From the sandy beaches to clifftop views, coastal breaks are favoured by many British tourists, and a new study has shed some light on why we really do like to be beside the seaside.
After asking more than 4,500 volunteers to recall a recent outdoor visit, researchers found that the majority portrayed a greater connectedness to nature and feelings of restoration following excursions to rural or coastal locations than they did after spending time in urban areas… In other words, it’s good for the mind and soul and causes “greater psychological contentment.” The report reads:
“Exposure to nature can strengthen an individual’s sense of connectedness (i.e., emotional or cognitive bonds to the natural world) and enhance psychological restoration (e.g., feeling relaxed and refreshed)… Consideration of the psychological benefits associated with different types and quality of environment has implications for human health, environmental management, and conservation.”
Visits to protected areas with higher environmental quality, such as national parks, were also found to make spirits soar – while trips that lasted longer than 30 minutes carried the greatest psychological effects. Psychology expert Dr Kayleigh Wyles, who undertook the research at Plymouth Marine Laboratory, said:
“These findings are important as they not only help us unpick the mechanisms behind these psychological benefits, but they can also help prioritise the protection of these environments.”
To date, there have been few large studies looking at the role that type and quality of natural environments may have on these outcomes.
