BEACHES MAKE OUR MINDS MORE BEAUTIFUL

BEAUTIFUL BEACH BRAIN

Most people don’t need scientific evidence to know that spending time at the beach is one of the most beautiful ways to relax. But now, more scientific research findings are not only proving it’s true, but explaining why.

It turns out that everything from the sound of the surf, to the color of the sky and water, to the scent of ocean breezes, all has a positive impact on our mind and body health. The multisensory delights at the seaside work together to activate our parasympathetic nervous systems, which helps us to relax.

According to a UK study, published in the journal Health Place, people who live on a coast report better physical and mental health than those who live inland. And, if you are lucky enough to have home with an ocean view, you’re more likely to feel more calm than the viewless, according to a study published in the Journal of Coastal Zone Management

A University of Exeter study also found that living within close proximity to a beach improves one's health and wellbeing.

The blue color of the ocean and the sky play a positive role as well. In a recent study conducted in Wellington, New Zealand, scientists found that people who were more exposed to blue space, such as near blue oceans under big blue skies, exhibited lower psychological distress. A study published in the journal for American Association for the Advancement of Science found that blue is associated with a boost of creativity.

The rhythmic sound of waves rolling in and out is not only soothing, but it can help to put us in a meditative state, actually changing our brain waves as well as our heart rate.  "These slow, whooshing noises are the sounds of non-threats, which is why they work to calm people," says Orfeu Buxton, an associate professor of biobehavioral health at Pennsylvania State University. "It's like they're saying: "Don't worry, don't worry, don't worry."

Salty ocean breezes not only smell beautiful, but they can chill you out. That’s because the sea air is negatively charged -- with negative oxygen ions, which have been shown to calm the brain. Negative ions have also been shown to have a pronounced anti-depressant effect and can alleviate symptoms of seasonal affective disorder.  

Even something as simple as walking barefoot through the warm sand can boost your mood, as feet can absorb free ions at the beach surface, according to a report in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.

“Blue Mind: The Surprising Science That Shows How Being Near, In, On, or Under Water Can Make You Happier, Healthier, More Connected, and Better at What You Do,” by marine biologist Wallace J. Nichols,  looks at the cognitive and emotional benefits that we derive every time we spend time by water. "Once you get into it, you realize that it's chemistry, it's biology, it's physiology. It's deeply personal but it's also strong science."

“The sea, once it casts its spell holds one in its net of wonder forever. People do protect what they love,” says Celine Cousteau, quoting her grandfather, in the book’s Foreward. She goes on to speak about how connecting with the ocean can help us to find creativity, clarity, and confidence.

So, if you live on the beach, you’re golden. And if you live within driving distance of a beach, you can go there whenever you feel the need to alleviate stress and heal your brain. But even if you can’t get to the seaside regularly, planning at least one beach vacation per year could go along way to helping you live a more beautiful, calm, and healthy life.

The next time you are at the beach, try unplugging too. Turn off the phone. Close your eyes. Wiggle your toes in the warm sand. Breathe the salty air deeply. Listen to the waves remind you over and over and over again. And drift in peace.

Read more about Ocean Beauties in It’s Time To Visit & Save The Great Great Barrier Reef.

And check out more beautiful things happening now in BN Mind/Body, Soul/Impact, Nature/Science, Food/Drink, Arts/Design, and Place/Time, Daily Fix posts.

Want more stories like this? Sign up for our weekly BN Newsletter, Like us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr. Join our BeautifulNow Community and connect with the most beautiful things happening in the world right now!

Do you have amazing photos? Enter them in this week’s BN Photo Contest. We run new creative contest every week!

IMAGE CREDITS:

1. Image: by Kathrin & Stefan Marks. “Free.”
2. Image: by Mac Qin. “Maldives (Constance Halaveli Resort & Spa).”
3. Image: by Joe Parks. “Big Beach.”
4. Image: by Falco Ermert. “Strand Praia do Tonel.”
5. Image: by Christian Córdova. “Tulum.”
6. Image: Azwari Nugraha. “Tanjung Gelam, Karimunjawa.”
7. Image: by junaidrao. “Earth. Sunrise over Hahei Beach, North Island, New Zealand.”
8. Image: by Mac Qin. “Kuramathi Island, Maldives.”
9. Image: by LWYang. “Bondi Beach.”
10. Image: by Roland J. Sims. “god's creation.”
11. Image: by Marcy Leigh. “Sand Dune at Marconi Beach.”
12. Image: by Mike Baird. “Father and son surf lesson in Morro Bay, CA.”
13. Image: by Jean-Marie Hullot. “Anse Source d'Argent, La Digue, Seychelles.”