Beach Visits and Stress Reduction


By Patricia Rand

With the MiraCosta College campuses located so close to the Pacific, you may have plans to head to the beach over the weekend. The ocean is a place many of us love to be. Whether it’s to surf, check out the view, exercise or walk at sunset, or spend a picnic day with friends, the beach can be the perfect place.

In addition to being a lot of fun, you may notice your mood is better and you feel calmer around the ocean. Spending time near the water has positive effects on mental health.

Nearness to the coast, and other ‘blue spaces’ like rivers, lakes, canals and waterfalls, is associated with both physical and mental wellbeing, increased levels of vitamin D, improved social life, less anxiety, and increased creativity. Studies have shown that the negative ions in the air around water have benefits for the body and increase serotonin production. Negative ions help us fight fatigue, depression, energy depletion, burnout, and stress. Negative ions are made in nature and help us form good biochemical reactions. This is why you may feel restored a bit after a rainstorm. A visit to the beach will help with this, too.

Other boosts to our mental health at the beach come from environmental factors like less polluted air and more sunlight. Also, people who live by water tend to be more physically active and do more water sports, as well as hiking, walking, skating and biking.

Going to the beach is a great way to clear your head, get clean fresh air, and enjoy the beauty of nature. It’s also an excellent form of mental health therapy for times of anxiety, depression, and stress. With the ocean right around the corner from our campus, finals week is a great time to visit the ocean to boost your health and wellness.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Hiring Health Services Peer Educators!

Image
Are you thinking about a career in public health, nursing or mental health? Students, come work with us! Health Services is looking to hire motivated, energetic and responsible students to represent us on campus. Hours: 10 hours/week (commitment of a MINIMUM of 5 hours/week each week) Pay: $15.50 - Federal Work Study eligible but not needed (DACA-recipients welcome) Schedule: Weekly staff meetings/trainings are on the Oceanside campus. The remainder of hours will be scheduled based on your availability, Monday-Friday. Location: Oceanside, San Elijo, and occasional remote projects Job Summary: Under the supervision of a Mental Health Counselor and Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Peer Educators act as the bridge between Health Services and MiraCosta students. Ideal Students: Interested in exploring a career in mental health, social work, nursing, public health, and related professions. Interested in supporting the MiraCosta College student body. Passionate about reducing stigma ar
Read more

Here’s why you shouldn’t test for COVID

Image
  By Kim Marquardt, RN MSN This blog post is from the Nurse Kim archives of myth busting. I want to share some "alternative" or maybe just lesser known health and wellness viewpoints for you to chew on. *These posts are not intended as official medical advice. They ARE meant to be fun, informative, and thought provoking, hopefully sparking an interest for you to do your own research (you can start with the links I provide!) and discover the marvels of the human body, and how it can function at its optimal performance level if we understand how it works and interacts with our environment and our diet. I have a passion for health and wellness through lifestyle and nutrition and have done thousands of hours of research in addition to being a registered nurse for 23 years. I have done A LOT of self-experimentation in and around diet, lifestyle, body care, and supplementation and have spent a lot of time looking into the science behind it all (or lack thereof!). Check back weekly
Read more

Providing Support for Loved Ones Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence

Image
  by Nidya Ramirez Ibarra, LMFT Nidya Ramirez Ibarra is a bilingual (English/Spanish) Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who grew up in Escondido, CA. An immigrant and past community organizer, Nidya utilizes her knowledge and years of experience as a therapist to co-create a space to initiate change, gain insight, build skills, and establish support. Prior to joining the mental health team at MiraCosta College, among Nidya’s experiences was working for 8 years at a local non-profit with families, individuals, and children struggling with trauma due to intimate partner violence and sexual abuse. In addition to working with student in individual, relationship, and family counseling sessions, Nidya also facilitates MiraCosta’s UPRISE support group for undocumented/ mixed status students and their loved ones. It can be difficult to find out that someone you care about is suffering from intimate partner violence and abuse. The dominant narrative in society says that to be helpful you m
Read more