Blue Space
Strengthen connection with nature and yield the benefits by spending time in water. Contact us ArticlesOur Mission & Vision
Environment
Many individuals have a number of serene and happy memories whilst watching the waves crash against a shore or seeing the calm waters of a lake. At RESET we keep a sense of curiosity, so instead of just accepting these moments, we question what impact these environments can have on our wellbeing, and we’re not the only ones.
The Environment Agency (2020) put it well in their report “Clearly water forms the basis of all life on Earth and, through its role in sustaining biological organisms and their associated ecosystems, provides a significant social benefit”. Water is essential to our physical survival, but can also have a massive influence on our mental wellbeing both by simply its presence and our interaction with it.
Cold exposure is also a part of blue space. Just as our species has spent millennia living in close contact with nature, our species has also had to face unpredictable and challenging climates. Cold exposure, typically viewed negatively, can actually play a positive role for our mental health.
At RESET we encourage clients to spend more time in blue space and utilise cold exposure to help them to thrive physically and mentally.
Why is water important…
The Benefits of Blue Space
Research has found support for the positive impact exposure to blue spaces can have on wellbeing (McDougal et al, 2021; Dempsey et al, 2018). McDougal et al (2021) conducted an ecological study to explore the association between blue space availability and the prevalence of antidepressant use within a nationwide population of older adults in Scotland. They concluded that overall, areas which had greater blue space availability positively correlated with lower prevalence of antidepressant medication.
Dempsey et al (2018) found similar results in their longitudinal study which again looked at a population of older adults and concluded that exposure to costal blue space was associated with lower depression scores.
In Britton et al’s (2020) systematic review of 33 studies investigating the impact of blue space interventions on health and wellbeing they discovered that blue space interventions appeared to positively impact psycho-social factors (including self-esteem, self efficacy and resilience, to name a few) overall, as well as an improvement in social relationships.
At RESET, we take a holistic view of mental health, which is why we pay particular care not only to cutting edge research, but also the evolutionary explanations for our modern day problems. This has led us to incorporate cold exposure in our programme.
From an evolutionary perspective, adapting to a freezing cold environment was a huge, potentially life-threatening challenge. It required us to be sharp, focused, and motivated to ensure we both found a means to protect ourselves from the cold and any cold-related injuries, as well as spot and avoid environmental hazards such as cliffs (Palinkas, 2001).
In modern society, we rarely struggle with such dangers. In fact, there is some evidence to indicate that modern day humans may generally lack physiological stressors in their lives (e.g. physical activity, frequent body temperature changes)(Leslie, 2005; Shevchuk, 2008).
However, when we artificially create these stressors in controlled settings (e.g. cold showers) we can actually improve our ability to deal with the challenges of life by improving our resilience and emotional regulation.
How We Can Help
The RESET Health Group recognises the benefits of strength training for mental health and offers services designed to help people to come up with a routine that works for them.
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By sticking to this routine and achieving their goals, people can become stronger physically and mentally. You can learn how to develop positive behaviours and manage your well-being in a healthy way.