By Georgia Rousta,
Summer is shortly coming to an end, vacations are long forgotten for many a person and, although September is thought to be an extension of the summer season, at least in countries like Greece where even after August has ended the climate allows us to feel as if summer is still going, our daily lives seem to resemble the ones well before summer vacation came as a thought to us. What robs us of the summer feeling is getting back into our routines, work, studying for exams, a new school season. Nevertheless, the calmness and carelessness that was a daily reality while on vacation cannot escape our minds and travel us back to when we were admiring the clear blue of the sea.
It would be a lie if I told you that there have been only a few times when I was swimming in the Aegean or Ionian Sea and for a few minutes -or more, the concept of time blurring with the beauty of the surroundings- I have forgotten where I am, my being completely, and gotten lost while trying to find the line where the blue of the sea is separated from the blue of the sky, my mind becoming one with the eternal blue. The cold currents of the sea refreshing me from the heat of the Greek summer and only interrupting my finding of that indistinguishable line to dip my head into the water. The first thought that comes to mind is that the serenity that I felt while in that moment came from the beauty of my surroundings and, to be frank, I’m sure that the fact that I was located on a part of the world known for its landscapes adds to the feeling on calmness and awe that I felt in the moment. Some scientists, though, argue that the water itself contributed to how my mind felt while in it.
The blue mind theory speaks on the state of a “blue mind” that one falls into while being around a body of water. It is a somewhat mediative state of feeling calm and at ease whilst being surrounded by or in the water. This theory started gaining recognition while being advocated by marine biologist Dr. Wallace Nichols, who argued that there are many connections between water and the human body and mind and wrote a book titling it “Blue Mind”. Other than the natural connection created by the amount of water that is needed for a human body to live or the evolutionary element that links us to water, scientists have discovered that while being around or in the water there is an increase in serotonin and a decrease in blood lactate levels in our body, resulting in feeling more at peace and less stressed. Furthermore, due to the instinct of survival while in the water, there is, also, an increase of dopamine causing us to feel happier than before.
That way, we are able to be calmer and happier, while also enjoying the views of the pretty blue and the sound of the waves crashing on the shore. Though, that is not the end of the benefits of a “blue mind”, that feeling of serenity and freedom of stress allows us to be able to concentrate more making us better problem-solvers and more creative individuals. In addition to the psychological attributes of being around water, the lack of stress can better our physical health, as well, as it is known that stress can have a big impact on our health.
Maybe that is the reason why the color blue is considered to be one the most calming colors, reminding us two of the most looked at and admired places, the sea and the sky. Maybe, or most definitely in that case, that is why people close to bodies of water seem to be happier than others. Maybe that is, also, a message that water should be incorporated more in urban architecture, by making fountains or ponds in parks of a city.
Coming to the end of summer, what is left for us until the next one is the memory of the first shock of the crisp coldness while getting in the water and the gradual relief that that same coolness gives us from the summer heat. We are left with long walks along the coastline and even if we are not one of those brave enough to actually get into the water, oftentimes we find ourselves being drawn to it when we are seeking a few moments of calmness and peace only just by looking at the sea. As if the blue of the water seeps into us via vision and hearing and when it leaves us, it takes with it our own blues and sorrows.
References
- Blue mind. blueminding.com. Available here
- The Blue Mind Theory. medium.com. Available here
- Blue Mind Theory. wallacejnichols.org. Available here
