Beach Day Health Benefits

Sand between my toes, sun on my face, the scent of the salty sea, and the sound of the crashing waves. Oh, sorry- I just briefly closed my eyes and imagined a relaxing place. The beach is one of my favorite places! It's a great place to spend time with friends and family for fun. It's also the perfect place to catch some time alone to reflect. There are so many reasons to go to the beach. 

I love spending time at the beach, and the bonus benefits make it much better. The great thing about the beach is it's usually free. There are beaches within driving distance, and it's easy to grab a beach bag to enjoy a day of relaxing fun. I also love to travel to visit the beaches around the world. 

As you can tell, I don't need an excuse to go to the beach. If you need an excuse for a fantastic beach day, or just want to reinforce your beach day, let's talk health benefits of the beach.

1 – DOSE OF VITAMIN D

Many people are deficient in Vitamin D because we don't get outside enough anymore; we wear sunscreen that blocks it, sunglasses screen it, and we may have trouble absorbing it. Your body can make your daily dose of Vitamin D by being on the beach for 10 minutes and storing Vitamin D for use later. According to the FDA, Vitamin D is essential for blood pressure regulation, bone growth, calcium balance, hormone production, nervous system, and immune function. You don't need much beach time to get your Vitamin D. If you go to the beach or spend lots of time on the beach, I recommend a nontoxic sunscreen because nobody wants to get burned.

Vitamin D can also boost your mood, which leads us to our next beach health benefit!

2 – REDUCES STRESS

The beach is so relaxing and combats the number 1 destroyer of health: stress. That makes reducing stress a considerable health benefit of the beach and a reason the doctor recommends a beach day!

It's so much easier to unplug when you are at the beach. Electronic distractions are limited, and the sun's glare can make it hard to look at your phone. So, you put it away. The blue water is naturally destressing as studies show the color blue is calming, and the waves' rhythmic sound naturally puts your brain in a meditative state. Being at the beach is like a white noise machine for your brain and can help put all the things stressing you out on hold.

3 – BEACH MEANS EXERCISE

The beach leads to exercise, whether you are looking for it or not. Splashing around in the water or walking on the beach means more exercise. If you're out there to exercise, the sand adds resistance to your exercise routine. With sand moving out from under your feet, it makes running, walking, and keeping your balance more difficult, helping you work a bit harder.

4 – GROUNDING DAY

Many of us rarely spend time with our feet on the ground getting the electroactivity balancing benefits of regular grounding. Grounding has been shown to have many physiological benefits, including reducing inflammation and helping normalize your circadian rhythm. Wet sand is a great conductor, and floating in your tube is grounding too. That means you can get the health benefits of grounding without even trying with a day at the beach.

5 – BETTER SLEEP

It might be the grounding. Or is it all the exercise, melatonin generated by the sun, or the relaxation of the beach? Does it matter? A day at the beach will help you sleep better. Building great sleep habits are essential for health and healing, so take advantage of this benefit. A beach day can help you get started on steps to get better sleep.

6 – GREAT FOR SKIN

Your skin is your largest organ and is your body's first line of defense in protecting you from bacteria or toxins. You can do something nice for your skin by going to the beach because sand and salt are excellent exfoliants. Take care of that skin with a nontoxic SPF, healthy foods, and good lotion. Everybody wants healthy soft skin, and your skin deserves it!

BONUS BEACH HEALTH BENEFIT:

If swimming in the ocean, you get all the benefits of absorbing trace minerals through your skin. That includes magnesium, an electrolyte that supports many critical biological functions, including heart and muscle function. It's also been shown to reduce anxiety and help you sleep.

TAKE A BEACH DAY

You need to go to the beach to take advantage of all the natural health benefits of the beach. It's a healthy day without even trying. You don't need much, but if you make a day of it pack some healthy snacks and a nontoxic sunscreen.