Being near water can be beneficial for mental health. See photos of the world’s swimming pools and lakes

Spending time near water is not just a way to cool off — it’s also a way to help you feel calmer.

One study found that healthy adult office workers who spent just 20 minutes per day walking in “blue spaces,” or outdoor areas that feature prominent bodies of water, experienced “significantly improved well-being and mood responses” immediately after when compared to walking in urban spaces or resting in the controlled site.

“If you are in a body of water, your internal state just becomes calm,” Dr. Natalie Azar, NBC News medical contributor, told the “Today” show. “It’s something that I think we’ve all experienced, but never we’ve never really been intentional about.”

Another study found that, “An immersive therapeutic experience has indicated that waterscapes can not only give people benefits in the material aspect, but also reach the height of cognitive and emotional release.”

If you can’t get near water, just being outside in nature can help too.

Here are some photos of people enjoying blue spaces and spending time near or in the water.

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