Why Does the Sea Make You Happier?
Author: Sarah Murray
maggie and milly and molly and may
By E.E. Cummings
maggie and milly and molly and may
went down to the beach(to play one day)
and maggie discovered a shell that sang
so sweetly she couldn’t remember her troubles,and
milly befriended a stranded star
whose rays five languid fingers were;
and molly was chased by a horrible thing
which raced sideways while blowing bubbles:and
may came home with a smooth round stone
as small as a world and as large as alone.
For whatever we lose(like a you or a me)
it’s always ourselves we find in the sea
My cousin told me once that our Irish/Scottish last name Murray meant “sea settlement” or “sailor.” I found it interesting that my family was always so drawn to the water. We grew up every summer in our lively, yet tiny Cape Cod cottage and my Grampie would take us out sailing on his boat called the “Murrmaid.” Some of my happiest memories were out there on or by the sea. I remember my Grampie teaching me how to fish on the dock. I remember that swim to the other dock seemed so much further than it is to me now. I remember the way my family's laughter went silent when I submerged myself in the water. I laid out on that dock recently and I heard new laughter around me, new voices but that dock rocked me and sent me into a deep trance of nostalgia and joy. As the laughter continued and I became occasionally cooled by the splashes of water from the children jumping off the dock, I couldn't help but feel completely calm and somehow this trance made that laughter sound indistinguishable from my past and present.
What is it about the sea that can be so calming or meditative? While the ocean is personally a place that brings me back to times of safety and peace, it is not uncommon that many people feel this way about it. It has been scientifically proven that being in and around the ocean has many health benefits.
The most interesting fact about being around the ocean is that there are negative ions in the ocean air that increase the flow of oxygen to our brains which creates more mental energy and increases serotonin – a happy hormone. In other words, the ocean air itself chemically makes us happier! Let’s not forget how a place like the sea or being in nature can increase stimulation (not overstimulation but stimulation) and help us be more present in our surroundings as we naturally become more connected to our five senses - sight, smell, taste, touch and sound. We hear the ocean waves, we smell the salt air, we feel the sun on our skin and we taste the water we need when we’re staying hydrated. We are rejuvenating ourselves and naturally allowing our nervous systems to slow down and co-regulate with nature. It is also important to remember the many benefits being in the sun can do for our happy hormones as we absorb vitamin D (with proper SPF protection of course.)
In trauma work, the reason a trauma therapist may encourage you to “tap into your five senses” is because our brains have a funny way to protect us from past traumatic experiences. We often go into dissociative states because these memories can be hard for us to fully process. Although our brains are protecting us, our bodies often remember – or as many theorists like Bressel Van der Kolk say “The Body Keeps the Score.” Something you smelt, heard, felt, tasted or saw activated your fight, flight, freeze or fawn response. In other words, your body remembers something from your past that may have made you feel unsafe at one point in time. This is why it is important that we create “safe spaces” in our minds or go to safe spaces when we are feeling activated or triggered. This is why it is important that we “tap into our five senses” when we are calm and feel safe so that we can understand ourselves more when we are feeling activated. The ocean may not be your personal safe space but in the trauma group work I do, I find that the data I collect from peoples decided safe spaces are often somewhere by water. It is important that you try and do reflective work to find what your safe space might look like. Maybe it is lighting candles in your living room laying next to your furry friend.
The expert or ocean advocate, marine biologist on all things happiness and the ocean, Wallace Nichols shares his researched theories on why being in and around water has many therapeutic benefits. One of his findings shows that the ocean is incredibly beneficial for those that have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as it is such a naturally calming place. Among the many other health benefits he explores, he also emphasizes on the health detriments of being around technology. As we often disconnect from our phones and laptops while on the beach, we are decreasing our exposure to the many health issues that come with the overuse of technology such as exposure to radio frequency (RF) energy, eye strain or social isolation. Nichols' research and book “Blue Mind: The Surprising Science That Shows How Being Near, In, On, or Under Water Can Make You Happier, Healthier, More Connected, and Better at What You Do” explores his Blue Mind movement even further and can encourage us to find ourselves by the sea.
Here are some local free beaches or places with peaceful water views:
Don’t forget the tranquility of the Hudson!
Hudson River Waterfront Greenway
Comment or share any of your favorite spots!