This Is Your Brain On The Ocean

Your body is comprised of roughly 57 percent water, so it isn’t all that surprising that we’re drawn to even larger bodies of the stuff — the ocean. Though scientists haven’t been able to pinpoint the exact reason behind why the ocean gets our synapses firing so feverishly, it’s a universal truth that doesn’t need all that much explaining. Your brain on the ocean … is better. Below, check out the ways the ocean affects all of your senses for the better.

Hearing
During our formative memory making years (about ages 16 – 21), it is common for many people to spend some amount of time near the ocean, forming memories in their hyper-relaxed state, according to biologist Wallace J. Nichols, who studies the relationship between humans and the sea. Later in life, even a recording of the ocean can trigger the brain’s nostalgia of those peaceful times, allowing you to slip back into that mellow state.

Touch
It’s no wonder that floating weightless in the ocean is bound to alleviate the heaviness that life sometimes throws on our shoulders. Swimming in the ocean reduces inflammation of muscles due to its hypertonic nature. The higher levels of magnesium in the water also soothes and helps maintain the health of the nervous system — a stress free brain is a happy brain.