Researchers first came up with the concept of “blue spaces” ten years ago, and it is already proving to be a powerful, practical aid for mental health.

Although getting on a ship has become more popular over the past ten years, most people today do this type of mindfulness practice from the convenience of their home or a therapist’s office rather than from the deck of a ship. However, the UK nonprofit Sea Sanctuary believes that its approach to treating mental illness, which incorporates both treatment and aquatic activities, is particularly successful. Since 2006, the organization has organized trips around Cornwall’s coastline as a supporter of “blue health,” the theory that being near or in blue environments like rivers, lakes, and the sea enhances our mental health. The concept of “blue health” originated when 20,000 people were asked to record their feelings at random intervals at the University of Sussex more than ten years ago. After collecting over a million responses, it was shown that people were by far happiest in blue areas.

Our healthcare systems have the propensity to handle problems as they develop. Spending more money on health promotion and preventative measures is necessary. Enhancing our blue spaces would help with health, the climate crisis, urban livability, flooding, water quality, biodiversity, and community cohesion.