While less well studied than nature and green space, proximity to water seems to have similar health benefits and may enhance cognition and creativity.
Noon on the sand of a shallow bay. Such "blue spaces" appear to promote relaxation, exercise, and social interaction that lead to health benefits. Photo: © Donald J. Rommes
Living near the coast or around sources of fresh water has been associated with improved mental and physical health. But worldwide, coastal and freshwater ecosystems are being degraded faster than any other. Researchers are thus studying the potential health benefits of being exposed to water as separate from green space, hoping to inform public health initiatives involving water.
Most of us have experienced the relaxation and relief of stress that comes with being next to a body of water. That restorative effect may be explained by another psycho-evolutionary theory based on biophilia.
Attention Restoration Theory
Our busy world is full of stimuli, all clamoring for our attention. We cannot possibly fully attend to all the stimuli—the computing power of our brain is too limited—so a lot of mental effort goes to suppressing those stimuli we consider unimportant. In other words, we ignore them. In fact, many (most?) of the things we experience never even register in short-term memory—which is why we can’t remember the colors of all the cars we passed on the way to the store, for example (thank goodness!).
The mental energy involved in inhibiting and suppressing (ignoring) these distractions—even though we are not aware of it—is considerable, and hinders our ability to simultaneously work on complex cognitive tasks and interferes with creativity. In contrast, when we are in nature, our attention to the environment is involuntary and effortless. That "soft fascination" frees up mental resources and restores them, improving cognition and creativity. This Attention Restoration Theory likely operates in both green spaces and blue spaces (as well as green and blue spaces combined).
Soft fascination" frees up mental resources and restores them, improving cognition and creativity.
Just after sunset on the Salish Sea. The repetitive lapping of gentle waves receive effortless, involuntary attention from us, something called "soft fascination." Photo: © Donald J. Rommes
Blue space - defined
Blue space refers to outdoor surface waters, but it can be further defined to mean all visible, outdoor, natural surface waters with potential for the promotion of human health and well being. There is much overlap between green space and blue space because they often co-exist.
Blue space is increasingly being recognized and studied for its apparent benefit to health by promoting improved social interactions, relaxation and relief from stress. Many therapies involving blue space are already being employed (“blue care”) but the research on the specific benefits of blue space and their therapeutic indications (if any) is still in its infancy.
Potential benefits
At present, the evidence strongly supports the notion that exposure to nature—including green, blue, and blue/green spaces, improves mental and physical health while enhancing cognition and creativity.
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