping our planet healthy.
Our oceans, waterways and the life they contain are so much more than their ecological, economic and educational value. They have vast emotional benefits. They make life on earth possible, but also worth living, says Nichols.