Why cruising is good for your brain
Nothing on earth feels quite as nice as a cruise holiday, and recent research suggests that there might be some science behind why it feels so good on the open ocean.
Wallace J. Nichols, a marine biologist, released a book this year called 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, that shone a light on the effect of the ocean on our brain, and why it can improve our mood in such as substantial way.
In the book Nichols explains just how, "We are beginning to learn that our brains are hardwired to react positively to water and that being near it can calm and connect us, increase innovation and insight, and even heal what's broken. We have a 'blue mind' -- and it's perfectly tailored to make us happy in all sorts of ways that go way beyond relaxing in the surf, listening to the murmur of a stream, or floating quietly in a pool."
This “blue mind” as Nichols puts it, is considered a meditative state of calm, peacefulness, unity and a sense of general happiness and satisfaction triggered when we’re in or near water. And you’re never around more water when you’re on a luxury cruise.
In an interview with Huffington Post, Nichols elaborated on his position and explained how our brains can benefit from overstimulation of everyday life when around water.
Nichols said, “The sound around us, from an auditory perspective, is simplified. It's not quiet, but the sound of water is far simpler than the sound of voices or the sound of music or the sound of a city. And the visual input is simplified. When you stand at the edge of water and look out on the horizon, it's visually simplified relative to the room you're sitting in right now, or a city you're walking through, where you're taking in millions of pieces of information every second.”
Nichols is quick to advise that this doesn’t mean that our brains are shutting down, but instead working in quite a different way, stating, “When you have that simplified, quieter 'blue' space, your brain is better at a different set of processes.”
So if you were looking for an excuse to book your next cruise, this health reason is a great one.
Have you ever been on a cruise before, and did you find it a meditative experience? Do you have any cruises on the horizon? Let us know in the comments.
Image: Getty