How to Reduce Stress Using the Calming Waves of the Ocean
Your boss texts that your project deadline has been moved up a week. Your husband says his truck needs new tires. Your three-year-old starts screaming because your five-year-old put her rabbit plushie in time-out. That’s it. You need a break before your head explodes. So, you load the kids in the double stroller and head for the beach.
You can hear it before you see it. The rhythm of the waves washing over the sand provides the gentle melody your mind needs to decompress. You turn onto the boardwalk and when the salty-scented wind hits your face, you breathe it in and spot a pelican swooping over the water. You let the kids run in the sand and they are happy siblings again, searching for seashells together, the argument at home forgotten.
It makes everything better. You don’t even have to try, or even really think about it. Being at the ocean calms you and washes away the stressors that endanger your peace. When you look out over the endless blue and watch the whitecaps form again and again, you can feel your pulse relax. Time slows down. You know this is what you needed. And this is why you come here - to immerse yourself in a sea of calmness that you can only find at the ocean.
Why are Ocean Waves Calming?
There is something primal about the ocean that speaks to us as humans. The ocean’s power to restore mental health and create calmness has been researched and documented all over the world.
Studies show that:
Hearing the ocean brings a sense of calm.(1)
Staring at the ocean changes our brain waves and puts you into a mild meditative state, which helps you to feel more relaxed and engaged.(2)
Coastal environments have a positive effect on health and well-being.(3)
There is a connection between ocean waves and humans that is purely beneficial because they inspire us to slow down and live in the moment. You can pack a picnic with friends or family and listen to the waves as you work on your tan. Or you might want to make a solo trip to the beach with a cooler of snacks and a good book.
Even if you visit the ocean out of season, you can experience the calming effects of the waves, because they never turn off. At night or during the day, in good weather or bad, you know the ocean will always provide a sense of relaxation, restoration, and awe.
How Can You Create a Calm Space?
If you don’t live by the ocean or can’t visit when you need to regain your sense of calmness, you can create a calm space at home. There are “noise” machines that mimic ocean waves you can use. You can also download apps on your phone with similar features. When you feel the stress building up, go to the quiet place where you keep your substitute sea and let the audible waves wash away your tension.
A calm space at home can be an individual oasis of elements specific to whatever creates peace in your life. Maybe you like the scent of a lavender candle, a comfortable chair, and the sound of waves to restore calmness to your mind.
You can also find your calm space in other parts of nature. The forest, the mountains, the desert, or a garden could be a source of peace and calmness for you. Getting outdoors has incredible health benefits for your body, too, as well as your mind. It is well-documented that physical activity is fundamental to your health, so creating your calm space outside, even if you don’t have access to the ocean, boosts your physical and mental well-being.
How Does the Ocean Reduce Stress?
At the same time that the ocean waves are creating calmness in your mind, they’re reducing your stress level, too. Decreasing your stress is wonderful because when you reduce your stress, your risk of serious health conditions like heart disease and stroke is also reduced.
Research shows that:
Beaches slow down breathing and reduce nervous system activity.(4)
Ocean views are linked to stress reduction.(5)
“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." Also, evidence shows that ocean sounds may help reduce stress and create a sense of calm.(6)
Isn’t it great to have a beautiful blue space to go to that naturally has such an amazing effect on you? If you get bad news, take a walk at the beach. If you have a confrontation with a coworker and need to let off steam, the ocean makes a great listener, and the waves can calm you down. If you just need a physical outlet that connects with your mind, too, the ocean is the perfect spot.
You never know what each day brings. But you do know where you can go to bring your stress level down. You do know that being a part of the human race connects you to the blue spaces and that where you find them, you find calmness, too.
If you are experiencing the harsh effects of stress in your life, let me help. I can walk you through how to create a calm space in your life, with or without ocean access. I want to help you become a more happy, healthy, and confident YOU! Book a free consultation call with me at www.StephanieMariesCoaching.com today!
References
https://news-archive.exeter.ac.uk/featurednews/title_658463_en.html
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/04/160428132236.htm
https://phys.org/news/2018-05-evidence-ocean-stress-calm.html