Why 'Blue Space' Might Be the Secret to Health and Happiness
It's no secret that the sea—being in it, by it, near it—has long been considered beneficial for our overall health. There's a reason that, in the 18th century, before things like SSRIs and therapy, women suffering from 'hysteria', a catch-all phrase for 'feeling bad', would be sent to coastal locales as a remedy. And we also just know anecdotally, don't we? After my recent weekend by the sea, I felt happier and healthier than I had done in months. My cortisol levels lowered, my skin cleared up, and I actually caught up on sleep without bolting awake at 7 a.m. with an unspecific feeling of unease. But why is the sea so healthy for us? And what does it say about how we should be living?
The mental health benefits of being by water are well-documented. One extensive 2013 study on the effects of nature on happiness found that those living on the coast, or near bodies of water, otherwise known as 'blue spaces', were the happiest of all. Another 2016 study found that living near blue spaces lowered psychological distress. A more recent 2019 study found that, among low-earning households, those living in close proximity to the coast experienced better mental health than those who didn't. In fact, every study on the subject has pointed to the idea that even just seeing water—that brilliant blue, spread out and glistening—can make us feel less stressed. Sometimes even less stressed than green spaces—forests, etc—alone.
The actual why is a little more complicated and multi-layered. One 2013 study found that the sound of waves relaxed people more than soothing music, so perhaps that is what's having an effect. On the flip-side, the World Health Organization cites traffic noise such as road, rail and air traffic as the second most important cause of ill health in western Europe behind air pollution. So it would make sense that the reverse—the absence of traffic noise—would have a favorable impact. And let's not forget that something as simple as fresh air, naturally high in oxygen and in abundance by the sea, has long been linked to better mental health more generally.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Lyra Health Acquires Bend Health, Expanding Whole Family Mental Health Care
Lyra's Pediatric Center of Excellence will be enhanced by Bend's neuropsychological testing and youth high acuity care BURLINGAME, Calif., July 16, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Lyra Health, the leading provider of mental health benefits for employers, has acquired Bend Health Inc., a leader in pediatric mental health care, to better tackle the growing, global youth mental health crisis. Nearly one in five children are experiencing a mental, emotional, or behavioral disorder, but 80% do not receive mental health support from a specialized provider. Lyra's scale, with more than 20 million members globally, and proven best-in-class care combined with Bend's specialized expertise and collaborative care model will enable Lyra to serve its members and their families better than ever before. This acquisition will enhance Lyra's pediatric and neurodiversity capabilities with more specialized providers, neuropsychological evaluations, and virtual intensive outpatient care to serve health plans, health systems, and employers. "Lyra and Bend already share a common mission and culture," said Jennifer Schulz, CEO of Lyra Health. "Welcoming the Bend team into Lyra expands the impact we can have and will help us achieve our joint vision of fully comprehensive whole person, whole family care, through every life moment and stage." "We're thrilled to join the Lyra team," said Kurt and Dr. Monika Roots, co-founders of Bend Health. "We already share a joint dedication to outcome-driven, evidence-based holistic care that supports both individuals and whole families." The pediatric mental health crisis is only growing, and together, Lyra and Bend can make an even bigger difference in helping more families live better and more fulfilling lives. About Lyra Health Lyra Health is the leading provider of mental health solutions for employers, available to more than 20 million people globally. Lyra is transforming access to life-changing mental health care through Lyra Empower, the only fully integrated, AI-powered platform combining the highest-quality care and technology solutions for members, providers and HR leaders. Empower works in the background to quickly connect members to the largest global network of evidence-based mental health providers, deliver actionable insights to benefit leaders, and free up providers to focus on client care—driving outstanding positive outcomes that are equitable across diverse racial and ethnic groups. Extensive peer-reviewed research confirms Lyra's transformative care model helps people recover twice as fast and results in a 26% annual reduction in overall healthcare claims costs. For more information, visit About Bend Health, Inc. Bend Health, Inc. is a national provider of pediatric mental health care services for children and families. Bend is revolutionizing treatment through its unique collaborative care model that includes coaches, therapists, and psychiatric providers who work with families to provide comprehensive, personalized care plans that help youth feel better today, and thrive tomorrow. Through measurement-based care, Bend achieves better outcomes, supporting happier and healthier kids and families, with 12 peer-reviewed published studies demonstrating the effectiveness of the model. Bend's services cover over 20 million kids through partnerships with leading insurers, employers, and health systems, and self-pay. Bend Health has received numerous honors, including being named one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies of 2025 and recognized on Fierce Healthcare's 2025 Fierce 15 list. For more information, visit View source version on Contacts Media Contact:Dyani Ghadiridghadiri@ (650) 240-3240 Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
From tea towels to TV remotes: eight everyday bacterial hotspots – and how to clean them
From your phone to your sponge, your toothbrush to your trolley handle, invisible armies of bacteria are lurking on the everyday objects you touch the most. Most of these microbes are harmless – some even helpful – but under the right conditions, a few can make you seriously ill. But here's the catch: some of the dirtiest items in your life are the ones you might least expect. Here are some of the hidden bacteria magnets in your daily routine, and how simple hygiene tweaks can protect you from infection. Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK's latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences. Shopping trolley handles Shopping trolleys are handled by dozens of people each day, yet they're rarely sanitised. That makes the handles a prime spot for germs, particularly the kind that spread illness. One study in the US found that over 70% of shopping carts were contaminated with coliform bacteria, a group that includes strains like E. coli, often linked to faecal contamination. Another study found Klebsiella pneumoniae, Citrobacter freundii and Pseudomonas species on trolleys. Protect yourself: Always sanitise trolley handles before use, especially since you'll probably be handling food, your phone or touching your face. Kitchen sponges That sponge by your sink? It could be one of the dirtiest items in your home. Sponges are porous, damp and often come into contact with food: ideal conditions for bacteria to thrive. After just two weeks, a sponge can harbour millions of bacteria, including coliforms linked to faecal contamination, according to the NSF Household Germ Study and research on faecal coliforms. Protect yourself: Disinfect your sponge weekly by microwaving it, soaking it in vinegar, or running it through the dishwasher. Replace it if it smells – even after cleaning. Use different sponges for different tasks (for example, one for dishes, another for cleaning up after raw meat). Chopping boards Chopping boards can trap bacteria in grooves left by knife cuts. Salmonella and E. coli can survive for hours on dry surfaces and pose a risk if boards aren't cleaned properly. Protect yourself: Use separate boards for raw meat and vegetables. Wash thoroughly with hot, soapy water, rinse well and dry completely. Replace boards that develop deep grooves. Tea towels Reusable kitchen towels quickly become germ magnets. You use them to dry hands, wipe surfaces and clean up spills – often without washing them often enough. Research shows that E. coli and salmonella can live on cloth towels for hours. Protect yourself: Use paper towels when possible, or separate cloth towels for different jobs. Wash towels regularly in hot water with bleach or disinfectant. Mobile phones Phones go everywhere with us – including bathrooms – and we touch them constantly. Their warmth and frequent handling make them ideal for bacterial contamination. Research shows phones can carry harmful bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus. Protect yourself: Avoid using your phone in bathrooms and wash your hands often. Clean it with a slightly damp microfibre cloth and mild soap. Avoid harsh chemicals or direct sprays. Toothbrushes near toilets Flushing a toilet releases a plume of microscopic droplets, which can land on nearby toothbrushes. A study found that toothbrushes stored in bathrooms can harbour E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus and other microbes. Read more: Protect yourself: Store your toothbrush as far from the toilet as possible. Rinse it after each use, let it air-dry upright and replace it every three months – or sooner if worn. Bathmats Cloth bathmats absorb water after every shower, creating a warm, damp environment where bacteria and fungi can thrive. Protect yourself: Hang your bathmat to dry after each use and wash it weekly in hot water. For a more hygienic option, consider switching to a wooden mat or a bath stone: a mat made from diatomaceous earth, which dries quickly and reduces microbial growth by eliminating lingering moisture. Pet towels and toys Pet towels and toys stay damp and come into contact with saliva, fur, urine and outdoor bacteria. According to the US national public health agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pet toys can harbour E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Protect your pet (and yourself): Wash pet towels weekly with hot water and pet-safe detergent. Let toys air dry or use a dryer. Replace worn or damaged toys regularly. Shared nail and beauty tools Nail clippers, cuticle pushers and other grooming tools can spread harmful bacteria if they're not properly cleaned. Contaminants may include Staphylococcus aureus – including MRSA, a strain resistant to antibiotics – Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the bacteria behind green nail syndrome, and Mycobacterium fortuitum, linked to skin infections from pedicures and footbaths. Protect yourself: Bring your own tools to salons or ask how theirs are sterilised. Reputable salons will gladly explain their hygiene practices. Airport security trays Airport trays are handled by hundreds of people daily – and rarely cleaned. Research has found high levels of bacteria, including E. coli. Protect yourself: After security, wash your hands or use sanitiser, especially before eating or touching your face. Hotel TV remotes Studies show hotel remote controls can be dirtier than toilet seats. They're touched by many hands and rarely sanitised. Common bacteria include E. coli, enterococcus and Staphylococcus aureus, including MRSA, according to research. Protect yourself: Wipe the remote with antibacterial wipes when you arrive. Some travellers even put it in a plastic bag. Always wash your hands after using shared items. Bacteria are everywhere, including on the items you use every day. You can't avoid all germs, and most won't make you sick. But with a few good habits, such as regular hand washing, cleaning and smart storage, you can help protect yourself and others. It's all in your hands. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Manal Mohammed does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Fox News
30 minutes ago
- Fox News
Texas psychiatrist reveals mental health challenges facing flood disaster survivors
As rescue crews and volunteers work to clean up after the tragic flooding that violently swept through central Texas over the July 4 weekend, others are looking to help survivors and victims' loved ones mentally recover. Dallas-based pediatric psychiatrist Dr. Sabrina Browne spoke with Fox News Digital about what survivors and those close to victims could be grappling with. "Tragedies like this, in a very literal sense, hit close to home, right? It's one thing when you see things playing out on TV, but when it happens in your community, it really affects your life on every level," Browne told Fox News Digital. "The reality for these families is that once the camera crews are gone and once the aid organizations are packing up, they're still going to be living with the repercussions of this." There are several possible reactions people may have in the wake of a tragedy, like the recent flooding. According to Browne, one of the most common reactions is a loss of a "feeling of safety" and a "sense of stability." "You take for granted that you're gonna wake up in the morning, go about your day, you're going to come home to your house, right? And all of those things. And so they lose that sense of stability," Browne said. She added that along with this loss of stability, some people can experience anxiety, worry or even fear that another disaster is around the corner. The mental health professional also mentioned that flood survivors could experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and even survivor's guilt. Browne has unique experience in helping Texas families through tragedy, having supported families in the wake of the 2022 Uvalde school shooting, in which 19 children and two teachers were killed at Robb Elementary School. Like the case of the Uvalde shooting, many of the flood victims in Texas were children. Browne spoke to the differences in treating adults versus children, emphasizing that "kids aren't just little adults." "When we talk about kids, that's a wide spectrum of ages and developmental levels," Browne said. "A child who is 12 is going to be having a different experience than a child who's seven, right? Because they're more mature, they cognitively can understand things." Beyond their ability to understand what has happened, this could be a child's first time dealing with disaster and death. "Oftentimes, kids are encountering [death] in the setting of losing a grandparent or someone where it feels removed from them. But when they're seeing their peers, other kids in camp, when school starts back up, starting school and seeing maybe their friends aren't there, that brings it to a very real level so that now they're having to wrap their heads around, what does that mean? And then they're also struggling with, is this something that could happen to me? And so that can add another layer." Texas professionals like Browne aren't alone in their work to help flood victims recover, Spring Health, a company focused on providing mental health solutions, recently committed $500,000 in free services for flood victims in Texas, North Carolina and New Mexico. "Recovering from a disaster isn't just about rebuilding what was lost. It is also about caring for the emotional toll that follows. We want people to know they are not alone," Spring Health CEO April Koh told Fox News Digital. "This program is here to ensure that those impacted have a way to access high-quality, confidential mental health support at no cost." As part of its commitment to providing care, Spring Health is making virtual sessions with licensed clinicians available for those who cannot access physical in-person help. When it comes to knowing if your child needs professional help, Browne told Fox News Digital that it comes down to noticing changes in day-to-day behavior. She said that there are reactions parents can expect to see, such as their child regressing and maybe wanting to sleep in their room to feel safe. "If we notice that, you know, they're, they are not sleeping, they don't want to eat, they don't want to play, right? Those big shifts, that is a sign of we need to get them in to see somebody for more support," Browne said.
