What causes this effect? Is it negative ions? Clean air? Ocean sound? I’ve tried with the windows closed, and the effect holds. I’ve tried it on and off vacation, and the effect holds. So I’m really at a loss for what it could be.
I looked into the negative ion thing a few years ago, and there does appear to be something to it. It seems it can have a positive impact on the lungs, which actually handle more than just breathing. Serotonin is inactivated in the lungs, so in theory negative ions could help reduce circulating serotonin, which could have a mood boosting effect. This is of course if you buy into the argument that serotonin is not so much the happy chemical but the chemical of stress [1].
https://raypeat.com/articles/articles/serotonin-depression-a...
But my guess is that we're in a womb of water for 9 months so subconsciously are soothed by it. Personal anecdotal evidence is any time I've slept where i could hear ocean/rain/rivers I've had great sleep.
Would 100% move to Hawaii in the future
I wish you best of luck in chasing your dream but I feel compelled to tell you that the word is that in non-tourist areas there is some pretty heavy racism going on against non-islanders. It is based on them (you) driving up property prices and basic goods availability.
Maybe you already knew but still.
Sounds like where I am now. Near as I can tell, nobody wants my generation to settle anywhere, because we "drive up" property prices. Like we want to pay $1M for a home, or had any hand in the local zoning idiocracy.
There are several other things that make a beach inconvenient for hunting, e.g. large open spaces which compromise stalking behaviors, sand/water slows you down, tall skinny palm trees equipped with coconuts that serve as projectiles which land predators can’t climb but primates can.
I would imagine that there’s a similar explanation related to ease of hunting that could explain why rain sounds are calming.
Ocean is also very calming.
BTW. I was trying to "replicate it" in city with various dolby atmos etc. gimmicks and headphones/etc. and without any similar results.
Mother nature
If covid has taken anything from me, it is the opportunity to go do that. The river is by an archaeological site, so it is cordoned off most of the time. I want to return to see the tree, and the river, and to sleep by it. I don't know when I'll be able to do so.
I'm totally speculating based on my years living at high altitude, but if you also mostly reside at a higher altitude, you are acclimated to less oxygen, which could decrease your rate when you change to a location with more. If that were the reason, you could expect to see your RHR go back up to "normal" after a few weeks at sea level.
Or it could be something completely unrelated, I just didn't see this in your list of possible causes.