“Blue mind” is important — and real.

There’s a very real reason you may be craving a vacation by the water.

Every year, thousands of travelers head to islands, beaches, lakes, and pools to lay back and relax. As humans, we have a strong relationship to water: We have gathered by it, cleansed with it, used it as a passage to travel and explore, and now research suggests water affects our mental state — for the better.

Marine Biologist and best-selling book author Wallace J. Nichols says that being near, on, or in water helps improve our mind and overall sense of well-being. The brain state is called “Blue Mind,” and it helps offset the “Red Mind” caused by daily stresses. When we hear, feel, and see water we can be overcome with a sense of calm as our cortisol levels go down.