Besides the contemplative state that observing and interacting with water triggers, it's common to experience feelings of awe. And awe invokes feelings of a connection to something beyond oneself, a sense of the vastness of nature and an attempt to make sense of the experience.

Water inspires us to be more connected

<ul><li>The sound around us, from an auditory perspective, is simplified. It's not quiet, but the sound of water is far more simple than the sound of voices or the sound of music or the sound of a city.</li><li>The visual input is simplified. When you stand at the edge of the water and look out on the horizon, it's visually simplified relative to a city you're walking through, where you're taking in millions of pieces of information every second.</li></ul>

Water gives our brains a rest

<div>The water could be inducing a mildly meditative state of calm focus and gentle awareness.When we're by the water, our brains are held in a state of mild attentiveness. In this state, the brain is interested and engaged in the water, taking in sensory input but not distracted by an overload of it.</div>

A meditative state

A "blue mind" is a mildly meditative state characterized by calm, peacefulness, unity, and a sense of general happiness and satisfaction with life in the moment, that's triggered when we're in or near water.

The blue mind

Hopping in the shower is a great way to trigger ideas when our brains are in a creative rut. You step in the shower, and you remove a lot of the visual stimulation of your day. Auditorially, it's the same thing, it's a steady stream of "blue noise." You're not hearing voices or processing ideas. You step into the shower and it's like a mini-vacation.

Showering and relaxation

Since ancient times, humans have assigned healing and transformational properties to water. In early Rome, baths were an important part of cultural life, a place where citizens went to find relaxation and to connect with others in a calming setting.