Some things just can’t be explained in words. The way a forest smells, how a song can stir your emotions and what it feels like to scuba dive. You just have to experience it to understand.
Humans Aren’t Meant To Sit Still
Our bodies are designed to move and to explore with all of our senses. We’re not supposed to sit all day, staring at a screen.
Click to display the embedded YouTube video
The video above says it all. But you should also know prolonged inactivity has been linked to:
- Type 2 diabetes
- Slow metabolism
- High blood pressure
- Some types of cancer
Being in Water Improves Health and Well-Being
Numerous studies prove being in or around water improves physical and mental health. Whether you swim, surf, scuba dive, freedive or mermaid, being in water can smooth down the rough edges of life.
This is not to say scuba diving is just zoning out. The experience is both meditative and exciting. One minute you’re watching fish go about their daily lives, the next you’re engrossed by an octopus stalking its prey.
Biophelia
Nature documentaries are great, but seeing marine life in its natural habitat hits different. This could be due to biophelia, a concept that describes why human beings seek connection with other life forms.
Looking at nature on a screen isn’t the same as being immersed in it. You can’t skip back 10 seconds or put the scene on pause, so your body and brain are fully engaged. Also, your moment of zen won’t be interrupted by an annoying ad for sports betting or underwear.
Positive Emotional Contagion
Real-life adventure puts you in the middle of the action. It’s the difference between attending a live sporting event versus seeing it on TV or the difference between being surrounded by other fans at a concert versus watching a livestream.
There’s a positive emotional contagion when you share an experience with others. For divers, it could be seeing a manta ray and turning to another diver with the look of, “Can you believe that just happened?” Even small moments, like finding an interesting critter and pointing it out to others, can provide a big emotional boost.
Because You Have One Wild and Precious Life
Spending time underwater changes the way you see the world. It might happen on your first dive, or it might happen when you see a bucket list marine animal, like a turtle or a whale shark.
Our ocean planet needs people who can speak from firsthand experience about how beautiful and fragile the underwater world is. You have one wild and precious life. Why not use it to explore the other two-thirds of our planet and advocate for a cleaner, healthier future?
What Are You Waiting for?
It’s time to stop scrolling and start exploring. Start the PADI Open Water Diver course today with PADI eLearning, then finish the course at one of the many PADI Dive Centers around the world. Many dive shops also offer freediving and mermaiding courses.