'Blue Spaces' Seem to Have an Effect on People That Ripples Even Decades Later

The fun of playing in the water is an important part of childhood for many children around the world. According to a new study, it may be worthwhile to invest in mental health.

Despite the mounting scientific evidence, many people still do not spend time in nature.

It's not always by choice. Not everyone has easy access to wilderness and some city parks and urban forests have similar benefits.

It is a matter of motivation for a lot of people. We may not feel compelled to go for a hike even if we can spare an hour. Urban environments are full of things that distract us.

The study suggests that our differing motivation to visit nature as adults may be related to our youth. Research linking childhood experiences in nature with mental health has been done before.

In the modern world, it's important to understand how childhood nature experiences relate to well-being in later life.

Vitale and her colleagues used data from 16,000 people around the world and found that adults who expressed being cheerful and in good spirits frequently were more likely to report having played in and around "blue spaces" as children.

Similar to the famous benefits of forests and other vegetated habitats, previous research has shown that exposure to blue spaces can improve mental health.

Children who are exposed to blue spaces are more likely to visit green spaces in the future, according to a new study.

The BlueHealth International Survey is a multi-country survey that focuses on the recreational use of blue spaces and their relationship with human health.

In the survey, respondents were asked to recall childhood experiences in blue spaces from birth to 16 years of age, along with details such as how often they went, how far they traveled, and how comfortable their parents or guardian seemed in letting them play there.

They were asked about their emotional and psychological well-being over the past two weeks and how often they have visited green or blue spaces in the past four weeks.

Adults who remember more childhood experiences in blue spaces tend to visit them more often, according to a survey. Mental health in adulthood was linked to those two qualities.

Intrinsic motivation is the desire to do something because it is enjoyable and rewarding. People who saw more value in nature went to natural settings more often and experienced better mental health.

Previous research suggests that motivation can make a difference.

The researchers say that intrinsic motivation can help create interest and engagement in a beneficial leisure activity.

According to previous research, someone who is motivated to do an activity tends to be more relaxed and focused than someone who is not. It may reinforce the habit of enjoying the activity.

According to Vitale's findings, building familiarity and confidence in and around blue spaces during childhood may lead to an inherent joy of nature and encourage people to seek out recreational nature experiences.

Allowing small kids to play around water can be frightening for parents and caretakers, who must consider a child's immediate safety as well as long-term happiness.

Parents are right to be cautious when it comes to water settings because they can be dangerous for children.

Supporting children to feel comfortable in these settings and developing skills such as swimming at an early age can have previously unrecognized benefits.

The study was published in an environmental psychology journal.