DR. MELISSA HUGHES
The Blue Space Effect A few good reasons to go to the beach
A
h … summer! Warmer weather and longer days often spark the desire to put your toes in the sand, let the sun kiss your face, and allow the waves to roll in around you. There is nothing quite as synonymous with summer as the beach. Even now, just thinking about it can bring visions of the ocean and sky, the sun and breeze on your skin, and the rhythmic sounds of the waves. As it turns out, the beach is actually good for us, and there is science to back it up. Over the past few decades, neuroscience has explored the effects of chocolate, coffee, drugs, cell phones, music, politics, stress and even colors on the brain. Now we are exploring the positive effects of the ocean on the brain and body. There is a wealth of scientific evidence that spending time in nature has a host of mental and physical benefits. Recent cutting-edge interdisciplinary research now suggests that exposure to natural water features, or “blue spaces,” may have even greater health benefits than “green spaces” like parks. Think about how much sensory information the brain processes — things we hear, see and touch. Perhaps at this moment while you read this, you hear traffic, television or even someone’s conversation. All day long, your brain is working to determine what information you need to remember and what needs to be filtered out. Even filtering out
unnecessary information requires mental energy. Just like any other muscle that you use repetitively, the brain needs downtime to rest and recover. Water gives your brain that much-needed break. The general premise of the blue space theory is that water naturally generates a “blue state of mind” — calm, relaxed, peaceful and a sense of general happiness in the present moment — that is more significant than any other natural environment. Brain scans show that our brain waves actually slow down when in contact with any kind of water — particularly the sea or ocean. In fact, looking at images of the ocean will slow brain waves down. Slower brainwave activity combined with the rhythmic sounds of the water is enough to put us in a mildly meditative state. It isn’t just our brain that slows down. All of the sights, smells and sounds we experience at the ocean activate the parasympathetic nervous system. The parasympathetic nervous system plays a vital role in maintaining both mental and physical health by helping the body to calm down from episodes of stress by lowering blood pressure and heart rate. Without the parasympathetic nervous system, the monitoring and regulation of automatic body processes would be impossible. So unplug your devices, feel the warm sun on your skin, breathe in that fresh ocean air, listen to the ocean waves roll in and out, and feel the sand under your feet.
Acknowledge the sense of calm wash over your mind and body. And you’ll know you’ve got the “blue state of mind” when the only worry you have is whether the tide is going to reach your chair. Your brain will thank you.
Melissa will be speaking at FRLA’s Marketing + Operations Summit, August 18-19, 2021 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, FL. Don’t miss the chance to see her in person!
Dr. Melissa Hughes is a self-proclaimed neuroscience geek, TEDx speaker, and author of Happy Hour with Einstein and Happier Hour with Einstein: Another Round. Learn more about how the brain works and how to make it work better at MelissaHughes.rocks. 16 SUMMER
2021
FLORIDA RESTAUR ANT & LOD GING A S SO CIATION
