Most of you already love the beach and enjoy the time spent there, catching the sun, and enjoy the warm sand and the refreshing waves. Yet, we also give several good reasons to hit the beach, as it can significantly improve your mental and physical health.
The findings of a study published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology, author J. Aaron Hipp, Ph.D., environmental health expert and assistant professor at the Brown School, confirmed the restorative benefits of the beach. He explained:
“Studies have shown that natural environments like beaches and waterfront parks offer more restorative benefits to people than gyms, entertainment venues and the built urban environment.
Mild temperature days and low tides offer the most restorative environments when visiting the beach. Beachgoers visiting on a day nearly 3 degrees (F) warmer than average were 30 percent less likely to perceive the beach or coastal park as restorative, compared with those visiting on average or cooler than average days.”
- Sun
Getting some rays can offer numerous benefits, like stimulating the production of vitamin D, which supports calcium absorption and building strong bones. The lack of vitamin D in the body leads to stroke, heart attacks, congestive heart failure, and other heart diseases.
According to the Mayo Clinic, only 10 minutes of sun exposure can provide the needed daily dose of this vitamin, as “your body can produce 10,000 to 25,000 IU of vitamin D in just a little under the time it takes for your skin to turn pink.”
Sun exposure has also been found to raise the levels of endorphins and prevent autoimmune diseases. The lack of vitamin D in the body leads to stroke, heart attacks, congestive heart failure, and other heart diseases.
Yet, note that in order to lower the risk of skin cancer, limit the exposure to excessive sunlight, and always apply sunscreen with an SPF 15 or higher.
- Seawater
Seawater is high in minerals like iodine, magnesium, and potassium, which detoxify the body, treat infections, and heal the body. Studies have shown that the blue color calms people, and the sounds of the waves stimulate the brain to release dopamine and serotonin, leading to an improved mood.
Swimming lowers stress, treating depression and anxiety. Moreover, it is one of the most powerful physical exercises, and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it ranks as the fourth most popular sports activity in the United States. Swimming helps you burn about 414 calories per hour of moderate swimming, helping you to stay physically fit.
It also improves heart health, lowers the risk of chronic diseases, soothes joint pain, and is beneficial in the case of arthritis. Swimming will also moisten the nasal passages and eliminate excess mucus from the nose.
The salt in the water cleanses and cures the skin, fighting acne, pimples, and blackheads, and healing the sores and cuts. Its effectiveness has been valued and used by the Ancient Egyptians and Roman physicians too.
The salt water can also act as a natural shampoo that will cleanse the oils from the hair, and exfoliate the scalp.
- Sand
The soles of our feet contain the most nerve endings and sweat glands in the body, and walking barefoot can stimulate them more than walking in shoes.
This will also strengthen the feet muscles, and improve mood. Walking on sand has also been shown to require 1.6 to 2.5 times the energy than it takes on a hard surface. According to Dr. Thierry M. Lejeune, M.D:
“Our muscles perform more mechanical work when running or walking on sand than on a hard surface. ”
The sand will exfoliate the skin and eliminate dead skin cells, supporting the growth of new cells. Moreover, you can stimulate metabolism by burying the body in it, as you will fool the brain that you weigh more, and it will increase the heart rate.
Therefore, whenever you have the time, grab the swimwear and visit the nearest beach, to enjoy the beautiful, azure waters, the serenity of the place, and to reap all these benefits.
