Time in blue spaces leads to better mental health

The news isn’t all blue.

Childhood days spent on the beach, or around rivers, can have significant benefits for our mental health and wellbeing in adulthood, according to a study.

The study found that individuals who recalled childhood experiences in blue spaces, such as coasts, rivers and lakes, placed greater value on natural settings and revisited them as adults.

More than 15,000 participants across 18 countries were surveyed for the study, which was published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology by researchers at the University of Exeter.

Respondents were asked to recall their experiences with blue spaces between the ages of 0 and 16 years, including:

• How often they visited such spaces
• How local they were
• How comfortable their parents/guardians were about allowing them to swim and play in these settings

Key points:

• More than 15,000 participants across 18 countries recalled their experiences with blue spaces between the ages of 0 and 16
• Childhood experiences with coasts, rivers and lakes were linked to good health in adulthood
• Learning to swim at an early age can have life-long benefits, the authors suggest

Developing skills, such as swimming, at an early age can have previously unrecognised life-long benefits.
Co-author of the study, Dr Leanne Martin

Source
ABC News