There’s a reason why you feel relaxed and energized after a beach day — science backs heading to the beach for mental well-being. As you feel your toes in the sand and listen to the gentle sound of the waves, what could be better than heading to the water on your day off and enjoying a little me-time by the shore?
As you soak up some vitamin D and take in the beautiful view of the sky meeting the ocean, the beach brings a sense of calm and boosts your mental health in more ways than one.
Benefits of the Beach for Your Mental Health
The next time you’re feeling a little stressed and overwhelmed, take a trip to the beach and make it your new happy place. Your brain and your mental health will thank you for the following benefits.
1. Reduces Stress Levels
Ever felt extremely relaxed when spending time at the beach? This is because of the calming sounds of the waves that induce a relaxing effect on the mind and work as an excellent remedy to reduce stress by lowering cortisol levels.
The waves of the ocean create one of the most pleasant sounds that appeal to the human brain and is often compared to the sound of your mother’s heartbeat that allows for the soothing effect to take place.
2. Boosts Creativity
If you’ve been experiencing a creative block lately, the beach is the perfect muse for you to get your creative juices flowing and come up with solutions to your problems.
Allowing yourself to connect with nature helps to open the mind and allow your imagination to think big. Stress can often block your creativity and impair cognitive function, but heading out to the ocean can soothe your stress hormones and allow creativity to take over.
3. Improves Skin Health
As long as you apply natural sunscreen to protect your skin from the sun’s UV rays, the ocean water has shown to bring immense benefits to your skin’s health.
The sun works to warm your skin and open up the pores, while the salt water that enters your skin helps to remove bacteria and protect your skin from breakouts and other conditions.
4. Calms Your Brain
The beach provides a sense of safety to the mind as the whole environment is in view and you are able to know what’s going on around for miles, reducing insecurity and the notion of potential threats.
Having a sense of predictability around you can really soothe the brain and help you feel more relaxed by being in an open environment, which can really help to rejuvenate and relax the brain for a healing effect on the mind.
5. Generates Negative Ions
The calming waves generate negative ions that boost oxygen absorption and balances serotonin levels, which is directly related to your mood and stress. Exposing yourself to these negative ions will only improve your mood and keep your spirits lifted for hours even after leaving the beach.
Additionally, as mental energy improves, sleeping patterns may also improve, benefitting performance and your overall health in the process.
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References:
Gherini, A. (2017, November 20). How the Beach Benefits Your Brain, According to Science. Retrieved from https://www.inc.com/anne-gherini/how-beach-benefits-your-brain-according-to-science.html
Beris, R. (2016, June 08). Science Explains How The Beach Can Change Our Brains And Mental Health. Retrieved from https://www.lifehack.org/408837/science-explains-how-the-beach-can-change-our-brains-and-mental-health
Why Science Supports a Beach Day for Brain and Mental Health Benefits. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://1md.org/article/beach-day-brain-benefits
