Six Amazing Health Benefits of the Beachb

Whether you live here year round or you are visiting, most of us are drawn to one of the most incredible natural gifts in our area - and that is our beautiful ocean. If you are like me, the beach is your happy place. Before I lived here year-round, my parents would take us to the beach for a week or two and we have shared many happy memories playing in the water, building sand castles, playing games or just hanging out.

Today, I still love that precious time I spend with my own family. As soon as I get there, I leave everything else behind and just soak in the calming effects of the sun, sand, and waves. Besides just a great place to enjoy life, the beach and the ocean actually have real, proven health benefits. Here are the top six.

1
Release Happy and Calming Hormones
As soon as you hit the beach, your body begins to release serotonin, the hormone associated with calmness and happiness. The sounds of the waves and the beautiful sites are soothing and peaceful. That is why the sounds of crashing waves are used in sleep machines.
2
Get Some Sunlight
Light therapy is something that’s actually prescribed by doctors and therapists to help patient’s combat anxiety and stress. You get plenty of light therapy on the beach! Plus, spending just ten minutes outside in the sun can actually help you absorb your daily dose of vitamin D right through your skin.
3
Enjoy Better Sleep
Did you ever notice how well you sleep after visiting the beach? If you suffer from insomnia, a day at the beach is sure to help. The beach helps relieve high stress and anxiety and promotes calmness.
4
Fight Infections and Improve Immunity
Going to the beach can improve your ability to fight off infections. If you have ever gone into the water with a cut, you feel that sting when it is exposed to salt water. The iodine in ocean water actually is a fantastic immune system booster. It not only is highly antiseptic (it’s used in hospitals and surgeries all the time), but it helps boost the function of the thyroid gland and that can boost our immune system.
5
Get a Skin Treatment

The ocean is just like a giant spa for our skin. The beach and ocean truly have an amazingly positive effect on the overall health and appearance of skin (as long as we are not baking ourselves in the sun). The sand helps exfoliate skin on our feet and hands. The salt water actually helps clear up blemishes because the iodine and salt in the water help destroy bacteria and fungi on your skin that cause breakouts.
6
There are an endless amount of possibilities to get some physical activity on the beach. We can swim, surf, kayak, boogie board, have a catch, throw a frisbee, jog or just take a walk - and that's only a few of the many possibilities!
Walking on sand is quite a challenge and utilizes more muscles than walking on normal pavement does – even more so if you take off your shoes and walk with bare feet!
Whether you’re looking to lose weight, stay in shape, or even just get rid of some pent up energy, you’ll find that the best place to do so is the beach.