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TORONTO, July 9, 2018 /CNW/ - According to the National Marine Manufacturers Association Canada, an estimated 12.4 million Canadians enjoy our vast landscape of rivers, lakes and oceans each year — and for good reason. Recent research shows people experience emotional, behavioural and psychological benefits of being near, in, on or under water, and while participating in activities such as boating. One of the leading researchers on the health benefits of the water is Dr. Wallace J. Nichols, Ph.D, a marine biologist and author of Blue Mind, the bestselling book on the scientific connection between water and happiness.
Just in time for summer boating season, Discover Boating Canada, the recreational boating industry's national campaign to get Canadians on the water and boating, is tapping into Dr. Nichols' expertise to better understand the impact boating has on our minds and bodies.
"The effect of boating on our lives, and its fundamental connection to our planet's waters, are well documented from an economic, ecological and educational perspective," said Dr. Nichols. "But, the relationship of boating to our health has been largely overlooked. We now know, thanks to science, that the mere sight and sound of water promotes wellness by lowering cortisol, increasing serotonin and inducing relaxation. It only makes sense that being on a boat is one of the best ways to access the wellness benefits of the water."
For the first time, Dr. Nichols is exploring how boating benefits overall health.
Red Mind, Blue Mind
"Red Mind" is a state of mind described as an "edgy-high, characterized by stress, anxiety and fear." While stressors such as money and work influence people, there are new factors associated with urbanization and a constant tether to technology that offer little respite from the demands of today's world. In fact, a 2015 Globe and Mail survey report1found that 60 percent of Canadians go to work feeling stressed, and one in four Canadian workers would describe their lives as highly stressful.
An antidote to "Red Mind" is "Blue Mind" — a mildly meditative state characterized by calm, peacefulness, unity and a sense of general happiness associated with water.
"I have done a tremendous amount of research on the benefits of being near, in, on or under water," said Dr. Nichols. "The best place to begin is by first considering the negative stressors that go away when we step aboard a boat – the traffic noise, televisions, the office, computers – they all fade away. The boat is the greatest technology ever invented to access and explore a vast world of 'Blue Mind' benefits and escape the 'Red Mind' mode of an anxious and distracted life on land — although its application is understudied and under-prescribed."
Your Brain on a Boat
Boating can trigger a restful state. It provides the means to get outside of daily routines, allowing our brains to reset, think beyond current circumstances, and connect to something bigger than ourselves. Being on a boat promotes physiological and psychological changes spanning health, wellness, awe, wonder, creativity, play, happiness and relaxation:
For more information on how to experience "Blue Mind," visit DiscoverBoating.ca.
Discover Boating is giving away $10,000 toward the purchase of a new or used boat. To enter, download the free "Discover Boating Safety" app at discoverboating.ca/safe-boating-app.aspx and complete the entry ballot.
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1 G. Livingston, "Your Life at Work. Survey says: We're stressed (and not loving it)," The Globe and Mail, Feb. 2, 2015.
Available: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/careers/career-advice/life-at-work/survey-says-were-stressed-and-notloving-it/article22722102/
SOURCE Discover Boating
For further information: Media contact: Andrea McLoughlin, amcloughlin@holmespr.com, 416-628-5609
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