Research shows boating helps with beating the blues

We all know why we love boating. But, if you need yet another excuse for getting out on the water, then here it is.  Boating is good for your health and mind, and that’s backed by science.

According to a recent Discover Boating article, many who try boating for the first time can simply feel, instinctively, what research continually shows: being around the water can be healing in and of itself.

“Feeling the sunshine and fresh air all around and looking out over the blue water toward the horizon, leads most people to relax, to exhale, to feel rejuvenated even in times of great stress,” the article says.

And, of course, boating can provide a refreshing outdoor escape during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Did you even know there is such a thing as “blue health?” The benefits of “blue health” comes from interacting with bodies of water. The findings of a 2019 British study indicated that people who live near the ocean are 22 percent less likely to report depression and anxiety symptoms than people who stay inland.

Author, Wallace J. Nichols, talks of “blue mind”. This is when we disconnect and log out, he says. In fact, when it comes to reducing stress, being on a boat can be considered a type of medicine.

Read up on “blue health”, “blue mind” and more and you’ll quickly realise that when out on a boat, you’re less likely to actually feel, well… blue!