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Summer is nearly synonymous with the beach. Both words bring to mind images of relaxation, family, fun, salty breezes, silk sands, and shared memories. There’s just something so satisfying about the golden coasts and sky-blue waves.
This elusive something isn’t just in our imaginations. A growing body of research links long summer days spent at the beach to better sleep, better health, and a more positive outlook on life, according to National Geographic.
Green and Blue Spaces
Here’s what science says about spending time at the seashore. A landmark 1984 study, published in Science, provided the first research-based evidence for what people had surmised for generations — nature is good for the body and mind.
The study compared the post-op experiences of patients with window views of nature with that of patients without access to these views. Those who spent their recovery looking at the great outdoors recovered more quickly and with less complications than those who did not.
While the study focused on green spaces — plants, mountains, and forests. It is only recently that researchers started exploring how the body and mind reacts to blue spaces, or aquatic environments. A study, published in Health Place analyzed English census data finding that people living closer to the sea reported feeling happier and healthier.
Anecdotal evidence backs these findings up as well, NBC News reported, citing the fact that Hawaii regularly claims the happiest state title. But you may not have to be at the beach to get the blue space effect, you just have to live nearby.
The Sounds, Sights, and Smells of the Seashore
Why is the beach so relaxing? Maybe because it engages all your senses, clinical psychologist Richard Shuster told NBC News. “The physical sensation of putting your feet in warm sand causes people to relax,” he said.
The crisp salty air may also provide mental-health benefits. A study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine suggested that the air in watery environments, such as waterfalls and seashores, contains negative ions. Breathing in these negative ions can alleviate symptoms of seasonal affective disorder.
And, the sight and sounds of the waves can aid with mindful focus and relaxation. Shuster suggested that they, “kind of de-stimulate our brains,” adding that the, “The color blue has been found by an overwhelming amount of people to be associated with feelings of calm and peace.”
Beaches Help Your Body and Mind
One reason that beach going may lead to better mental and physical health is because it’s associated with exercise and better sleep. In fact, one study published in Environmental Research found that people tend to be active for longer when in aquatic environments.
Beyond the direct health benefits, beaches have long been anecdotally associated with pain and stress relief, a claim that is now being explored in virtual reality studies, according to National Geographic. And in dental offices too.
A study, published in the Journal of Environment and Behavior gave nervous patients at the dentist office access to natural vistas in the form of VR goggles. Patients were randomly assigned an urban stroll or a coastal trek. Those who relaxed at the virtual seashore during the dental treatment reported feeling less pain, discomfort, and anxiety than the control group.
Bonding With Friends and Family
Visiting the oceans may promote family and friendship. In 2013 research published in Health & Place asked parents to describe their recent beachgoing activities. Overwhelmingly, parents reported bonding as a family at the seashore.
“This is still one of my favorite papers,” Sabine Pahl, an author of the study, told National Geographic, “It powerfully describes what happens to families [at the beach]. It’s different when you take them out of the house and give them space and opportunity to run around together.”
Spending summers at the beach as a child might also help with relaxing by the shore as an adult, as it triggers the childhood memories of waves and sandcastles. These memories can help adults get into the mindset of playfulness and family time.
A Connection to Nature
Visiting the beach can change one’s outlook even decades into the future. Those who spent their summers near the sea as children may later advocate for conservation of those environments as adults.
In other words, nature works as both a give and a take. The outdoor scenes that benefit our bodies and minds also help us develop a more environmentally-conscious perspective.
Going to the beach can help with feeling happier, more relaxed, and more connected to both your family and nature. Why not spend this summer unplugging — put the phone on silent, kick back in a beach chair, and let the waves roll in and out as you take in the awesome views and breathe in the salty air?
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