Taking part in water activities can improve human happiness

Worried about the negative impact of coronavirus pandemic on physical and mental health, a new study commissioned by British Marine Association and canal & River trust, a non-profit organization for river maintenance in the UK, shows that participating in water activities in coastal or inland waterways is an effective way to improve well-being.

Using the four happiness indicators of the National Bureau of statistics, the study conducted a preliminary survey on the broader social values related to boating, and explored the impact of water on people's well-being or quality of life for the first time in similar studies. Research shows that compared with moderate and frequent water activities, the benefits of regularly spending time on water may even be greater than recognized focus activities such as yoga or Pilates, and even increase life satisfaction by about half.

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Research shows that the longer you stay on the water, the greater the benefit: people who often participate in boating and water sports (from once a month to more than once a week) have 15% lower anxiety levels and 7.3 points (6% higher) life satisfaction between 0-10 points compared with those who moderately participate in boating and water sports.

In the UK, paddle sport has proved to be one of the most popular forms of water sports. With further growth during the pandemic in 2020, more than 20.5 million Britons participate in paddle every year, accounting for nearly half (45%) of the broader tourism expenditure related to boating and water sports in the UK.

"For a long time, 'blue space' has been considered to help improve overall well-being and is good for physical and mental health. I'm glad that our new research not only confirms this, but also combines frequent boating and water sports with activities such as yoga, which are popular for restoring physical strength and refreshing spirit," said Lesley Robinson, CEO of British marine.


Post time: May-19-2022