Five Reasons Why Living Near a Beach Is Good for Your Mental Health

Well, we love to spend a day at the beach. For most people in the world, a vacation is incomplete without paying a visit to the beach.

But did you know that there is a reason why you feel so happy when you visit the beach? Research suggests that living by the beach impacts the way you feel physically and mentally!

Ever wondered why your stress levels come down significantly after a trip to the beach? Well, it is not just because you are away from work and have a lot of free time on hand. Studies go on to prove that a trip to the beach could benefit your mental health significantly.

Don’t believe us? Read on to find why you should visit the beach more often to boost your mental health!

Reduces Stress

Watching the waves hit the coast and go back has a calming effect. While this is common sense, it does have the backing of science too now. Research evidence suggests that people who visit the beach often, enjoy the sunset and sunrise, or take a walk in the beach experience lower stress levels.

Studies suggest that the waves’ sound and sand in the feet can significantly reduce stress and anxiety feelings. The next time you feel that life is getting stressful and you need a break, you know where to head to! Just take off your shoes and walk in the sad for a while and let the sun, sand, and the sea heal you!

Reduces Depression

This should seem like a no brainer given the amount of pollution that we live around every day. The fresh air from the sea means that you get inhale oxygen that is sans many pollutants. The salty misty breeze from the ocean fills your lungs with negative ions that calm your brain. Negative ions are nothing but oxygen ions with an additional electron attached to it, resulting from the water molecules.

Negative ions have an antidepressant effect on your brain. A study from as early as 1932 suggests that a person’s mood significantly changes when a person is exposed to positive and negative ions alternatingly. Other research also proves that a person can find relief from seasonal affective disorder when exposed to negatively ionized air. And what better place than the ocean for getting this kind of air?

Improves Sleep Quality

If you are someone who finds it difficult to fall asleep, visit the beach. Studies show that people tend to fall asleep better after visiting the beach. Even if you happen to stay there for just a few minutes, you are bound to notice the difference. There can be numerous reasons for a person to experience difficulty falling asleep, stress, not being exhausted, an imbalance in the hormones, depression, and endless reasons.

However, a visit to the beach relieves you of the stress and makes your body feel tired. Yes, the beach exhausts your body, and that is one reason why you just cannot wait until you hit the bed. And when you sleep well, you will wake up feeling fresh, less stressed, and happy!

Increases Oxytocin

Exercise increases oxytocin levels in your brain, and a higher amount of oxytocin means a happier you! If you cannot find the motivation to exercise, just head to the beach. This is one place where workout gets a fun makeover. Be it a swim on the beach, just playing in the tides, or indulging in any watersport. Your body gets the happy hormone rush you need. You could also just go for a long walk along the coast or jog. The options are endless, and so are the benefits!

Ample Dose of Vitamin D

Vitamin D plays a key role in regulating a person’s mood. And studies suggest that you are more likely to feel low, depressed, and anxious when your body experiences a vitamin D deficiency. Do experts refer to vitamin D as the sunshine vitamin and what better place to treat yourself to this sunshine vitamin than the beaches?

Spending just a few minutes of your day at the beach and taking in all the sunshine can do both your body and mind a great favor. So, drive to the beach, and treat yourself to some extra vitamin D dose and great mental health!

Well, these are just a few ways in which a trip to the beach will improve your mental health. While we do not need a reason to head for a vacation, you just got one, so why let it go to waste? Pack your bags, and head to the beach!