Health Benefits of going to the Beach
1. Seawater
Swimming in the ocean promotes general good health for its ability to detoxify the body. Seawater is extremely nutrient rich for its abundance of vitamins, minerals (salts), and microorganisms that are easily absorbed by the skin and aid in antibacterial functions and removing potentially hazardous toxins from your body. This removal of toxins promotes a stronger immune system and also causes people who suffer from acne and/or dry skin to notice a significant improvement in their condition. However, it is important to wash off with fresh water after swimming in the ocean since allowing the salt to remain can potentially counter the moisturizing effects of the magnesium rich water and cause the skin to dry even more. It is also important to be aware of potentially polluted areas of coastline.
2. Exercise
This almost goes without saying, but the exercise one typically gets at the beach has a few unique benefits. Having to traverse the irregular shifting surface of dry sand works countless small muscles responsible for balance that typically have fewer opportunities for meaningful development. Needless to say, regular visits to the beach will have a significant impact on your balance and coordination. You should definitely lose the flipflops once you are on the sand. Not only do they make it more difficult to walk on the awkward surface, but without them, the tough skin of your feet benefit enormously from the constant exfoliation. I find my summer visits to the beach work wonders on those pesky calluses that crop up throughout the rest of the year.
Swimming is undisputedly one of the best forms of exercise. It is particularly good for you if you are overweight because it is a vigorous exercise that spares your joints and bones obesity related strain. Ocean water is particularly effective for the buoyancy resulting from the high salinity. Swimming offers muscle-building resistance without the same risk for injury and strain that terrestrial weight training does. It is also an exercise that constantly works the entire body. Even treading water requires the constant movement of your limbs and stimulates the abdominal muscles.
The beach is also a great place for jogging, especially flat beaches that have exceptionally low tides. I always find running on such a flat plain much more thrilling and multi-dimensional than running on a linear path through the forest or on the side of the road.
3. Sunlight
Many flock to the beach to bronze up, and with good reason. The sand and water constantly refract sunlight in all directions, ensuring even body coverage. However, by that same token we also have to be extra vigilant as far as sun protection is concerned. Sunglasses, a wide-brimmed hat, and sunscreen are all musts if you plan on spending a lot of time at the beach. I personally wouldn’t directly sunbathe for a second longer than ten minutes at time, and recommend that nobody do so for any longer than twenty. All of this of course depending on the sun’s intensity at any given time. We all know how harmful sunlight can be, but even if you manage to dodge sunburns, tanning too deeply and regularly can also cause complications such as skin cancer.
4. Fresh Air
Briny ocean air not only smells good, but it’s good for you too. Simply breathing in sea mist can also have a positive impact on your immune system by clearing your lungs and enacting purification similar to that which occurs over your entire body while swimming. On a more general note, fresh air reduces stress and calms the mind. It is important to occasionally leave the hustle and bustle of modern life behind in order to, pardon my excessively new-age sentiment, let the voice of Mother Nature soothe her children.