Our outdoor swimming community, our Salty flock, has grown vastly over the last year and shows no sign of slowing down. And whilst the main purpose for our time on the beach is usually a swim in the sea and to reap the benefits of cold water swimming this isn’t the only reason we spend time there and isn’t the only thing that makes us feel good.
In a clinical trial both bright light and negative air ion exposure were found to improve the symptoms of Chronic Depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder. And the good new for us sea swimmers is that bright light and negative air ions are readily available by the sea. Artists often talk of the unique quality of light by the sea. The sea absorbs less light that the dark land and is unobstructed to the horizon and beyond. Salty versus soil particles may also play a part. So even on the greyest day the best light is on the coast. Negative ions are created when air molecules are broken apart by moving water like waves. Even on the calmest day small waves will lap the shore.
Negative ions also have an impact on us physically and specifically hormonally, which are intrinsically linked to mental health benefits in the sense that it makes you feel good. The negative ions in the sea air increase your body’s ability to absorb oxygen and balance your serotonin levels. Serotonin is game changer hormone that regulates your mood and induces feelings of happiness and wellbeing. The most commonly prescribed anti-depressant is a serotonin reuptake inhibitor – SSRI. Being at the beach is a natural serotonin booster. You feel more relaxed and energised after being at the beach. The salt in sea water also plays a part by preserving hormone levels in your brain that are commonly linked with reducing the symptoms of depression. Melatonin, helps you to sleep, insomnia is a common infliction for people living with depression and anxiety. Tryptamine regulates multiple processes within the nervous system such as cognition and memory which leaves you feeling more alert and prepared to deal with life when you leave the sea.
And what of the ‘Vitamin Sea’ many refer to. Is there a link between the sea and vitamins? Well the answer is yes – there is a link between the sea and Vitamin D. Vitamin D is absorbed by the body and in the UK we get most of our vitamin D from sunlight exposure or oily fish from the sea. Even on the most overcast day, there is more sunlight by the sea. The surface area of the sea ensures sunlight is not diluted by big buildings or natural landscapes. Diseases such as rickets and osteoporosis are associated with a deficiency of Vitamin D and these diseases are less prevalent amongst coastal dwelling communities. A lack of Vitamin D is also associated with hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and anaemia.
The sea and seascape with a clear view to the horizon and the endless sky is blue, a colour favoured by many people. Human beings preference for colour has been studied the world over. Blue is chosen by many people as their favourite colour and strangely is not associated with the namesake mood of feeling blue. Instead blue calls to mind feelings of calm, peace, stillness, serenity and tranquility. This is in abundance at the beach, even on a stormy foreboding blue day. As well as the colours, the vista of the endless horizon of the sea provides a visual stimuli for your brain. It literally opens your mind to new opportunities and experiences. I have my best thoughts and ideas at the beach.
This quiet headspace that can be found by the water’s edge is not only due to the sight of blue but to the sounds of the sea. The sound of waves alters brain patterns and like a lullaby, soothes you into a relaxed state and allows your body and mind to rest. There is a reason the speakers in spas emit the sounds of the sea. The rhythmic sounds of waves reaching the shore, for me, more so on the shingle, provides the perfect backdrop for meditation or the elusive mindfulness the media tell us we all need to seek out. Again the benefits of mindful meditation are well researched and written about. It reduces stress, provides a window of relaxion, improves peace of mind and can also increase creativity.
Walking on the beach, listening to the waves is a way of exercising the body whilst relaxing the mind. Being by the sea, increases the physical benefits of this form of exercise, negotiating the uneven surfaces of shingle, sand and rocks . You are constantly counter balancing giving your calves, thighs and core a great work out. Swimming in the sea gives your body a full work out and improves your circulation without the high impact and high intensity of other forms of exercise making it appealing to many. But for many when they are in, on or by the sea they don’t even realise they are exercising and improving their physical health. There time spent in the sea is reminiscent of childhood and we instantly become more playful as we enter the water, squealing, laughing, splashing. A great way to manage your wellbeing. When you swim in the sea with your friends it’s like the endless summers of my youth even on winter’s darkest days.
‘Thalassotherapy’ or sea therapy was prescribed by Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine. My home town of Brighton was built by the Victorians as a response to people leaving London in their droves to get some ‘sea air’. Doctors of the time prescribed sea air in the treatment of tuberculosis and consumption. It is true that sea air contains mist of saline water, which seems to have a soothing effect on the mucosal lining of the respiratory system. So, people suffering from inflammatory respiratory conditions can benefit from a lung full of salty sea air. Who knew aspiration of sea spray when a wave whacks you in the face can be beneficial for the lungs. The popularity of cold water swimming to improve your physical and mental health is no a new phenomenon.
And it isn’t just being by the sea that makes us feel good, it’s all bodies of water. Dr Catherine Kelly has written a book entitled; Blue Spaces: How and Why Water Can Make You Feel Better. Catherine Kelly has graciously facilitated talks on all things water and wellbeing for our growing flock over the last few years. She will be again during Mental Health Awareness week when the theme is nature. She will be hosting a webinar and for Brighton and Hove locals, will be available at her beach hut one evening to talk all manner of things water and wellness.
Regardless of my own established connection with the sea this book still taught me things I did not know, encouraged me to reflect on other aspects of blue space and frankly soothed my soul. It’s a well thought out publication. A mixture of wax lyrical stories, scientific study, anecdotal experiences and gentle encouragement to try out easy mindful exercises. It takes you on a journey from Catherine’s own relationship with water to what wellbeing actually means and how blue space can be harnessed to create a calmness of mind. As she quite rightly points out, it is not one size fits all and the book continues to explore the different ways this can work for you in the everyday and particularly in times of great need and stress. The book concludes by looking at the bond between guardianship of blue spaces and wellness. If being by the water makes us feel well we must protect to ensure future generations are able to do the same.
She writes as she speaks, and the tone is ‘just right’. You feel that you are part of the conversation, rather than being spoken to. The balance of academic research and anecdotal encounters with the water make it an accessible read for all. It takes you on a watery walk of reflection and will appeal to a vast array of people for so many different reasons.
Ella Foote, Outdoor Swimming Magazine said; “ A timely read for today’s challenges. Catherine’s wise and informed memoir-style narrative helps us understand why blue spaces are so valued by swimmers everywhere and offers tools for those seeking wellbeing in a new way. “
Don’t take my word for it (or Ella’s) . Go get it. And come and get it signed at the beach hut! (She will have some available to purchase on the night)
Pass the Salt 