What Is Blue Space Therapy and How Can It Benefit Your Wellbeing?

Your favourite beach holiday wasn’t just relaxing because you got time away from home. It was also an opportunity to indulge in some blue space therapy. Here’s what that is and why it’s so helpful for your mental health to integrate it more into your daily life.   What Is Blue Space Therapy? Blue space therapy is a term that describes the positive mental health effects of spending time near bodies of water. They can be rivers, lakes or oceans, depending on whichever is closest to your home. Although people tend to think therapy requires a licensed therapist, this type typically can be done alone.   Are Green Spaces Different Than Blue Spaces? Green spaces are open areas outdoors with lots of green plant life, like trees, bushes or gardens. Spending just two hours in a green space each week benefits your physical and mental health due to factors like fresh air, physical exercise and the calming visuals of nature. Blue spaces are different because they’re mostly water. Although the area around a lake will likely have many plants, blue space therapy involves focusing on the water. You might recline on the sand, paddle across the surface or lounge in a small boat instead of walking on a trail around the lake.   Benefits of Blue Space Therapy Spending time next to open water is lovely, but the mental health benefits of blue space therapy might motivate you to try it out for yourself. See if your quality of life might improve by incorporating more into your life. 1. It Changes Your Routine Routines can feel comforting, but they’re not always great for your mental health. Sticking with a mundane pattern leads to stress and depression down the road. You can prevent that by = adding blue space activities into your weekly or monthly schedule. Invite a friend to chat at a nearby riverwalk or read by yourself next to a lake. You’ll change your routine just enough to improve your long-term mental well-being while benefiting from blue space therapy. 2. It Gets You Away From Technology You can always bring your phone to a blue space for safety reasons. Keep it in your pocket, but mute your ringer. Feeling constantly accessible could be the primary reason why your stress continues to build. While you journal or doodle by a pond, you’ll disconnect from the world so your mind can reset. It creates the tech freedom of a holiday without requiring the hassle of leaving town. 3. It Gives You Time to Think Setting aside time for blue space therapy by yourself gives you an opportunity for quiet time. As you take deep breaths of fresh air and listen to the birds, reflect on what caused the stress that made you want to put things on pause. You’ll get to understand yourself better if you use blue spaces as a recurring chance to reconnect with your mind. Save your thoughts in a notebook or your phone. When you get back to your routine, you’ll know how to better manage the things that affect your mental health. You can also reflect on your notes during your next blue space therapy session. 4. It Provides Much-Needed Perspective It’s difficult to pull your mind out of what’s causing your anxiety or depression if you feel consumed by it. Visit your favourite local beach if you live close to the ocean. The expansive view, roaring waves and pull of the tides remind everyone how small they are compared to the planet. Your stressors are comparatively small when you’re looking at the vast waters of an ocean. You’ll likely feel as though your challenges are more manageable while spending time in an environment that’s fearless in the face of time. When you get back to your routine, you might be able to manage challenges without an immediate spike in your anxiety or stress. 5. It Creates Moments for Exercising Getting your body moving does more than produce an exhilarating feeling after exercising. It also trains your mind to get used to anxiety. As you row a boat across a lake or jog down a beach, your body activates your nervous system to a similar intensity that anxiety does. The difference is that the brain doesn’t perceive the feeling as being life-threatening because you’re in control of your workout. Try exercising more often in blue spaces if anxiety is the primary influence on your well-being. You’ll engage your nervous system, retrain your brain and feel the post-workout rush created by higher endorphin levels produced during your workout.   Improve Your Mental Health With Nature Open-water areas are an excellent tool for anyone trying to improve their well-being. Plan time for blue space therapy in the coming weeks to see how it benefits your quality of life. Whether you relax by a lake, paddle down a river or read on a beach, you could start feeling the benefits of blue spaces and live a more enjoyable life.   For more articles by Mia Barnes click the link here.