Do You Know The Effects Of The Sea On The Brain?

The sea is healthy from all points of view. In fact, when a person has the opportunity to appreciate infinite extensions, his way of thinking and his emotional state change. These are changes that are strengthened when the infinite space has a cadenced movement. For this reason, many people can spend hours contemplating the sea.

The brain has a feature called plasticity. Everything we experience generates a change, big or small, in the architecture of the brain. For example, meditating and looking at the sea are two experiences that generate a powerful change in the mind.

It is no coincidence that many poets from all over the world have dedicated verses to the sea. This gigantic body of water triggers emotions and the perception of its movement can have a very powerful influence on the nervous system. Below, we will delve into some effects of the sea on the brain.

1. The sea enhances creativity

Environments rich in simultaneous stimuli have been shown to be a source of stress. It happens, for example, when we move along a very busy street in a big city. There are many cars, many people, many buildings. Our gaze embraces hundreds of stimuli at the same time, registering a feeling of tiredness.

At the sea, however, the opposite happens. It is a large expanse of water with few visible elements. There are waves, seabirds and maybe some boats. Each element is easily identifiable. Faced with this scenario, the brain reacts by imagining and creating. The environment allows us to allocate a large part of our resources to create new thoughts, while in other more stimulating dimensions we should use our resources to maintain concentration.

2. The sea favors meditation

The sea is not just a beautiful view, but an experience that involves all the senses. It has a sweet and rhythmic sound, which is perceived through hearing. At the same time, the blue or greenish color of the ocean calms the mind. The sea also stimulates the sense of smell, with its mineral and lively aroma.

All of this enhances the appearance of alpha waves in the brain. These waves are typical of sleep. In this case, however, they occur during the waking state and when the focus of attention is fixed and not very variable. This brain state is the same one that is reached with meditation and has the power to eliminate toxic elements from the mind.

3. Helps to relax and reduce anxiety

Perhaps this is the most visible effect of the sea. The color, movement and extent of the sea have a relaxing effect on the brain and the entire nervous system. Before our eyes there is a completely open space that completes the infinity of the sky by generating a feeling of tranquility.

Instinctively, the calm sea gives us confidence. This is because it is a flat expanse, there are no “hidden” places. Our brain perceives the absence of threats and therefore eliminates the alarm signals. The result is total relaxation of the nervous system. Furthermore, within us we know that we come from the sea, that biologically speaking the sea is life. For this reason, we perceive it as “familiar” and it gives us a sense of protection.

4. The sea blocks the chaos of thoughts

Ruminating means returning over and over to the same thoughts, the same ideas in an obsessive way. There seems to be something in the mind that is not going away. However, continuing to think about it does not mean arriving at a solution, but always returning to the starting point. The same questions, the same answers. And this causes concern.

The sea helps us to break these thought cycles with no way out. This is because it is an environment that has nothing to do with our daily scenarios. There are no references to our routine. It is a rupture and this takes us away from the obsessive ideas that often haunt us in everyday life.

5. The sea has a relatively hypnotic effect

Simply contemplating the sea helps us enter a new state of mind. As we have said, it favors the production of alpha waves. At the same time, it generates a great attraction from an emotional point of view. In this way, we relativize the concept of time, so we can spend many hours observing the sea without realizing the time that passes.

The sea is ultimately one of the great wonders of nature. It allows us to experience a transcendental moment and at the same time a feeling of renewal. It is almost equivalent to therapy due to its extraordinary effects on the brain. Without a doubt, the sea is a place to take refuge when we are pervaded by discouragement and worries.