You probably already knew this, but boating, it turns out, is good for you. Indeed, some new research shows that being on the water can make you happier and healthier, and that simply being near the water delivers cognitive, psychological and social health benefits. According to Dr. Wallace J. Nichols, a marine biologist and the author of Blue Mind, a sense of calm, peacefulness, unity and happiness are all associated with water.
When you’re on a boat, he says, the good hormones (dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin) go up, while stress (cortisol) goes down. The mere sight and sound of water increases brain and blood flow. Boating, says Dr. Nichols, helps us relax and reconnect.
He says that boating triggers a restful state of mind, providing the means to get outside of our daily routines and allowing our brains to reset. Simply being on a boat, he says, promotes physiological and psychological changes affecting overall health and wellness, awe and wonder, creativity and play, and happiness and relaxation.
Dr. Nichols shared his findings with the Discover Boating campaign and the National Marine Manufacturers Association. “Being on a boat is one of the best ways to access the wellness benefits of the water,” he says. Read more:
https://www.discoverboating.com/your-brain-on-a-boat
