Get Your Vitamin Sea! Beach Time Is Good for the Soul
Do you relax and feel better at the beach? Here’s why:
'Blue Space'
Studies show areas by ocean, lake, pond or pool elevate your mood. Looking out at the color blue actually changes your brain waves’ frequency, making you feel calm and at peace, according to clinical psychologists.
The Washington Post reports that "[f]rom 2016 to 2020, researchers at BlueHealth — an interdisciplinary research project funded by the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program — investigated the links between water-based environments and health and well-being." The study concluded what people who love the coast would expect: Self-reported results of a survey of 18,000 people in 18 countries indicate that "being near water boosts physical and mental well-being."
The BlueHealth study found that regular time by the water, such as daily walks by the sea, result in long-term well-being, and even vacationers report the bump in mood after time at the shore.
Negative Ions in the Air
It’s not the smell of the salt air that make you feel good, but the negative ions that fill it. Negative ions are more prevalent in places like the beach and the mountains. Breath them in and they alter your body chemistry, releasing mood-boosting serotonin and sending more oxygen to your brain. Inhaling them can make you more alert and more energetic, too.
WebMD explains that ions are molecules that have gained or lost a charge. Rushing surf and breaking waves, along with actions of cascading waterfalls or rushing streams in a mountain setting, break apart air molecules, resulting in many more negative ions than you would find in a home or office setting. So, while the change in scenery may lift your spirits when you hike to a waterfall or book a beach house, it's the negative ions that chemically make you feel better.
Sound of Water
It's obvious, but researchers confirm that the repeated crash and retreat of the waves simply sound more relaxing that the chaos of urban noises. An environmental epidemiologist who managed the BlueHealth research project told the Post that the sound of water "allows you to relax and restore cognitive processes."
And it doesn't even have to be the Gulf or ocean waters specifically. Water features in a garden or in a pool setting can stimulate the relaxing water sounds that delight our senses. That's why the new community at Cinnamon Shore South includes bubbling water features that gurgle. Here, you can relax waterside and take in the blue space of the pool, with infinity edges looking toward the lake. See the blue space, hear the relaxing water sounds and you can't help but feel better instantly.
Nature's Cure
Being in nature, including the beach, can lower blood pressure and stress levels—so much so that doctors are even prescribing patients “time outdoors” as part of treatment plans for stressed-out patients, according to the Post.
Convinced you need a beach vacation yet? Book your next trip to Cinnamon Shore--stat!
BOOK YOUR TRIP--AND BOOST YOUR MOOD!
See what vacation rental townhomes, condos and beach homes are available!
During holiday weeks and weeks and throughout peak season, we offer Yoga on the Beach and Beach Body Burn fitness classes, so visit our Reservation Add-Ons page to find out what's happening during your stay.
SOURCES
Published by Jennifer Chappell Smith
Saturday, January 15, 2022