There’s something magical about the ocean.
Whenever I’m in need of a mental reset, I throw on my slippers and walk 20 minutes to the nearest beach. Whether I take in the view from the shoreline or go in for a quick dip, the ocean is a refuge. My husband calls our walks along the beach “saltwater therapy” because being by the water slows me down and restores a sense of peace.
But why?
The ocean is what researchers call a “blue space,” an outdoor environment where water is the dominant feature. Blue spaces have been linked to improved emotional well-being, as well as better mental and physical health. While the research is relatively new, the concept isn’t.
“For generations, the ocean has been understood in Hawaiʻi not as scenery, but as a source of sustenance and restoration,” says Jodi Leslie Matsuo, DrPH, RDN, a Native Hawaiian registered dietitian whose work centers on Native Hawaiian health and wellness. “What's changed is that science now has the tools to document and quantify what was previously understood only through lived experience and oral tradition.”
Science of serenity
As someone who struggles with anxiety, it can sometimes take a lot for me to calm my brain. But I know that a beach trip helps me get out of my head and back to the present moment much more quickly.
“There’s a real, measurable shift that happens almost immediately when you see the ocean,” explains Leslie Matsuo.
The parasympathetic nervous system activates, helping slow the heart rate and lower blood pressure. Researchers describe part of this effect as “soft fascination,” a concept that explains how natural environments effortlessly capture our attention while also allowing our brains to relax and wander.
“The open horizon and the steady, shifting rhythm of the waves give the brain just enough gentle sensory stimulation to hold attention effortlessly, without the mental strain of focused concentration,” adds Leslie Matsuo.
Blue spaces also offer a different experience from other natural environments like forests and mountains, adding sensory and physiological dimensions.
“There’s the visual and auditory rhythm of the waves themselves. Nothing about it is ever exactly repetitive,” says Leslie Matsuo. “Taken together, water offers a fuller, more multisensory experience of restoration than a walk through a forest typically provides, even though both are genuinely good for us.”
Research has also linked proximity to water with lower levels of cortisol, the body’s main stress hormone, along with improvements in mood and overall well-being.
“So, what people describe as ‘feeling calmer’ isn’t just a subjective impression,” says Leslie Matsuo. “It corresponds to an actual, documented shift in nervous system activity.”
Beyond the shoreline
I don’t always swim when I go to the beach. In fact, more often than not, I simply sit on the sand or sea wall to admire all the hues of blue or watch the waves crash against the shore. Research shows physically being in the water isn’t necessary; just seeing it and listening to the serene sounds of the ocean make a difference.
“That’s enough to ease the body into a calmer, more restorative state,” says Leslie Matsuo. “It means the benefits aren’t limited to strong swimmers or the physically active. It’s available to nearly everyone who can get themselves to a shoreline, or even within view of one.”
Going in the water, however, offers another layer of benefits. Leslie Matsuo views it as a spectrum: Even a small dose from a distance counts, and more immersive engagement deepens it further, especially when considering traditional practices.
“Ocean immersion has long been used in Native Hawaiian practice for detoxification, reducing inflammation, and cleansing of both body and spirit,” says Leslie Matsuo. “It offers spiritual grounding that a lab test simply cannot capture.”
A daily dose of blue
The next time you feel overwhelmed or stressed, Leslie Matsuo suggests going on a sunset walk, keeping your eyes on the horizon, or taking a swim in the blue waters.
“In a world filled with constant noise, screens, and tension, the ocean becomes a sanctuary,” she says. “And for many of us in Hawaiʻi, the ocean is already part of daily life. A five-minute walk along the shoreline, or simply sitting and listening to the waves, is enough to begin that shift. Sometimes healing really does begin at the sea.”
Catch a wave
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