We rely on water for life. You can survive much longer without food than you can without water. It’s built into us to seek out sources of water for survival. Even in modern times, when we simply head to a faucet to meet our water needs, there is something undeniably powerful about encountering water, which is life to us, in nature.
Water Represents a Source of Life
Water is important for our survival. It covers over 70% of the Earth’s surface, our bodies consist of almost 70% water, and water makes up more than 70% of two of our most vital organs (brains and hearts).
The sight or sound of water triggers the release of relaxing neurochemicals for most people. Biologically, our brains are deeply connected to the sight of water because we depend on it for survival.
Sounds of Water
The calming effect of seeing water uses just one of our senses. The calming effects of water are even greater if we also hear the sounds of water. Whether it’s the loud crash of ocean waves hitting the shore or the soft tapping of raindrops on the window, the sound of water also has a calming effect for most people.
Researchers conclude that this is a result of how our brains interpret sounds and how we connect them to images in our minds. The brain interprets noises as either threatening or non-threatening. We interpret water as non-threatening, even if it’s loud, crashing waves.
Chasing Waterfalls
Waterfalls are nature’s best stress-relievers. The power of a waterfall over tension and stress in our bodies is far more than just imagination, it’s a scientific phenomenon. If life has you tied up in knots of stress and anxiety, one of the best things you can do is seek out a waterfall to enjoy its sights and sounds. You can also experience a waterfall online if you can't get out in nature to see one.
Nature's Healing Powers
Being out in nature, even just for a few hours, can help lift our thoughts out of the rut they so easily slip into. Waking up to the sound of birds, seeing vast mountain vistas, and walking at the bottom of a tall canyon can shift life back into perspective. It’s a reminder of the beauty that our world can offer and feeds our imaginations.
There’s something about water, mountains, and trees that infuses our souls with peace. Breathing in fresh air tinged with the distinct smell of a forest floods your system with clean oxygen and flushes out toxins. If you take a moment to step outside and experience nature, it's incredible how its therapeutic effects can be at your disposal.
Breathe in. Breathe out. Move on.
Mark
First time viewer-The Force of Nature was wonderful****