Benefits of water for your mental health
According to Statistic Canada, in 2018 6,573,900 people over the age of 12 perceived life stress on a daily basis. WOAHHH! Although stress seems to be the norm here in Canada, it did shock me quite a bit to see this number. It even made me realize that you could be someone dealing with life’s stress at this very moment. The unfortunate aspect of stress is that most of the time, we can’t escape our circumstance; we actually just have to deal with it. Sadly, this impacts our body and mind greatly. I don’t know what weight of life you are carrying, however, I’m here to help you use nature’s resources to enhance your well-being and improve your overall health. By taking care of your body and mind, you’re strengthening and boosting your overall wellness.
Did you know that water is a type of therapy? Did you know that the presence of water “reduce stress, increase feelings of tranquility, lower heart rate and blood pressure?” (Alvarsson, Wiens, & Nilsson, 2010; Pheasant, Fisher, Watts et al., 2010; Biederman & Vessel, 2006)
Terrapin Bright Green states that the “Presence of Water” is “a condition that enhances the experience of a place through the seeing, hearing or touching of water.”
The Presence of Water is in fact a biophilic design element.
The Presence of Water pattern has evolved from research on visual preference for and positive emotional responses to environments containing water elements; reduced stress, increased feelings of tranquility, and lower heart rate and blood pressure from exposure to water features; improved concentration and memory restoration induced by complex, naturally fluctuating visual stimuli; and enhanced perception and psychological and physiological responsiveness when multiple senses are stimulated simultaneously.[P5]
- Terrapin Bright Green
Interesting eh? Well, you may be wondering, how does this work? Do I let the tap water run? What’s the presence of water?
The objective is to bring your heart rate level to a resting stage.
Surround yourself with the sound of water. The capacity to hear the auditory waves of running water encourages a multisensory experience that ultimately reduce your blood pressure and heart rate.
Stay away from a digital screen during your interaction with water. Direct visual to nature and/or images of nature that include aquatic elements contributes to the reduction of your stress hormones.
If you can hear and see water, don’t stop yourself from touching it. Perhaps that’s taking a bath and sitting in your bathtub half full while you wait for the water to fill up. Let the water run at a slow and light paste and just soak in the experience.
Of course the best remedy of all is to be in nature. Hear the water run in its natural habitat through rivers, streams, the ocean, ponds, wetlands, and even rainfall.
Most cities also have access to a nordic spa or water therapy pools. Whatever you choose to do, work to incorporate these practices on a weekly basis to alleviate stress and enhance your well-being. Myself, I’m not huge on baths so I take one longer shower once a week specifically for stress reduction. Allowing the shower head to run while hearing and feeling the motion of water, honestly enhances my mood and wellness.
Again, hearing, seeing and touching water is being in the presence of water. It’s a natural therapy that eases your stress and allows you to take care of your body and mind.