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You likely have friends or family who love seaside destinations as a vacation to rest and restore, if you’re not one of those people yourself. Maybe you’ve even heard the emerging science backing the health benefits of “blue spaces” or areas that surround bodies of water. Is it really true that people who live near the ocean are healthier and happier? While everyone has their own individual take on their definition of a happy place, there is some science that suggests ocean air could have many health benefits for those who spend their days nearby.
Health benefits of blue spaces
There have been many studies that suggest people who live near or in nature are less stressed. Although more thorough research is needed to continue to understand the full scope of the benefits, many theorize that overpopulation and pollution may be contributing factors as well. In a meta-analysis on the benefits of living near blue spaces, it was found that living near water could significantly increase an individual’s physical activity levels and therefore benefit overall health and wellbeing (Neuroscience News, 2021). In another review of studies, evidence suggested a positive association between greater exposure to outdoor blue spaces and both benefits to mental health and well-being as well as levels of physical activity (Gascon, et al., 2017). Many already know and experience the healing benefits of blue spaces and understand how these areas contribute to a balanced ecosystem. Being near this type of nature and engaging with the natural environment can bring feelings of connection to nature, increasing quality of wellbeing.
Halotherapy: Salt air aids in respiratory health
It is said that physicians from as early as the 17th and 18th centuries were already prescribing their patients with time near the ocean to help with respiratory issues, but is there science today that can back the benefits of this practice? Halotherapy, an alternate therapy that involves breathing in salty air, has become increasingly popular in modern days in the form of man-made salt caves and salt water float tanks. In a 2014 study, it was found that halotherapy can trigger anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic responses in people with bronchial asthma or chronic bronchitis (Lazarescu, et al., 2014). Although there is not much new or consistent research to back up the many claims in support of halotherapy, many people still seek out the benefits of being by the sea nonetheless.
Negative ions are present around moving water
Among many other variables, it is believed that the positive effects of being near an ocean can be attributed to a higher concentration of negative ions in the air. Negative air ions are molecules that have an extra electron, leaving them negatively charged. Because of this charge, they can attract and bind with molecules that are positively charged. Negative ions can be found in their highest concentration in nature, especially near water (or where water collides with itself like in the oceans, rivers, or waterfalls), around plants (which emit negative ions during photosynthesis), in the UV rays of the sun, as well as in the air surrounding a strike of lightning or thunder clap (Jewell, 2019).
Ions were discovered over 100 years ago and in modern times, man-made ionizer machines have been used for cleansing the air of pollutants, allergens and microbes. In a 2018 review of literature on negative ions in relation to human health, it was found that negative ions could help regulate sleep and mood, reduce stress, increase the function of the nervous system, and kill or inhibit growth of harmful microbes such as bacteria, viruses, and mold (Jiang, et al., 2018). In a meta-analysis on air ions and mood outcomes, results showed that negative ionization was associated with lower depression ratings (Perez, et al., 2013). In addition to the biochemical effect these ions can have on the human body, nature, specifically blue space, can aid in promoting wellbeing by encouraging physical activity.
Research and science are slowly catching up with studies that can help us understand better what happens in our bodies when we spend more time in nature. Outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers alike already know and reap the benefits of being more interconnected to nature and with further evidence from the science community we can better understand the reasons why our bodies can heal in nature.
References
Gascon M, Zijlema W, Vert C, White MP, Nieuwenhuijsen MJ. Outdoor blue spaces, human health and well-being: A systematic review of quantitative studies. Int J Hyg Environ Health. 2017 Nov;220(8):1207-1221. doi: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2017.08.004. Epub 2017 Aug 18. PMID: 28843736.
Jiang SY, Ma A, Ramachandran S. Negative Air Ions and Their Effects on Human Health and Air Quality Improvement. Int J Mol Sci. 2018 Sep 28;19(10):2966. doi: 10.3390/ijms19102966. PMID: 30274196; PMCID: PMC6213340.
Jewell, T. (September 11, 2019). The Effect of Negative Ions. Healthline: Mental Wellbeing. Retrieved from: https://www.healthline.com/health/negative-ions
Lazarescu H, Simionca I, Hoteteu M, Munteanu A, Rizea I, Iliuta A, Dumitrascu D, Dumitrescu E. Surveys on therapeutic effects of "halotherapy chamber with artificial salt-mine environment" on patients with certain chronic allergenic respiratory pathologies and infectious-inflammatory pathologies. J Med Life. 2014;7 Spec No. 2(Spec Iss 2):83-7. PMID: 25870681; PMCID: PMC4391365.
Neuroscience News. March 12, 2021. Retrieved from: https://neurosciencenews.com/blue-space-mental-health-18086/
Perez V, Alexander DD, Bailey WH. Air ions and mood outcomes: a review and meta-analysis. BMC Psychiatry. 2013 Jan 15;13:29. doi: 10.1186/1471-244X-13-29. PMID: 23320516; PMCID: PMC3598548.
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