Why yachting is good for your health

It’s a warm day with a gentle breeze that cools you down and you start to think: “What a perfect day for sailing!” So you gather your family or friends and head off to the deep blue, tranquil waters of the ocean. You may not know that yachting is good for your health, but Dr. Wallace Nichols, a marine biologist and author of ‘Blue Mind’ explains: He refers to water as blue space where water has a remarkably good effect on your mental health.

He goes on to say that the color blue reduces stress, creates a sense of calm, relaxation and slows down the metabolism. The paler the blue, the more freedom you feel, so when you cruise on those azure oceans it is no wonder you feel as though you don’t have a care in the world.

Dr Nichols adds: “The color blue separates us from the pressures and distractions of life”, which he refers to as the ‘red mind’. “Having a ‘blue mind’ lessens the stresses of the day and gives us a break from our overstimulated lives.” Nichols says that the relationship of yachting being good for our emotional health has not been studied enough, until now (2019). Extract from his book “The Blue Mind”.

What are the benefits of yachting?

Dr Nichols goes on to say that we are positively affected by water because it affects us auditorily, visually and somatically (our bodies). The amygdala in the brain is where our emotions manifest and studies show that just looking at water improves our feelings of wellness, compassion, empathy and happiness. Our breathing becomes slower, our heart rate is reduced and our skin temperature is lowered.

Then, of course, there are our endorphins – a hormone that is released that gives us pleasure. It is usually released after physical exercise, so yacht racing is also a fantastic way to get rid of stress, move those stagnant muscles and enjoy the rush and fresh air from the ocean. Not only do we have endorphins rising, but our stress hormones (cortisol) drop, causing more relaxation.

So what happens when we are yachting?

Before you even set off on a yacht, there is excitement about the journey ahead; what the conditions will be like; what you will see; knowing you can escape for a few hours, and of course being surrounded by nothing but water. Even the sound of water increases blood flow to the brain allowing for relaxation. Ever sat by a stream and listened to the water trickling over the rocks? Calming isn’t it?

What Ullman employees feel about yachting:

Wally Cross – President of Ullman Sails Detroit

“My forte is sailing with owners/drivers, I don’t want to be the one to steer the boat, but rather with the customers to facilitate their needs to help them have a better experience on the water. As sailmakers we need to help the people spending the money have fun. I prefer the dynamic of being around people who are sailing for the fun of it.  After a good day on the water with productive movement forward, I walk away with a good feeling.”

Skip Novak – Ullman Sails Brand Ambassador

“I love travelling around the world because you just keep sailing and discovering. It is exciting to be offshore in the middle of nowhere!”

Francesco De Vita – Ullman Sails Technical Consultant

“I fell in love with the freedom of sailing. I find the ocean fun and it lifts my spirits. It’s in my bones. I am like the ocean – I see it as evolving – it never stops moving and changing, like me. Sailing is full of challenges and that’s what I like about it. Every moment you are put in a challenging position, and I like it. You learn to manage your fear. I would prefer to die at sea because I would feel more comfortable!”

Set your body, mind and soul free and sail across the seas!