Underwater Meditation and the Blue Mind State: Toward a Physiological Framework Linking Aquatic Immersion, Autonomic Regulation, and Default Mode Network Dynamics
European Journal of Prosthodontics and Restorative Dentistry September 12, 2026 Arpit Bansal, Divya Bartaria
Water-based contemplative and recovery practices — from head-out immersion and cold-water bathing to floatation-based sensory reduction — are consistently associated with shifts in autonomic and, increasingly, brainnetwork activity. This paper synthesizes the physiological literature on hydrostatic, thermal, vestibular, and sensory-attenuation effects of water immersion and evaluates the...