Picking up on a growing body of evidence that suggests being around ‘blue spaces’ reduces stress and anxiety, The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands, joins a league of hotels in the archipelago that place wellness at the fore.
Anyone who has experienced a seaplane transfer in the Maldives will be familiar with the astonishing palette of blues that unfolds below. Ranging from dark inky blues to pale shimmering turquoise and luminous jade, they are a veritable Pantone card for today’s luxury traveller. Without going into the complex physics of reflected light, these unique hues are due to the extraordinary clarity of the water in these parts, with the mineral content of the white sand beaches and the coral reefs encircling the islands providing contrast.
I’ve been lucky enough to visit this paradisical archipelago in the Indian Ocean a half a dozen times over the past decade – and each time, I notice the same thing. As soon as the seaplane reaches altitude and those exquisite Tiffany hues come into view, the passengers, no matter how fatigued and irritable from long-haul travel, perk up and become brighter, lighter. As if by magic, their shoulders relax.
In fact, it’s not magic at all. There’s a biological explanation that harks back to the evolution of the human species. Water – and indeed the colour blue – triggers the body’s para-sympathetic nervous system (the opposite of ‘fight or flight’) and encourages us to go into ‘rest and digest’ mode. The mere sound of water can soothe us and, let’s face it, with stress levels the highest they’ve ever been – a third of employees report increased stress, fatigue and burnout in a recent survey – getting a dose of the blue stuff is something we all need. I’m no exception. In the past few weeks, I’ve been told by three separate health professionals that I’m heading for a burnout.
Enter The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands. Joining resorts such as Joali Being and Kagi Spa Island that have made wellbeing a priority, the Ritz-Carlton’s new Deep Blue Prescription, a four-day de-stress programme, encourages maximum engagement with the big blue. Guests are assigned over-water pool villas with uninterrupted views of the Indian Ocean, are sent out on luxury yacht trips and snorkelling excursions curated by marine conservationist Jean-Michel Cousteau, and treated to calming Bamford spa therapies. Enticing, for sure. Expensive, quite (around the $30,000 mark). The question is, does it work?
For anyone familiar with the concept of ‘blue mind’, the answer is a resounding yes. Originally introduced by American marine biologist Dr Wallace J Nichols over a decade ago, it speaks to the wide-ranging emotional and psychological benefits of being in or near water. This includes better sleep, improved focus, a deeper sense of inner calm – even improved longevity. Speaking exclusively to Villa 88, Nichols says: “The data shows that, in a state of blue mind, your breathing and heart rate slow down, brain waves change from focused attention to meditative and the body’s stress hormones decrease. Blue mind is a calm, creative, compassionate, cooperative state of mind.”
To get a firmer grasp, consider what Nichols calls ‘red mind’, a mental state in which people are anxious, distracted, prone to over-thinking and, more often than not, caffeinated – aka the new normal. “In today’s fast-paced world, we process massive amounts of information from multiple sources, screens and 24/7 global news feeds,” says Nichols. “Our fight or flight response is being constantly triggered and most people don’t know how to turn it off. While red mind can be useful – helping us to reach our goals, compete, defend ourselves and strive, if we stay in red mind with elevated stress levels for too long, we begin to damage our bodies on a cellular level and suffer burnout, breakdown or deep exhaustion.”
This year marks the 10th anniversary of Nichols’ book, Blue Mind: The surprising science that shows how being near, in, on, or under water can make you happier, healthier, more connected and better at what you do. The new edition has been updated with the latest research and, due to growing alarm about the state of our oceans, high-profile ambassadors such as Hollywood actor Harrison Ford are jumping on board. It’s no exaggeration to say Nichols has kick-started a global movement. Put simply, blue is a the new black.
Of course, Nichols is a fan of the Maldives. Comprising 1,192 islands clustered into 26 atolls dotted across a vast, empty ocean, he says there’s no better place to access one’s blue mind. “The key to achieving a blue mind state is to remove as much stress and anxiety as possible from your environment, and the Maldives makes this easy. You can be in or next to water 24/7.”
Furthermore, emerging research conducted by Dr Paul Piff, Associate Professor of Psychological Science at the University of California Irvine, shows that when we feel a sense of awe and wonder in nature, we are shifted into a more compassionate, empathetic, pro-social mind-state. No matter how jaded a traveller you are, spending time in the Maldives is likely to include one or two moments of awe, be it a subterranean encounter with a manta ray or a sunset sky exploding into a riot of pink and apricot strobes. According to Piff, it’s these moments of awe that allow us to pause and reconsider our place in the world. He even goes as far as saying that time spent in wild natural spaces is one of the most meaningful experiences humans can have. “A sense of natural awe reduces fixation on day-to-day worries and reorients people to life’s bigger picture,” he explains. Needless to say, the data points to water, in all its forms, as one of the greatest sources of awe…
It all sounds highly beneficial, but is four days really enough? “Four days is plenty if approached right,” says Nicholls. “When presented with the latest insights from our research, once people are able to tap into blue mind, it becomes automatic and a permanent part of their wellness toolkit.”
My four days at the Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Island, are certainly filled with all the blue hues and plenty of moments of awe. My breath is taken away by the natural beauty of the islands, by the vast swell of the ocean, by the arresting architecture of the resort and the ultra-high levels of service shown by an army of staff. I’m dazzled by little things too. Waves dancing across the walls of my villa reflected from my teardrop pool, the chic tweed slippers left by my bed at turndown and the hot bubble bath run for me upon my return from a rain-soaked dolphin cruise.
More than that, I’m struck by my newfound ability to look inward. For the first time in years, I’m able to observe myself properly, diligently. It’s quiet enough for me to hear my inner voice. Several times during my stay I find myself in tears simply because I have the time and mental space to contemplate things I’ve long been pushing away. I leave the Ritz-Carlton feeling calmer and lighter with an expanded capacity to give back to others.
Blue spaces aren’t magic. They’re medicine. Isn’t it time you got your prescription?
The Deep Blue Prescription wellness package is available at the Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands until November 30. For more information visit ritzcarlton.com/Maldives.
