All my life people have asked me how someone from a landlocked mountain state became interested in studying the ocean. The answer has always been surprisingly simple: there’s just something special about the ocean. For me, being near or around water elicits strong emotional responses, and many of my peers have expressed similar sentiments. Whether those are feelings of respect and fear, or awe and wonder, the water makes us feel something. This is reflected throughout human history in art, music, poetry, and culture. The ocean is a natural muse.

For me, the ocean is powerful, frightening, fascinating, mysterious, calming, and indescribably beautiful. But, above all, the ocean has always been healing for me. During times of my life that I’ve experienced deep grief or faced challenges, I’ve always found myself seeking out a body of water to find peace. After a friend of mine passed away, I took to the sea’s edge and sat in the space between ocean and land for hours, watching the gentle swells and the distant spouts of gray whales. Looking back, I can still smell the salt in the air and feel the sting in my eyes when a wave crashed against a nearby rock, spitting salty spray into the air. I still can feel the push and pull of the tide against my body as I sit in squishy sand. Though nothing could completely wash away my grief in that moment, the ocean wrapped me in her embrace and brought me moments of peace when I needed it most.

Such strong emotional responses to water leave me wondering, what is the science behind this phenomenon? Can being near water be beneficial to mental health? Indeed, there’s increasing research that demonstrates the physical and psychological benefits of interacting with nature.

The mental health crisis is a public health issue, and it’s essential to understand how mental health and well-being impacts us and how we can address it. Mental health is defined by the World Health Organization as being, “a state of well-being in which the individual realizes their own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to their community.” This definition highlights how mental health plays a role in our daily lives and interactions and also recognizes the close connection that exists between mental and physical health. For instance, studies like this report from the World Health Organization show that mental health and physical health are interconnected and often influence each other. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, individuals that suffer from depression and anxiety are at a higher risk of developing other physical illnesses such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, strokes, pain, and Alzheimer’s disease. Mental health is closely associated with social and physical well-being and impacts how we relate to others and live fulfilling lives, making it an important consideration in addressing public health concerns.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has only heightened the presence, or at least our awareness, of mental health concerns. Prior to the pandemic in 2019, one report noted that 1 in 10 adults reported symptoms of an anxiety and/or depressive disorder compared to 1 in 3 adults reporting the same since the start of the pandemic. A different report noted that the symptoms of anxiety and depression have doubled globally during the pandemic, especially for teenagers and young adults.

Mental health disorders are treatable, and there are ways to increase overall mental health and well-being, including by interacting with nature. Studies like White et al. (2021)’s exploration of natural spaces and mental health show that frequent visits to green and blue spaces are positively associated with mental health. Other studies also indicate that access to blue spaces can be used to prevent disease and help individuals with chronic health conditions. BlueHealth, a research initiative that studies how urban blue spaces impact wellbeing, defines blue spaces as “outdoor environments—either natural or manmade—that prominently feature water and are accessible to people.” These blue spaces can be anything from the ocean, to a well-placed fountain in an urban neighborhood. Regardless of the type of blue space, the research holds true: being near water is good for your mind and body.

So far, most of the research surrounding the benefits of natural environments to human well-being center around green spaces, especially green spaces in urban settings. There are fewer studies, such as this Nutsford et al. paper, focused on the mental health impacts of blue spaces, but researchers are beginning to explore more about how blue spaces impact mental well-being.

However, researchers aren’t the only people that notice the psychological impacts of being near water. Blue spaces play a significant role in the lives of many people. On a global scale, about 70% of the population lives within 5 kilometers of the closest water feature, and it’s clear in the distribution of towns and cities how important access to water has been in globalization. With a majority of the global population being concentrated near water, it’s no wonder that water plays a role in the structure of society and, ultimately, human health.

This phenomenon is highlighted in many articles, such as this one from the Guardian, and is one that many people have personal experiences with. To take advantage of these positive benefits, people have begun to incorporate blue spaces in urban planning. However, the benefits associated with blue spaces are unequally distributed. This is especially true for people living in poorer regions or in lower income households. Many studies have been done to represent the inequitable access that lower income and marginalized groups have to green spaces in urban environments (outlined in this Currents article), but the same holds true for blue spaces. As our understanding of the mental health benefits of being near blue spaces continues to develop, it’s important to consider how to incorporate more blue spaces in urban environments in an equitable way.

Although much is still unknown about the benefits of blue spaces to mental health and well-being, ongoing research suggests that the connections are clear and people benefit by being near or around water. I know firsthand how much being near the water can improve well-being. Some of my favorite childhood memories include splashing in fountains, puddles, and pools. Throughout some of the toughest parts of my life, I have found peace and comfort from being near water, often taking walks around lakes or sitting in a hammock near a river. I listen to sounds of water to relax at night and find myself soothed by the rippling sounds of streams pattering against rocks and the crash of waves on sandy shores. Even throughout the course of writing this article, I found that I worked most effectively writing where I was within view of the water. The mental health benefits of blue spaces are clear to me and I’m lucky to feel them so deeply. The next time you find yourself looking out across a body of water, take some time to reflect on how water has improved your own mental health. And, when you need a pick-me-up, remember that interacting with nature might just be the perfect prescription.