On a dusty August day in 2020, Wallace J. Nichols hiked into the California valley where he had lived for more than 20 years to find his family's home and all their possessions destroyed by a wildfire.
Stunned, Nichols searched the debris. He walked the entire property. Then he did the only helpful thing he could think to do: He went down to the nearby creek, stripped off his clothes, and submerged himself.
Nichols, who is a marine scientist, was seeking the healing power of water.
It has been a rough few years. Many of us are finding ourselves exhausted, burned out, struggling to build balance back into our lives. We need to recharge.
Water can help. Neuroscientists say that spending time near oceans, lakes, rivers, and other blue spaces can provide a range of benefits including reducing anxiety, easing mental fatigue, and rejuvenating us.
Participating in water activities such as swimming or surfing can help us enter a "flow state," where we become fully immersed in what we're doing. This calms the mind, which is often absorbed by rumination and worry, says Ricardo Gil-da-Costa, a neuroscientist and chief executive of the neurotechnology company Neuroverse, who has studied how water affects our brain.
Bodies of water also can produce a glorious sense of awe-the emotional response to something vast that expands and challenges how we see the world. Awe can decrease stress and help us put things into perspective.
Water naturally relaxes us (and helps focus our thoughts) "by taking away all the noise," says Nichols, whose work centers on how blue spaces affect our well-being. "All we have to do is show up."
This story is from the March - April 2023 edition of Reader's Digest US.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the March - April 2023 edition of Reader's Digest US.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Election Day Memories - Stories about voting by the people, for the people
A Convincing Argument When my boyfriend and I were finally old enough to vote in our first presidential election, we spent months debating with one another about our chosen candidates. We were quite persuasive, as we discovered when we got home from the polls and learned that we'd both voted for the other's initial choice.―SHERRY FOX Appleton, WI
A New Way to Monitor Blood Sugar
Who can benefit from this wearable technology
A Flag for Dad
An old sailor made a last wish. His son was determined to see that it came true.
Sisterhood to Last a Lifetime
These college pals teach a master class in how to maintain a friendship for 50-plus years
...TO DIE ON A HOCKEY RINK
ONE MINUTE I WAS PLAYING IN MY BEER LEAGUE, THE NEXT I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL
Yes, There's a Museum for That!
These collections are wacky, wonderful and worth a visit
Town Meeting Is Called!
Once a year, the people of Elmore, Vermont, gather to practice a cherished right: democracy
Just Tight
Broken, battered and trapped in a ravine for days, a desperate driver wonders, \"Will anyone find me?\"
WHY OUR BODIES DON'T DIG DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME
Twice a year, when we spring ahead and fall back, we're more prone to sleepiness, depression and accidents
MONEYSAVING DO'S AND DON'TS
The run-up to the holidays doesn't have to bah-humbug your budget. A shopping expert shares strategies for saving big now and all year round.