Finding Balance: Mental Health on the Water

Kathy Young looks at the research on the benefits and challenges of sailing on our mental health and talks to experts about finding your happy place.

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Hauling Jamie up the mast. Sailing Totem's Behan Gifford says she’s a much happier human being when on a boat.
Hauling Jamie up the mast. Sailing Totem's Behan Gifford says she’s a much happier human being when on a boat.

For many of us who spend time on the water, there’s an intuitive understanding that sailing impacts our mental well-being. Whether it’s the meditative quality of watching the telltales flutter in a perfect trim, or the pure exhilaration of surfing down waves in heavy weather, sailing affects our minds as much as it challenges our bodies. But what do experts say about this relationship, and how can we practically harness sailing’s benefits while managing its mental challenges?

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Kathy Young
Kathy Young grew up around boats, sailing with her family out of Portsmouth Harbour, United Kingdom. She now lives on Banks Peninsula, New Zealand, and is a freelance writer and editor.