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

A landmark book by marine biologist Wallace J. Nichols on the remarkable effects of water on our health and well-being.

Why are we drawn to the ocean each summer? Why does being near water set our minds and bodies at ease? In Blue Mind, Wallace J. Nichols revolutionizes how we think about these questions, revealing the remarkable truth about the benefits of being in, on, under, or simply near water.

Combining cutting-edge neuroscience with compelling personal stories from top athletes, leading scientists, military veterans, and gifted artists, he shows how proximity to water can improve performance, increase calm, diminish anxiety, and increase professional success. Blue Mind not only illustrates the crucial importance of our connection to water; it provides a paradigm shifting "blueprint" for a better life on this Blue Marble we call home.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316252119
Publisher:	Little, Brown and Company
Publication date:	07/21/2015
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	368
Sales rank:	110,925
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.20(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Wallace "J." Nichols, Ph.D., is a research associate at the California Academy of Sciences and founder/co-director of Ocean Revolution, SEE the WILD, and LiVBLUE. His work has been broadcast on NPR, BBC, PBS, National Geographic and Animal Planet and featured in Time, Newsweek, GQ, Outside, Fast Company, Scientific American, and New Scientist. He lives in California with his partner Dana and his two daughters.

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