Why being near water benefits us more than we realize
There is something almost magical about how one feels standing on the seashore, sitting by a mountain lake, or simply listening to the babbling of a stream in the forest. Tension leaves the body, breathing deepens, and the mind calms in a way that is difficult to describe in words, yet everyone knows it. This is not mere romanticism or coincidence – time spent near water has demonstrable physiological and psychological effects that scientists are studying with increasing intensity. And the results of their research are, to say the least, fascinating.
People have been drawn to water since time immemorial. The oldest civilisations arose by rivers – Mesopotamia between the Euphrates and Tigris, Egypt along the Nile, ancient India by the Indus. Water was not merely a source of sustenance, but also a place of ritual, rest, and spiritual experience. This deeply rooted bond with aquatic environments has not disappeared in the modern world; we simply forget about it sometimes, amid cities, screens, and endless work obligations. Yet it takes very little – a trip to a river, a seaside holiday, or a walk around a pond – and both body and mind immediately remember what they have been missing.
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Blue space: what happens in the brain and body
British marine biologist and author Wallace J. Nichols coined the term "blue mind" for the state of calm, mildly meditative awareness that water evokes in people. In his book of the same name, he summarises the findings of dozens of scientific studies and concludes that proximity to water activates areas of the brain associated with reward, empathy, and creativity, while dampening the centres responsible for stress and anxiety. This is not a metaphor – it is neuroscience.
Research shows that the sight of a body of water, or even simply hearing the sound of flowing water, lowers cortisol levels – the stress hormone – while simultaneously promoting the production of serotonin and dopamine. These neurotransmitters are key to feelings of wellbeing, motivation, and overall mental balance. A study published in the journal Health & Place found that people living near the coast show statistically lower rates of psychological difficulties than residents of inland areas, even after accounting for socioeconomic factors. Similar conclusions have been reached by research focused on rivers, lakes, and other freshwater ecosystems.
Interestingly, these effects occur surprisingly quickly. A week-long seaside holiday is not required – just twenty minutes spent near water demonstrably reduces stress levels and improves mood. This finding is crucial at a time when chronic stress has become almost epidemic and people are searching for ways to cope with it without medication and without the need to radically change their lifestyle.
The physical body also responds to aquatic environments in very concrete ways. Sea air is rich in negatively charged ions, which are produced when ocean waves break. These ions penetrate the lungs, improve blood oxygenation, and support the function of the ciliated epithelium of the airways. People with asthma or chronic respiratory problems know this well – spending time by the sea simply makes breathing easier for them. Salt seawater also has disinfectant properties and has a beneficial effect on the skin, joints, and mucous membranes. Swimming in natural water generally strengthens the immune system and hardens the body, especially when the water is cooler.
Movement in water or on water is a chapter in itself. Swimming is one of the most comprehensive physical activities there is – it engages virtually all muscle groups, while the joints are not burdened the way they are during running or other land-based sports. Regular swimming improves cardiovascular fitness, increases lung capacity, strengthens the muscular corset, and contributes to maintaining a healthy weight. It is no coincidence that doctors recommend swimming to people with back pain, arthritis, or following various injuries, as one of the most gentle yet effective forms of rehabilitation.
Nature by water as a remedy for the modern age
The Japanese have a beautiful concept called shinrin-yoku – forest bathing, meaning the conscious spending of time in nature as a form of therapy. A similar principle can be applied to aquatic environments, and the results are at least equally compelling. The therapeutic potential of nature near water is being recognised by a growing number of specialists in psychiatry, psychology, and general medicine.
Consider the story of Markéta, a thirty-five-year-old graphic designer from Prague, who spent several years struggling with the exhaustion and anxiety typical of burnout syndrome. Conventional treatment – therapy, adjusting her work rhythm, meditation apps – helped only partially. The turning point came when she began travelling to the Sázava river every weekend, where she hired a paddleboard and spent two to three hours on the river. "I didn't think about anything," she says. "I simply watched the surface of the water, listened to the birds, and had to focus on my balance. My brain finally got some rest." After three months of regular outings, she describes a marked improvement in her sleep, a reduction in anxiety, and a return of enthusiasm for her work. Her experience is not exceptional – similar stories have become increasingly common over the past few years.
Water also has a unique ability to evoke presence – the state known in meditative circles as mindfulness. A flowing river or a stormy sea offers nothing static – every wave is different, every flash of light on the surface new. The brain, accustomed to constantly jumping between past and future, naturally anchors itself in the present moment. This capacity of water to attract attention without causing exhaustion is described by experts as "restorative attention" and is the subject of research within the attention restoration theory formulated by psychologists Rachel and Stephen Kaplan.
The sound of water plays an absolutely crucial role in the entire process. The brain evaluates the sounds of flowing or lapping water as non-threatening, and therefore responds to them with relaxation. Unlike the noise of traffic or human voices, which require active processing and assessment of potential danger, the sound of water calms the brain and brings it into a state of alpha waves – that slightly dreamy, relaxed state on the border between wakefulness and sleep, which is extraordinarily regenerative. This is why sound recordings of rain, a stream, or ocean waves are so popular as aids for falling asleep or meditating.
It is worth noting that architects and urban planners are beginning to actively apply this knowledge in designing cities and public spaces. Fountains, water features in parks, the revitalisation of riverside embankments – these are all conscious efforts to bring the beneficial effects of water into everyday urban environments. Cities such as Copenhagen, Amsterdam, and Vienna are inspiring examples in this regard, where access to water forms an integral part of the quality of public space. Research by the European Environment Agency repeatedly confirms that access to so-called blue and green spaces in cities directly correlates with the overall wellbeing of residents.
There is also a fascinating connection between time spent near water and creativity. Many artists, writers, and thinkers have described water as an environment where their thoughts flow most freely. Friedrich Nietzsche wrote in the Alps by lakes, Ernest Hemingway loved the sea, Frédéric Chopin found inspiration on the shores of French lakes. This is not merely a literary cliché – neuroscientists confirm that the relaxed state of mind induced by proximity to water is ideal ground for divergent thinking, the type of thinking that underlies creative breakthroughs and unexpected connections.
For those who cannot regularly travel to the sea or mountain lakes, smaller bodies of water are good news. An urban pond, a park with a fountain, or even a garden water feature can provide some of these benefits. A study from New Zealand published in the journal Landscape and Urban Planning demonstrated that even a short break spent by an artificial body of water in an urban park has a measurable positive effect on mood and sense of wellbeing. Water simply works – regardless of whether it is the Mediterranean Sea or a fountain in the city centre.
The question, then, is not whether spending time near water benefits us. That is now sufficiently established by science. The question is rather why we allow ourselves so little of it in everyday life. The average Czech person spends an ever-increasing amount of time indoors, in front of screens, and in environments that are far removed from nature – and therefore from water. Yet regular contact with aquatic environments is not a luxury, but one of the basic needs of the human organism, encoded deep in our evolutionary history.
Whether it is a morning walk along a river, a weekend trip to a reservoir, swimming in a lake, or simply deliberately listening to rain outside the window – every contact with water is an investment in one's own health and wellbeing. At a time when burnout prevention, mental health, and sustainable lifestyles are increasingly discussed, it is becoming clear that some of the most effective solutions are surprisingly simple and accessible. All it takes is heading to the nearest stream and sitting there for a while. The water will do the rest.
