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Everywhere I looked, bright, jewel-toned orbs surrounded me.
Courtesy of the author
They were cranberries, millions of them swaying gently alongside me.
The red and pink berries covered the entire surface of the water.
Yes, I used the word tranquil because it was the only way to describe what I felt.
Courtesy of the author
I had no idea how cranberries were grown or harvested.
I reached some big milestones in my career last year.
I was busy and productive and I had big plans for 2018.
Courtesy of the author
My words and stories dried up.
Ive struggled with depression on and off since the birth of my oldest son 11 years ago.
But none of my regular coping mechanisms worked.
Running, yoga, talk therapy, and writing all left me listless and frustrated.
I had no idea how ecstatic I would feel until I entered the water.
Surprisingly, it felt like the compression boots I wear for recovery during half marathon training.
I felt buoyant, not just in my body but in my chest and head too.
I felt lighter than I had in weeks.
Most research on mood and nature has focused on green space.
But, theres a growing interest in blue spaces and marine environments.
Water supercharges the nature experience.
Generally, theres a reduction in sensory input.
Water has a restorative effect too.
Cracknell adds, Spending time in a restorative environment gives the brain a break as we find nature fascinating.
It holds our attention effortlessly, giving our brains time to recover.
And when your brain has time to rest, youre able to think more creatively and solve problems.
One explanation is theres an evolutionary link between humans and nature.
Feel-good neurochemicals like dopamine and serotonin may also play a role.
What they do know is that not everyone responds to nature in the same way.
What we found was that when people experience nature, mental well-being improves.
And that makes sense, explains Nichols.
How long the stoke lasts depends on what you dive right back into, he says.
Or maybe if I just pull up my favorite pictures from that day and simultaneouslytake a nice long bath.
