Photo Credit: Davide D'Amico
Believe it or not, there’s a benefit to coastal living… and we aren’t just talking about the obvious benefit of the beauty of it all. There are health benefits, social benefits and professional benefits that all accompany beachside living!
Health Benefits
According to Live Science, seaside living is good for your health! The University of Exeter's European Centre for the Environment and Human Health have begun a project called "Blue Gym" to study how natural water environments can be used to promote human health and well-being. They have looked at census data in England to see how living near a coast affects people's health. They found that people who lived closer to the coast reported better health. The researchers also looked at the effect of moving near a coast. Moving closer to the sea "significantly improves people's well-being," said Mathew White, an environmental psychologist at Exeter
The researchers are now doing lab experiments to study the physiological benefits of coastal life. In the experiments, people in stressful situations, such as dental surgery, look at either a virtual beach, or the dental room. The trial is ongoing, but early studies suggest people report feeling less pain when immersed in a beach setting.
There’s a reason why most people think of a beach when told to think of their “happy place”!
Social Benefits
As an adult, it is often hard to meet new people and make friends outside of the workplace. This is something that you don’t have to worry about quite so much when living near the beach. Beaches offer so many recreational activities and groups that you can join. Enjoy sailing? Join a boat club! Love to surf? Go hangout at the Venice Hangwater and meet up with other surfers! It’s much easier to find people interested in what you love to do when they all meet up at the water to do it!
Professional Benefits
This is the least expected benefit to coastal living. Oceanside real estate is generally more expensive than inland real estate, so when you live near the water you are living around successful people with similar means. Living in close proximity to successful people to network with can quickly help you make connections that will make you more successful.
The benefits make this a no brainer. Moving to the coast is one of the best decisions you can make for both your health and happiness!
Author: Mariah Terry