3: Tapping into Blue Mind

Dive into the theory of Blue Mind: the state of calm, clarity, and creativity we feel when we’re near water.

Through science, myth, and Australian stories, we explore why our brains love the ocean, how warm mineral water can help us sleep, and how ancient and modern cultures across the world, from the Warrgamay and Noongar peoples to swimmers and surfers, have long understood the healing power of water.

We’ll trace the journeys of rivers, visit lochs in Scotland, and rediscover our own “blue head” in contrast to the restless “red head.”

Whether you’re floating through kelp or soaking in a warm bath after a long day, this episode invites you to meet the water, and yourself, anew.

Studies and stories referenced

"Blue Mind" theory

Wallace J. Nichols’ book Blue Mind (2014).

 "Blue Head" mindset and the All Blacks

James Kerr's book Legacy (2015).

Spa therapies, warm mineral water and sleep improvement

Yao, Wang & Lei (2022). "Spa therapy improves sleep quality: evidence from questionnaire and actigraphy". Brain-Apparatus Communication: A Journal of Bacomics, (2).

Haghayegh, S., et al. (2019). “Before-bedtime passive body heating by warm bath or shower to improve sleep: A systematic review and meta-analysis.” Sleep Medicine Reviews, 46, 124–135.

Blue Mind in Australian education and therapy

Surfers for Climate's Blue Mind Programs. https://surfersforclimate.org/

Blue Mind Wellness Day Australia (2024). Community mental health initiative supported by coastal local councils and Blue Mind Foundation.

First Nations stories

A Healing Place at The Water - This Place. A YouTube video by ABC Indigenous.

The Waakal (Rainbow Serpent). Dreaming stories of the Southwest.

Transcript

ELENA:

What if I told you that the ocean could transport you to better mental health? And that, while swimming has the strongest mental benefit, just LOOKING at moving water can relax your mind.

This is called Blue Mind.

Today, we’ll be exploring what Blue Mind is; why we have it; and some of the amazing myths and tales about the power of water.

Welcome to The Great Green Escape by Aristaios. Over the coming episodes, we'll explore how people and nature thrive together, uncovering the science, stories, and psychology behind our shared wellbeing. 

And, because we're based in Australia, that's most of where our focus is.

Thanks again for joining us after our Winter hibernation. Lachlan and I prolonged our spring… we went to the UK, where it’s currently the dark half of the year.

We trekked around foggy mountain summits, climbed deep into gorges - some with water that flowed red, naturally coloured by iron - and we snuggled up to Highland Cows on craggy hills. Turns out some of them really like a cuddle.

Because it was Autumn, water poured down hillsides and mountains, disappearing under roads through ancient water systems.

And, most fascinatingly… the water was usually the colour of charcoal - particularly in Scotland - even with a blue sky.

We learned that the dark colour came from peat - made from sphagnum moss. Peat creates humic and fulvic acids as it decays; kind of like how tannins colour water. It's also what makes some Scottish whiskies so distinctive!

We spent hours around lakes - or lochs - and walking my streams and waterfalls. It utterly transfixed us; which is normal. It stimulated what experts call Blue Mind.

Blue Mind is the feeling you get around water.

It slows down your thoughts… Creates distance from daily stressors… And eases your mind into a meditative state.

And the person who named it - who just knew something happened to us when we swam or looked at flowing water - was marine biologist and conservationist, Dr Wallace Nichols.

Dr Nichols, a Californian local, had dedicated his life to studying and protecting the ocean. He believed that in order to protect it, people need to understand and value the ocean - particularly how it benefits our wellbeing. He saw a need for a symbiotic relationship; one where we both work together; so both people and the sea could thrive together.

He famously tagged the first loggerhead turtle to cross the entire ocean basin, swimming all the way from California to Japan. That turtle was named Adelita.

He went on to co-found many initiatives, including coastal restoration charities.

And about ten years ago, he released a book which would see its ideas released far and wide - the bestseller called Blue Mind.

The theory went, that: since WE are made of so much water, and we need water to live, our brains welcome the sight of it. It releases happy chemicals in our brains. We view healthy, clean water as life-giving.

This phenomenon Dr. Nichols described resonated with me deeply, because I first encountered Blue Mind as a little one. I’d spend hours in the pool, totally transfixed by the patterns the sun and water would create on the bottom of the pool. And when my family took me to the beach, I’d be happy - as long as I could see through the water!

A few years ago, Lachlan and I spent a large part of the summer at Coogee Beach. The bay is warm, shallow, and filled with tiny fish… and the water itself is crystal clear on a still day.

Again, I found myself off in space; transfixed by the wiggly little patterns the sun and water would create on the sand beneath my feet. It was like meditating.

It piqued my curiosity… and I stumbled across the Blue Mind theory. It made sense.

And it occurred to me me that many of the health-conscious leaders I know have a daily swim in the sea. Maybe it was more than the physical health benefits that brought them back.

Here to tell you more about Nicholls’ theory - and the man himself - is Lachlan.

LACHLAN:

As a country surrounded by beautiful, clear water, Australia is in a unique place to make the most of the Blue Mind theory.

And we’re starting to make it official.

In schools, TAFEs and universities, groups like Surfers for Climate - a great group of conservationaists, educators and surfers - are teaching water programs. Their “Blue Mind program” makes it easy, teaching students how to manage mental health through connections with the ocean and water.

And, for us who aren’t in school anymore - health professionals are starting to get on board.

Some Australian psychologists - particularly around the coast - have their sessions by the sea, or prescribe time by the ocean as a de-stressor.

And events like Blue Mind Wellness Day kick off in Australian coastal towns, which are run as part of the 100 Days of Blue Mind - a global tradition to honour Dr Nicholls’ work.

All of this helps us to stop another phenomenon… one we all fall into the trap of.

It’s called Red Mind.

Red Mind is the opposite of Blue Mind; it’s feeling anxious, edgy, or overwhelmed. When we’re in Blue Mind we’re calm, creative, and open minded; and when we’re in Red Mind, we’re reactive, too stressed to be creative, and closed off to new experiences.

I'll tell you a story about one famous group who make Blue Mind a habit…

And it comes from our closest neighbours: New Zealand.

Despite being the top-ranked team, the All Blacks had a history of underperforming in critical, high-pressure moments. Gilbert Enoka, the mental skills coach who joined the team in 2000, noticed that under pressure, players would fall into a state of panic or anxiety. This state was characterized by hurried decision-making and inhibited physical performance.

In 2010, the All Blacks brought in forensic psychologist Dr. Ceri Evans. Together with Enoka, they developed the Red Head/Blue Head framework to help players navigate pressure.

Red Head was the anxious, aggressive, and result-oriented state of mind that leads to poor decision-making.

Blue Head was the calm, clear, and task-focused state of mind needed to perform well under pressure.

The players were taught to recognize the personal cues that signaled their descent into a "Red Head" state. They then learned physical or mental triggers to help them transition back to a "Blue Head," where they could think clearly and execute the required play.

The framework was a crucial part of the All Blacks' mental turnaround. Former captain Richie McCaw said the tools helped him manage pressure during the successful 2011 World Cup, where he had previously struggled in a similar situation in 2007. The team's new mental resilience helped them achieve sustained success, including winning back-to-back Rugby World Cups in 2011 and 2015.

Blue Mind is something you can take with you. It’s not fixed to your daily sea dip, however, it often begins there.

ELENA:

Thanks Lachlan!

Water has always been sacred to people.

The Warrgamay people in Queensland are surrounded by blue gum forests, palm trees, creeks, low hills, and loud parrots. They are the custodians of the healing place; a waterhole at Broadwater. Picture a long river, water tinted a calming blue-green, safely enclosed in tall, green, leafy old-growth trees. Large brown and white pebbles dot along the banks, and the water rushes by in rapids.

When the Warrgamay are feeling stressed, down, or low in energy, they go to the spot at the Broadwater.

They might sit on the banks and watch the stream; or, if they want to immerse themselves into the water, take a dive into the deep parts of the waterhole. They know the water will heal them and give them the strength to keep caring for country, place and people.

And closer to home for me, here in Western Australia:

In the Nyitting, the ancient Dreamtime, the world was soft and waiting. Then came the Waakal, a magnificent, shimmering Rainbow Serpent that moved with purpose across the untouched land. The Waakal is the giver of all life, the source from which our world flows.

As it slithered, its great body pressed into the earth, carving out the very channels that now hold our rivers. Think of the river's bends and curves; those were shaped by the Waakal’s journey. Where it paused to rest its shimmering scales, deep waterholes and serene lakes formed, like the large Beeliar wetlands nearby. These aren't just pools of water; they are its resting places, sacred sites charged with the spirit of the giver.

The Waakal is life because it gave us all freshwater. Without its journey, the land would be barren, parched, and silent. Every creature that drinks from the river, every plant that draws moisture from the soil near the wetlands, relies on the life sustained by the Waakal’s eternal presence.

But its gifts didn't stop there. As it moved, it breathed katitjin, or profound knowledge, into the land. It taught the Noongar people how to live in harmony with the six seasons, how to respect the cycles of nature, and how everything is connected in a sacred web of existence.

Now, I’ve asked Lachlan to share another story with us - one from the last few years.

LACHLAN:

This story begins in the other side of the world in Scotland.

It had always been a dream of mine to visit, and when I finally arrived, something unexpected happened: I felt this overwhelming urge to put my hands in the lochs. It felt like a way to leave part of myself there, and to bring some of Scotland back with me.

The first time it happened was at a roadside waterfall. I was driving through the highlands for the first time, completely overwhelmed by the beauty of the hills, when I came across a stream of running water. I felt compelled to pull over and dip my hands into it. Ever since then, I've done it whenever I encounter running water—it's become something of a ritual.

There's something deeply soothing about putting your hands in flowing water and letting it rush over you. I tend to wash my face in it, too.

When I returned to Scotland in 2025, the urge was different. It was less overwhelming and more intentional, like it had become part of a tradition, even a necessity.

This time, I made it to some truly special places: the Fairy Pools on the Isle of Skye, Loch Ness, the Devil's Pulpit near Perthshire, Oban, where my ancestors were from, and Trinafour, right near the gate.

I always feel calm around water. It feels right. For many of us living in Australia who aren't indigenous to this land, these moments remind us that our ancestors made a big journey to get here. Touching that water connects me to that journey, to where I came from, and to where I am now. Some people like to pick up dirt and let it run through their fingers. For me, it's touching water. my own piece of blue mind.

ELENA:

We've talked about how water—fresh or salt—affects our minds. But does the mineral content make a difference? Does it matter if it's salty or fresh? Warm or cool?

It kind of does!

All clean, healthy water is good for you in different ways. But research suggests that people who bathe in warm, salty water - particularly before bed - do especially well.

Here’s three true stories about people using warm salty water for their health. If you’re curious, you can find out more about these in the shownotes. Here they are:

Mei, a 42‑year‑old teacher, pulled up to a modest hot spring resort in the hills one overcast afternoon. Rather than enduring another night of staring at the ceiling, replaying her thoughts and worries in endless loops, she’d agreed to join a study instead.

She was part of a small group of adults with sleep troubles who'd agreed to a week-long trial. She’d agreed to have regular evening baths in the springs, measured by questionnaires and biological tracking tools. After two days of evening baths, which were around dusk, and for 20 minutes at 40°C, the mineral-rich water began to make a difference.

Over seven days, her sleep quality score improved by over 4 points; her time to go to sleep shrank; and her sleep improved. Interestingly, intrusive thoughts, which are measured by the Glasgow Cognitive Thoughts Inventory, plummeted by 8.5 points. The hot spring's warmth boosts circulation and dials down the brain's overactive cortex. By comparison, another group who bathed in the springs in the afternoon showed less improvement overall; but the evening bathers were sleeping soundly.

She left with a new ritual in mind. Mineralised warm water could give her lasting peace and a restorative sleep.

And then there’s Leo.

Leo, in his 60s, loved his backyard hot tub.

One autumn evening at around 9 p.m., the water in the tub was ready; steaming at 40-42°C with just a hint of added salt… just like those mineral spa soaks he'd read about. He settled in for a steady 30 minutes. As part of the experiment, he also put down his devices. No screens, no rush. It signaled to his brain that it was time to let go.

By 10:30 p.m., lights out felt effortless; his core temperature dropped, and he slept better than usual.

Large reviews of thousands of people like him confirmed that it works; finishing a warm, salty bath, 1-2 hours before bed, can help people sleep sooner, feel their sleep is better, and ease the mental chatter. It’s all thanks to a simple physics process of heat rise followed by loss, aided by minerals.

If you wanted to experiment - and knowing your body and health best - particularly if you are pregnant, or have a heart, skin or circulatory condition - one could:

• Use a warm (not hot) bath or foot‑bath with sea salt or Epsom‑type salts, for about 15–30 minutes, finishing 60–90 minutes before bed.
• Keep the environment dim and relaxing, and pair the soak with something low‑key like gentle music or light reading.

Now, how can we in modern Australia, from the bustling cities to the quiet outback, harness that power for our own well-being?

I’ll share a few tips, and then we’ll look closer at each one:

1. Go to the water and tune into your senses
2. Exercise in blue spaces
3. Bring water home
4. Stay hydrated, and
5. Connect and protect

Here they are in more depth:

Go to the water: Actively seek out the ocean, a river, a lake, or even an urban fountain. Studies consistently link proximity to "blue spaces" to lower levels of psychological distress and higher well-being. Don't just look; listen. The sound of running water, like waves or rainfall, falls into a category called "pink noise," which research shows can reduce stress hormones and improve sleep quality. Focus entirely on the sights, sounds, and smells to help your brain recover from cognitive fatigue, a phenomenon known as involuntary attention.

Exercise in blue spaces:  Combine movement with water exposure. Physical activity near water, whether swimming, walking, or surfing, offers more mental health benefits than exercising indoors. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) even acknowledges aquatic therapy as an effective way to combat depression and lower anxiety.

Bring water home:  If you can't get to the coast, bring the blue to you. A relaxing warm mineral bath could help; or even having something with water into your home, like a fish tank or a water fountain can provide some Blue Mind effects.

Stay hydrated:  The simplest tip with powerful evidence. Your brain is mostly water, and even mild dehydration can lead to increased tension, fatigue, and confusion. Mindfully drinking a glass of water is a quick way to regulate your mood and brain function.

Connect and protect:  Volunteering for a beach cleanup not only helps the environment but also creates a deeper sense of purpose and happiness, a strong form of the blue mind experience.

So thank you for joining us for The Great Green Escape, a podcast by Aristaios.

If this episode stirred something in you, share it with a friend, or leave us a review. It really helps more wild-hearted listeners find their way here.

Aristaios brings people back to nature, and nature back to people; through this podcast, ecopsychology talks, and partnerships to rewild people and places. This year, our work supports the Gondwana Link project to restore Australia’s southern corridor.

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Preferably… while you’re taking a stroll outside, or recovering from a dip in the sea.