Blue Ocean Therapy with The Moorings

19 December 2019 3 min

Half of all Brits are too scared to admit suffering from stress and anxiety, despite increased awareness of mental health issues, a study shows.

They fear it will damage their career prospects and affect the way people treat them, according to a new study commissioned by luxury yacht charter company, The Moorings.

The average Brit takes three days off work a year because of stress, with those in London taking twice that.

More than one in four of 2,000 adults polled are worries about finances as they look towards 2020, with a similar amount stressed over getting older.

Commenting on the research, Jodie Kidd, model, TV personality and race car driver, says, “Having grown up in the Caribbean and now living on the coast of the British Isles in Sussex, everything important to me is in and around the water. Yachting has always been in my family, my family started power boat racing on the Isle of Wight and I love swimming, surfing, diving and sailing – I once joined Alex Thomson for an afternoon of racing in the Solent and even go to race with Ellen MacArthur!

Originating in surf therapy, Ocean Therapy applies to any ocean health and fitness activity including sailing. It relates to the psychological benefit of spending time learning new skills in blue space, achieving something called ‘flow state’. According to experts, when we’re able to achieve this flow state, our internal chatter quiets and we can be fully present and immersed in the current moment, helping us to feel calmer and less stressed. The respondents highlighted their favourite forms of relaxation, with Ocean Therapy – the link between calmness and the sea – coming out at the forefront.“I suffered from anxiety through most of my modelling career which is the reason why I gave it up. The first thing I did after leaving modelling was to go back to the Caribbean and get into the water. The ocean is like a second home to me and I feel a great sense of wellbeing when I am near the water. It helps me find balance and contentment in our increasingly hectic lives and I really recommend spending time on the water to anyone looking to positively change their mindset.”

Despite plenty of wellbeing advice being freely available, our lives seem to be getting busier and more stressful every day – and two thirds (66%) of Brits agree that slowing down and taking a step back makes them feel less stressed. Whilst being a fairly recently recognised form of stress relief, Ocean Therapy and ‘blue mind’ have found themselves becoming recommended remedies for veterans suffering from PTSD, and studies are proving time and time again there’s a clear use for this form of therapy when it comes to mental health.

Lizzi Larbalestier Blue Health Coach and Ocean Advocate comments, “Living and working along the Cornish Coastline I feel deeply connected to the ocean. It’s great to see more research into the wellbeing impact of nature and Ocean Therapy. My clients arrive at the coast anxious and stressed by the daily pressures of city life and the digital world. Stepping into blue space enables them to slow down, breathe and awaken their senses, connecting with a wider, more analogue world – one that has light, shade, colour and form. When we are by the ocean we realise we are an ecosystem, far from being disconnected and isolated, and we each have a contribution to make. I would encourage anybody to fall in love with the ocean for all its health benefits – get in it, near it, under it, or on it and dive into your Blue Mind.”

People surveyed admitted they felt calmest listening to the sound of the ocean, with over half (52%) rating the sound of waves as the most relaxing. Birds chirping (39%) and rain (29%) also ranked highly.

Some of the most common ways to cope with stress are to go for a walk (35%) and listen to music (32%). Almost half say reading a good book makes them feel relaxed, followed by spending time in nature, enjoying a bath and watching a movie. However, a huge 72% agreed that holidays provide the best opportunity to slow down and enjoy the simple things in life. When asked where they feel the most relaxed 1 in 5 Brits (20%) pick the beach.

The Moorings’ Senior UK Marketing Manager, Kate Staniforth comments, “Our holidays are designed to offer travellers a unique way to explore stunning destinations and experience the beauty of the ocean – whether it’s a self-skippered monohull; a Sail catamaran with a skipper at the helm; a high-performance Power catamaran or a luxury crewed yacht with a captain and chef. From island hopping in the Caribbean, wildlife spotting in Thailand or anchoring and exploring ancient cities like Agana in Croatia, our dedicated Holiday Planners are there to help make your time on the water truly unforgettable.”