Exercise in any setting can improve our physical and mental health on a number of different levels, and can be an excellent way of reducing stress. But you may get even more benefit from your exercise by ditching the gym and taking a jog by the ocean or a swim in the lake instead.
"We know that water -- being surrounded by blue space -- helps us relax, and we know that exercise is good for our bodies and our brains," says Nichols. "If somebody is experiencing a number of problems that exercise and stress reduction may help with, [water] is a good add-on. Find a river trail and run there, or get on a bike, or row or swim."
Being outside near water while you're exercising will potentially give you more of a mental boost than exercising in a crowded, hectic gym environment with TVs in front of you and people all around. Many people feel intuitively that being in the presence water provides tangible benefits for their well-being, and as Nichols explains, their instincts are right.
"It's almost too obvious, and it gets overlooked," says Nichols. "But the health and neurological benefits of exercise by water are very real.