Few things are better (or more relaxing) than spending the summer on a beach vacation. If your idea of paradise includes sinking your toes into the sand while the sun warms you after a dip in the ocean, you probably won’t be surprised to learn that spending time by the water does wonders for your mind and mood. And, according to experts, there are smart ways to reap even more mental health benefits from your seaside sojourn.
“Beach vacations are a wonderful time to take some time for yourself and give yourself the opportunity and space to focus on your own mental health and well-being,” says certified life coach and counselor. Rosa Talavera-Kaufman According to Yahoo Life, here’s what experts recommend to maximize your feeling of well-being during your next trip to the beach.
Experience something totally new for yourself.
It’s all well and good to relax with a read on the beach, but it’s even better to try a new experience that will stimulate your body and brain for the long term. It can be as simple as getting on a stand-up paddleboard for the first time, but you can also take it a step further by adding an experience you already had in mind to your itinerary, such as swimming in a bioluminescent bay among microorganisms that glow a striking neon blue.
“It’s scary, in a primal way, to dive into dark, murky waters,” Seattle attorney Julia Guarino tells Yahoo Life of attempting the latter at the oceanfront resort. Oyster Bay Excellence in Montego Bay, Jamaica. “But seeing the magical blue glow extending from your hands as you swim… I’ve never experienced anything like it,” he says, noting a sense of wonder that many beachgoers experience when swimming in bioluminescence.
Studies have shown that this same sense of wonder can be… Good for both your mental and physical health.. Psychologist Reena Patel agrees: “Spending time in a new environment [and] “Participating in enjoyable activities can boost your mood, stimulate creativity, and inspire new ideas,” she tells Yahoo Life. “When you’re on a beach vacation, it’s the perfect time to try something new.”
Dig your toes into the sand
According to Patel, the calming effects of a simple walk on the beach are known to help reduce anxiety. “As you walk on the sand in bare feet, this is a great time to take advantage of your surroundings and practice grounding,” she explains.
“To make the most of a beach vacation, you can use mini-grounding techniques,” behavioral health specialist Mark Debus tells Yahoo Life. “This can include taking walks on the beach and focusing on feeling the sand and waves on your feet and ankles.” Debus notes that people often unconsciously bring anxiety and tension from their home or work environment with them on vacation, and that practicing grounding strategies during a beach walk can help you focus on mindfulness and even lower your heart rate and blood pressure.
“In general, focus on the physical environment around you,” Debus suggests. “Stay grounded and do your best to detach and take your mind off things that aren’t related to relaxation.”
Life coach Talavera-Kaufman suggests taking a grounding walk under a full moon for maximum benefits. “For those looking to connect with their intuitive side, visiting the beach at night under a full moon and stars can be a powerful experience,” she says. Lunar cycles affect behavior, she explains, so being on the beach under a full moon “can help awaken intuition along with meditation and grounding practices.”
It may sound strange, but many bathers (and… scientific studies also — will attest that being by the water brings peace, calm and clarity. “It’s really great for mental health and is a great opportunity for self-reflection, intentional thinking and meditation,” adds Talavera-Kaufman.
Avoid the temptation of ‘work’
In it The era of digital nomadism: working while you’re “on vacation” —also known as a “workation”—is all the rage. But keeping up those Zoom calls and work appointments is actually going to undermine the potential physical and mental benefits of that beach trip, Debus explains. Instead, she advises travelers to “make a date with the beach!”
Aye Moah is a workplace mental health expert and CEO of productivity brand Boomerang. It’s not the first time she’s felt like she can’t switch off just because she’s at the beach. “It can be hard to fully relax and enjoy a vacation with work stress in the back of your mind,” says Moah. She advises taking some simple preparation steps before vacation to eliminate work anxiety in advance and ensure you can fully switch off once you arrive at your destination.
“Set clear boundaries with your manager and team before you leave about your availability,” she tells Yahoo Life. “By telling your team what they can expect (and you should make it clear that you’ll be completely offline), you’ll avoid any chance of confusion.” Next, take a look at upcoming deadlines and send out as much as you can in advance. Finally, leave a memo detailing who your colleagues should contact for different types of questions or issues. “This way,” Moah explains, “if anyone at your company or externally has any questions while you’re away, they can be handled and you won’t find yourself with 100 tasks piling up again. And you can focus on relaxing knowing that nothing is going to slip through the cracks while you’re away.”
Once you hit that long-awaited vacation, it’s time to take the hardest and most powerful step of all: “Disconnect work email from your phone,” Moah urges. And turn off notifications from Slack or Teams — or better yet, uninstall the apps entirely until you return. “Ultimately,” he says, you should “focus on completely disconnecting — you’ll come back less stressed and more creative.”
