Meaning

Healing Horizons

Watching the ocean play never gets old. Open water meeting spacious air where clouds are constantly shapeshifting, scattering light. Sky colours mirrored in the water. The temperature and smell of sea breeze. The wind scribbles messages on the surface, currents below respond by shaping waves.

Watching slow, billowing swells rising and falling, like deep belly breathing. Undulating movement. Rolling of waves. Repetitively flowing, yet never the same.

Expansive movement in all directions, held together by this balanced line that doesn’t wobble or bend. A distant horizon hinting there is more to discover. It stays put when the sea is glassy and when the waves bare their teeth, when the water reclines and when it loudly throws itself forward.

Oceans that glitter under the sun, pristine beaches, picturesque nature and scenic coastlines.

Mesmerising seascapes in every shade of blue.

These are the travel destinations that most people prefer. Whether adventure, relaxation, sports or cultural immersion is on the holiday wishlist, the seaside has universal appeal.

While it is hard to calculate exactly, Blue Tourism (coastal and maritime tourism) represents at least half of global tourism, bringing in $1.5 trillion annually to global GDP (Gross Domestic Product). This sea-based industry is expected to more than triple in value to $5+ trillion by 2030. Coastal tourism includes countless beach-based recreation activities like swimming, sunbathing, hotel resorts, surfing, snorkelling and diving, whereas maritime tourism covers water-based activities such as sailing, yachting, cruising, wildlife watching and other nautical sports.

Every year, hundreds of millions of international travellers look for healthy, clean coastal environments. Tourism of this size is a balancing act for hosting countries. On the one hand, it is an important lifeline for local communities and seasonal workers, on the other hand, such demand does not come without challenge. Transport is noted as critically needing more coordinated efforts for decarbonisation, preventing and adapting tourism logistics to climate change, while protecting vulnerable destinations for sustainable enjoyment.

Looping us back to April’s Stress Awareness Month’s theme, spending time near water or blue therapy, is linked to numerous physical and mental health benefits, including stress reduction and improved wellbeing.

Our bodies respond beautifully to blue spaces, which makes sense considering humans are ~60% water and Earth’s surface is 71% ocean. We spend our first nine months in the fluid of life, so it’s as if we subconsciously continue to seek out water as a source of comfort once felt in the womb. Simply immersing our face in cold water, especially while holding our breath, is said to activate our mammalian diving reflex, which then increases our vagal tone to shift into our parasympathetic nervous system’s “rest and digest”, shutting down the “fight or flight” stress response and causing an immediate slowing down of the heart rate. To understand more about stress and the vagus nerve, read my article A path away from stress.

That hypnotising pattern of waves we like to watch, cycles at around 12 times per minute, which roughly mirrors relaxed human breathing. Marine biologist Wallace J. Nichols documented how proximity to water actually changes our brain chemistry, reducing our stress hormones, cortisol and adrenaline, while increasing feel-good hormones like dopamine, oxytocin, and serotonin. In his book Blue Mind: How water makes you happier, more connected and better at what you do, he explains how the colour of this mental state is calm, open and creative, the neurological opposite of a high-alert red mind of modern life.

Breathing in sea air further boosts our good mood. Ocean waves generate negative ions in the air that increase oxygen uptake to the brain and lift serotonin levels. Breathing in that ocean air may also have immune-boosting properties through respiratory health, which in turn can reduce inflammation. Merely listening to natural sounds like crashing ocean waves have also been reported to induce tranquillity, alleviate stress, lessen anxiety and enhance mental health and wellbeing.

Perhaps most healing of all is this: By widening the visual field and gazing at the horizon we naturally relax our eye muscles, which signals to the brain to move away from its threat-detection mode, reducing feelings of anxiety and stress. When we do this in a setting of natural beauty like watching the evening sun setting into the ocean, we stimulate our own dopamine release through awe. Gazing at a natural light show of warm, gradient colours ranging from yellow, orange and red to purples and pinks, is calming and triggers reflection at the end of the day. By mindfully observing the dramatically changing visual spectacle, we are left with feelings of awe that boosts our mood and motivation.

The horizon doesn't still the water but gazing at it steadies us. Returning to the ocean to experience its healing powers makes the quality of travelling that much more meaningful.

To explore the nurturing properties of oceans from home, check out Oceanic Global's Ocean & Wellness hub which offers free guided meditations, breathwork sessions, and virtual webinars. With these you can bring some blue mind wellness practises into daily life, wherever you are.

Tomorrow, Wednesday 22 April, is Earth Day. Perhaps you did some Forest bathing last week, this week, take yourself somewhere blue.

In next week’s closing of April's Stress Awareness Month, we’ll go into the number one health priority applicable to all of us, regardless of age or location.