Feeling Blue... on Purpose: How Paddleboarding Supports Mental Wellbeing

We know that when we spend time with water, life becomes a little quieter and yet more spacious. We can move from feeling that something is ‘wrong’, to realising something is simply ‘being noticed’... and with this comes options. As we ‘orientate’ and then ‘navigate’ whatever is going on in our lives, water can be an amazing guide and regardless of the time of year, stand up paddling is one way of easing emotion turmoil and finding mental clarity to create a state of equilibrium.

During our RED meets BLUE citizen science study, we asked paddlers to track their mood using simple scales ‘low to high’ since, more often than not, mood shifts incrementally. What stood out wasn’t a dramatic leap into happiness, but instead something more nuanced.

Regular paddlers described themselves as 16% happier after paddling. Not euphoric or wired, but simply steadier. 16% might not sound impressive, but an additional 16% of anything we desire is not insignificant… and when it comes to ‘happiness’ this is HUGE!

When we think about nurturing ‘mental health’… ‘clarity’ and ‘connection’ are two key factors that can help us feel centred and grounded.

When things felt heavy or chaotic, 68% of our paddlers described an improvement in their ability to feel (and remain) truly present in the moment… and with that came a sense of lightness. ‘Attention’ is key here and since paddling requires us to place ‘just enough’ focus upon our, breath, body and surroundings… it leaves little room for mental noise.

A massive 74% of our paddlers reported increased nature connectedness, with not one padder experiencing a decrease. Even when paddling alone, we can feel a sense of ‘being in relationship with’… water, weather, light, and our wider living system.

As the days start to stretch, but winter still holds its ground, it’s easy to find reasons to stay off the water, yet paddling isn’t only for summer. Of course recent storms like Goretti might understandably disrupt our paddling plans, in general though… when the ocean is restless… lakes and rivers offer calmer space for reflection and with the right clothing, the cold becomes part of the experience.

Your attention will drop into your body, your breath will slow and your mind will have less to chase. You will (in the words of my friend Dr Wallace J Nichols), discover your ‘Blue Mind’ and this kind of ‘feeling blue’ allows perspective.

So perhaps feeling blue isn’t something to avoid. Maybe it’s an invitation to slow down and reorientate…meeting your mood - without racing past it.

My invitation to you this ‘Blue Monday’ (weather permitting) is to get out on your board returning to shore — lighter, clearer, and quietly steadied.

Words by Lizzi Larbalestier | Going Coastal Blue (Red's Blue Health Coach™)