Living near Lake Michigan and other water relieves stress

Living in a city of great beaches , we know the lure of Lake Michigan, but there's actually scientific research to back up our attraction to water.

Why it matters: Being on, in or near water has a stress-relieving and creativity-boosting impact on the brain, research finds.

Between the lines: The late marine biologist Wallace J. Nichols wrote in his bestseller " Blue Mind " that being near water offers a "mildly meditative state … that takes advantage of the neurological connections formed over millennia."

Case in point: Less than two minutes of looking at water outdoors "is enough to activate the parasympathetic nervous system," and lower your blood pressure and heart rate, organizational psychologist Adam Grant writes , based on recent research .

• One possible explanation: "Since being attuned to visual cues for water helped our ancestors avoid dehydration, the mere sight of water can be a relief."

What they found: In a survey of people recuperating from heart surgery, those who viewed an open-water scene had lower anxiety levels and needed less pain medication than those who looked at an abstract design, a blank white panel or even a forest scene.

• In another study suggesting that natural environments reduce stress , researchers found that viewing an aquarium before oral surgery was more effective than hypnosis at inducing relaxation.