What’s a place you visited that felt like home?
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I’ll be the first to admit that compared to others, I’ve hardly been anywhere. I’ve never even left Queensland, my home state, let alone the country. When I saw this question, I found myself thinking of the places that I have been, and if I felt at home at them. A few specific places stand out to me, but upon further contemplation, I came to a realisation: it wasn’t the place, but rather what featured in every single one of those locations: the beach.
Now, anyone who knows me would find that to be quite strange due to one simple fact: I can’t swim. Not for lack of trying; I had lessons throughout my childhood, but it was just something that I couldn’t quite catch onto. But it’s not swimming in the ocean that appeals to me, but rather, the beach itself.
There’s something about going to the beach that just fills me with a sense of peace, of belonging. The times I’ve spent holidaying at the Sunshine Coast were some of the happiest of my life. It was such a simple pleasure, and it was a feeling I could never replicate where I live now, simply because I can’t get up in time to watch the sun rise over the beautiful blue ocean. I almost felt like an entirely different person there, one who wasn’t filled with so much stress and anxiety. If I had the means, I’d move there in a heartbeat.
But why is it I felt so peaceful at the beach, sitting on the sand, watching the waves, when I don’t feel that way literally anywhere else?
Turns out, there’s quite a few reasons why this may be.
Why the beach may relax us
The waves come in and out, in and out…even as I type that, I can imagine it in my mind’s eye and I can feel the effect. The gentle rhythm of the sight and sound of the waves crashing against the shore activates our minds and body. Breathing regulates to match the rhythm, and our brainwaves’ frequency slows.
The result is that we drop into a mild meditative state, effectively de-stimulating the body and decreasing stress levels and increasing our feel-good emotions like serotonin. Our mood improves, as does our memory and focus. An added bonus is that cortisol also decreases, which helps alleviate inflammation – so going to the beach may help with chronic pain, also.
Then there’s the smell. The smell of the ocean breeze, the salty taste in the air. This may be the result of negative ions in the air, which can occur around bodies of water such as lakes, oceans and waterfalls. This increases the production of serotonin, which generally uplifts our mood and makes us feel more at peace and happy.
We can’t ignore the feeling of the sun against our skin, of course. Vitamin D is an essential vitamin in our lives, and low levels of Vitamin D is associated with low energy levels, aching bones and muscle weakness. Some time spent sitting on the beach in the sun not only increases our moods, but also keeps us healthy – though, it’s important to remember that the same sunshine that can help us can also hurt us, so sunscreen is essential.
Finally, consideration must be given to the colour that you take in while sitting on the beach: the blue ocean and blue sky (if it’s a clear day, of course!). Blue has long since been associated with feelings of calmness and serenity – and the beach is the epitome of calmness and serenity.
So what if you can’t get to the beach?
If you’re like me, then the beach is out of your reach. If I could, I’d move to the coast in a heartbeat and spend every morning walking along the sand, watching the sun rise.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t take some of the points raised above and integrate them into your day-t0-day life. Meditation can be achieved listening to the sound of the ocean, and many places sell candles designed to replicate the scent of the seaside. Incorporating wall art and a calming blue colour scheme into your home could help also – as could the simple act of going out into the sun for at least five minutes a day.
It may not be the exact same, but when you can’t have the real thing, it’s a pretty darn good way to bring a bit of beach into your life on a daily basis.
Resources
Heiser, C [2017] What the beach does to your brain. NBC News, accessed online at https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/what-beach-does-your-brain-ncna78723
Seas Your Dreams [2026] Ocean Healing Powers: How the Sea Revitalizes Mind, Body, and Soul. Seas Your Dreams, accessed online at https://seasyourdreams.org/ocean-healing-powers/
Vance, E [2026] Why Watching Ocean Waves Calms the Mind. Feelsy, accessed online at https://feelsy.life/blog/why-ocean-waves-are-calming
University of Exeter [2018] Evidence shows ocean sound may help reduce stress and create a sense of calm. Phys.org, accessed online at https://phys.org/news/2018-05-evidence-ocean-stress-calm.html
I’m doing One Foot Forward! The goal is to walk 40km in the month of October to raise money for Mental Health in Australia. If you want to donate to me, please follow this link. Any amount helps!
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