What is the psychology behind going to the beach?

Listening to the waves activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which makes us more relaxed. In addition, the negative ions in the sea breeze have a mood-boosting effect. Long associated with feelings of peace and calm, the colour blue has also been shown to enhance creativity.



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It lowers stress. Being in nature, a place you feel safe, can lower your blood pressure and stress hormone levels. Likewise, spending time at the beach can lessen anxiety and nervous system arousal, which is what makes you feel stressed and anxious.

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Beaches are relaxing There's simply no better place to let go of daily stress than on the beach. You can sit back and soak up the sun, watch the waves roll in, or even take a nap in a hammock strung between two palm trees. You also might be able to meet some new friends while at the beach!

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Thalassophile. If you're reading this, you're probably an ocean lover. Or in other words, you're a thalassophile, someone who loves the ocean. As a thalassophile, you can use these words to help you better connect to the beach and enjoy the beauty it has to offer even more.

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Breath in that salty air stirs happiness in your heart. Warm sand and tides bring a feeling of heaven. The footprints of your soul are written in sand. Waves of happiness wash over you at the beach.

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“The physical sensation of putting your feet in warm sand causes people to relax,” says Shuster. But it turns out there's a bit of a placebo effect happening, too. “We've been conditioned to think of the beach as peaceful and relaxing,” says Shuster.

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In fact, the repetitive sound and sight of waves promote a meditative state. That's why when we're at the beach, we feel unburdened, lighter, and this positively affects our mood.

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All this sunlight causes your body temperature to increase, and since your body is working hard to stay cool, you're losing fluids and salts through sweating. Which leaves you dehydrated — one of the primary symptoms of which is fatigue.

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Spending time in the sunlight isn't just a good dose of vitamin D: it can actually help reduce depression. Exposure to sunlight is believed to boost the brain's release of serotonin, which can help improve your mood and make you feel more calm and focused. When you need a mood boost, head down to the shore.

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Another potential source of illness includes some types of cyanobacteria that form algal “blooms” (discolored water) and the toxins they produce. When people are exposed to cyanotoxins, they may have hay fever-like symptoms, skin rashes, sore throat, cough, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or even kidney or liver damage.

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Fresh air helps your immune system to fight off diseases, boosts your energy, eases your stresses, and helps cleanse your lungs. It helps your digestive system, sharpens your mind and improves your blood pressure too. So being at the beach is mentally and medically good for you!

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Not only is the salty air good for you, but so is the salt water. Salt water is excellent for cleaning up infections and acts as an antibacterial. There is iodine in the water as well, which is known to help boost your immune system.

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Plus, it's exfoliating. Jones noted that the salt in ocean water can exfoliate skin, too. It can “get rid of the rough skin that builds up over time, removes those dead skin cells and then gives you this fresh, new skin underneath,” Jones said. This will leave you with brighter and smoother skin, added Garshick.

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The results showed that those who live less than 1km from the sea are 22% less likely to have mental health symptoms compared to those living over 50km away. This could be attributed to many reasons but there's no doubt that even just looking out at the ocean has a therapeutic effect.

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Brain imaging research has shown that proximity to water is strongly linked to your brain releasing feel-good hormones, including dopamine and oxytocin.

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