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

by Wallace J. Nichols, Céline Cousteau (Foreword by)

Overview

The 10th anniversary edition of the landmark book on the remarkable effects of water on our health and well-being.

A decade ago, marine biologist Dr. Wallace J. Nichols revolutionized how we think about our connection to water, exploring the questions we've long lacked answers to: Why are we drawn to lakes, rivers, oceans, beaches, and pools each summer? Why does being near water set our minds and bodies at ease, boost creativity, enhance wellness, and increase longevity? Over the past several years, Blue Mind has become the ultimate resource on the remarkable benefits of being near, in, on, or under water.

Combining cutting-edge neuroscience, psychology, and cross-disciplinary data with compelling personal stories from top athletes, leading scientists, military veterans, and gifted artists, Nichols shows how proximity to water can improve performance, increase calm, diminish anxiety, and increase professional success. Now with updated science-backed research, examples of innovative practitioners, and a new afterword on the far-reaching impact of this groundbreaking book, Blue Mind not only illustrates the crucial importance of our connection to water; it provides a paradigm shifting "blueprint" for a movement to create better lives for everyone on this Blue Marble we call home.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316579902
Publisher:	Little, Brown and Company
Publication date:	12/03/2024
Edition description:	Special ed.
Pages:	384
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.25(h) x (d)

About the Author

Wallace "J." Nichols, Ph.D., is a Research Associate at the California Academy of Sciences, Senior Fellow at The Center for the Blue Economy, and co/founder and advisor to numerous leading organizations—including The Blue Mind Movement. J’s research, expeditions, and work as a lecturer and guide have taken him to coasts and waterways across North, Central and South America, to Asia, Africa, Australia, and Europe, where he continually finds that the emotional connection to waters of all kinds—rather than force or financial gain—is what keeps his colleagues and collaborators working hard to understand and passionately restore our blue planet. Outside Magazine has called him "a visionary”, while his tireless efforts to make #bluemind common knowledge and practice, advance human wellness, and improve environmental health have been broadcast via all major media platforms around the world.
www.wallacejnichols.com
@wallacejnichols

Table of Contents

Foreword Céline Cousteau ix

Preface xiii

1 Why Do We Love Water So Much? 3

2 Water and the Brain: Neuroscience and Blue Mind 24

3 The Water Premium 41

4 The Senses, the Body, and "Big Blue" 79

5 Blue Mind at Work and Play 105

6 Red Mind, Gray Mind, Blue Mind: the Health Benefits of Water 139

7 Blue Unified: Connection and Water 182

8 Only Connect 225

9 A Million Blue Marbles 269

Acknowledgments 277

Notes 281

Index 323

Editorial Reviews

"A visionary."—Outside

"Nichols's message is a critical and compelling one."—David Bennett, Green Team Operations & Innovations, Google

"If your time on our planet needs less stress and more happiness, find your way to Nichols's Blue Mind for the surprisingly simple and joyous ways water can change your life."—Timothy Dykman, Ocean Revolution

"Nichols insists on a more experiential brand of activism, encouraging individuals to encounter the oceans directly, in order to build personal and emotional connections—to get their feet wet." —GQ Magazine

From the Publisher

06/09/2014
In this profound study, Biologist and researcher Nichols shares the many ways in which water positively impacts not just our lives, but also our minds. The title refers to the author's term for "a mildly meditative state characterized by calm...and a sense of general happiness...inspired by water and elements associated with water." This state is in strong contrast to anxious or angry "Red Mind" and depressed "Gray Mind." Nichols supports these claims with research spanning across multiple disciplinaries exploring neuroplasticity and neurochemistry, happiness, and creativity, and cites studies that demonstrate a positive impact of water on addiction and autism. He reviews the impact of water on each of the human senses: its blue color and gentle motion; the smells and tastes we perceive in water or rain; how we feel when immersed. Water "play" including surfing, swimming, and fishing activities are discussed with respect to their impact on the brain. Nichols concludes with the story of his Blue Marble project, in which he presents audiences with a symbol of the watery Earth to remind them of their connection to, and responsibility for, the resources of our planet. With many citations for the scientifically curious, and numerous anecdotes that entertain, Blue Mind will interest a broad audience, from fans of water sports to ecologists. (July)

Publishers Weekly

Nichols catalogs the numerous psychological benefits of being near or in the water, particularly the ocean. He acquaints listeners with the work of the “blue mind” summits as well as researchers and therapists around the country who study “blue mind.” Nichols, a practiced public speaker, does an excellent job narrating his own material. His presentation is clear and well paced, and his enthusiasm for the topic is infectious. While the soothing effects of ocean waves and bubbling brooks may seem self-evident, listeners will be surprised by the extent of water’s documented positive influence on the human psyche. F.C. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine

OCTOBER 2014 - AudioFile

Nichols catalogs the numerous psychological benefits of being near or in the water, particularly the ocean. He acquaints listeners with the work of the “blue mind” summits as well as researchers and therapists around the country who study “blue mind.” Nichols, a practiced public speaker, does an excellent job narrating his own material. His presentation is clear and well paced, and his enthusiasm for the topic is infectious. While the soothing effects of ocean waves and bubbling brooks may seem self-evident, listeners will be surprised by the extent of water’s documented positive influence on the human psyche. F.C. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine

OCTOBER 2014 - AudioFile

2014-06-11
A lifelong ocean advocate and aquatic educator examines the biocentric and neurochemical wonderments of water.Passionately dedicated to oceanic sciences, marine biologist and California Academy of Sciences research associate Nichols presents fieldwork largely focused on scientific experiments measuring the human brain’s electrical response to water. He astutely examines how the ocean, the color blue and regular human interaction with water significantly affect mood, attitude and energetic productivity, and he explores our evolutionary connection to water and the ways it inspires creative flow. On a personal note, Nichols admits to his own attraction to the water’s edge initiated when he brought his 18-month-old daughter along on an oceanside coastal trek from Oregon to Mexico. Factors such as DNA, biology and physical well-being can predispose one to an attraction to water, he writes, and as his numerous studies suggest, we tend to be at our happiest when surrounded by a natural environment, whether swimming, surfing or simply bathing, and “riverbanks, beaches, and lakefronts” play a large part in this accumulated state of blissfulness. This postulate is further proved by the consistent demand for premium-priced oceanfront property across the globe. But as seductively pristine as these waters are, Nichols warns, they also carry risk and a downside, as evidenced by the devastation of Superstorm Sandy and the environmentally devastating Deepwater Horizon oil spill. A true voice for environmental advocacy, Nichols promotes the “Blue Mind” approach to conscious ecological conservation and fosters the Earth-friendly, interconnectedness expressed through his Blue Marble Project. In the book’s thought-provoking introduction, Celine Cousteau admits to being as irresistibly drawn to water as her grandfather Jacques was, yet she previously resisted the need to “explain the magic.” She now realizes that Nichols’ unique fieldwork and scientific scrutiny is necessary “to restore the health of the world’s water systems.”A fascinating, fact-based report for aquaphiles and those at one with the tides.

Kirkus Reviews