Beach vacations can save one from mental disorder - Study finds

Vacations of any kind are a great way to unwind and relax after a period of serious activity, and now a new study has also found that beach vacations can be great for one's mental state of health.

Michigan State University, in a new research, found that living in a location where you have the chance to see a lot of blue spaces, like a body of water, leads to lower levels of “psychological distress.”

Wellington, New Zealand was the focus city of the research which assessed the correlation between whether or not people could see the ocean, against the country’s health records.

Other factors like age, sex, and wealth were also considered and it was found that living by the sea still improved people’s mental health.

It however also found that those looking at “green space” like parks or recreation fields didn’t receive the same mental health boost as those living by the sea.

Research co-author, Amber Pearson gave the reason for this finding as the fact that the brain can process natural backdrops better.

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Speaking with Lonely Planet, Pearson said "[that] reduces sensory stimuli and promotes mental relaxation, surely mental relaxation is part of the purpose of travel and holidays.”

She however admitted there’s more research to be done to see if those other senses come into play (such as hearing the rhythm of the waves) in regards to the healing effects of a body of water.

Although the study didn’t examine the effects of shorter time periods spent by water, many travelers might argue the sounds, smells, and sight of an ocean certainly evoke that feeling of “island time.”