“Blue Mind Theory” Is the Self-Care Vacation Hack You Need to Try This Summer

Do you ever feel like you’re way more calm and at peace when you’re looking at the ocean — or any body of water, really? You’re not alone. TikTok’s latest viral wellness trend, the “Blue Mind Theory,” has taken over millions of FYPs with over 19.4 million views and counting, and it might just be the extra push you need to book that tropical getaway. But what is the Blue Mind Theory? And is it legit?

In short, the theory suggests that the meditative state you may feel when you’re around water can help you manifest your dream life. Beyond that, the importance of being near bodies of water (or “blue space”) is more than just a temporary social media trend — a growing number of studies have found that these spaces can positively impact your mental and physical health and overall well-being just as much as “green spaces” can. (Green spaces are “all urban land covered by vegetation of any kind,” according to the World Health Organization.)

In fact, scientific research has found a link between blue spaces and green spaces and improved mental, physical, and emotional health, as a result of reduced stress, improved cognition, and better psychological recovery.

TikTok didn’t invent the “Blue Mind Theory,” of course. It was first popularized by the recently passed marine biologist Dr. Wallace Nichols, who argued in his book Blue Mind that these feel-good watery havens instill a feeling of calmness and relaxation by putting your mind into a mildly meditative state when you’re near water, thanks to how much of the human body is made up of water.

Researchers have shown that proximity to bodies of water increases levels of “happy” hormones like dopamine and oxytocin in the brain, while lowering levels of the stress hormone cortisol. As a result, you feel relaxed, calm, and at ease — basically, in vacation mode.

Even if you don’t live near a body of water, you can make the “Blue Mind Theory” trend your own by making plans to vacation around lakes, beaches, and rivers. And now that summer’s officially here, it’s the perfect excuse to book that beach getaway you’ve had on your Pinterest travel board for months. Whether or not you can manifest your best life is another question altogether — but you can certainly be in a better state of mind when you do it.