You get onboard, start the engine and slowly ease the boat onto the water. The relaxed feeling that follows after the initial rush warms you to your core, and you say, “This is the life.”
When COVID-19 hit the world, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advised people to take a walk and get some fresh air, keeping in mind the social distancing protocols. From Harvard University Health Experts to the Food and Drug Administration Commissioner agreed with this advice. The former showed that outdoor activities like boating are much safer than any other indoor activity.
So, when the period of self-isolation ended, marinas and boat ramps opened their doors first to the public. Even the areas hit the hardest due to the pandemic allowed boating, but other outdoor activities remained off-limits.
The Healing Properties of Water
A study by the University of Exeter Medical School revealed that people who reside near the water are 22% less likely to fall into depression or show anxiety symptoms than those living in the city.
The findings of this research were called Blue Health. The research was based on an older study that showed people who lived close to the ocean had a 17% lower mortality risk. These health-promoting effects of living near the water were high among older adults and women.
If you think about it, just the sound of water swishing and splashing calms us down. This was also proved in a study.
Igniting the Blue Mind
The author of Blue Mind, Wallace J. Nichols, knows this information quite well. His book explores the scientific reasons for how being underwater or near water makes people healthier and happier.
The mere sound and sight of water promote well-being by increasing serotonin, lowering cortisol, and inducing relaxation. Nichols says that sailing is a medicine that reduces stress and calms you down.
He calls Blue Mind a state that allows you to log out and disconnect from yourself. You move away from your mobile phone, leave all the technology behind and enjoy nature at its finest. This is the break your brain deserves and loves.
So, what do you think? Fancy a sail? If you don’t have a boat, ask your friend if you can borrow theirs for a leisure sale.
Visit the EZ Dock Texas website and browse their products section for floating docks or do-it-yourself docks. They even offer dock floats and other accessories to modify your fixed dock. For more information, call (800) 654-8168.
