Those of us who live by the ocean know that there are countless reasons it is better than living in a landlocked state. It can be hard for us to be away from the coast for very long. 

This isn’t just because we’re blessed with a beautiful beach and would rather spend our day relaxing on it with a good book and playing in the ocean than doing anything else in the world. There are health benefits to the ocean too.

1. Acne

Do you ever notice that pesky little zits that bug you all school year stop coming around in June? No, they’re not giving you a break; they’ll still pop up the night of formal. The reason your acne stops in the summer has everything to do with ocean water. The salt in the water cleanses your skin of the bacteria and oils that cause acne. Salt water can also dry out your skin which tends to cause acne, so always be sure to use moisturizing face sunscreen to combat this. 

2. Heatstroke     

Typically, swimming in the ocean and high temperatures go hand in hand. Unless you’re doing a polar bear plunge, it’s pretty senseless to jump in the ocean in the middle of winter.  The time to jump in is the middle of July when the thermometer is pushing 100 and you’re sitting in your beach chair wondering if it’s a bad thing that you’re sweating more sitting on the beach than when you work out at the gym. Going for a quick dip will cool you off and reset your body temperature to allow you to stay a bit longer in the heat. Of course, remember to drink enough water; you may not feel thirsty when you’re relaxing but it’s important for your body to stay hydrated, especially in the heat.    

3. Hangovers

There’s a saying about the ocean that’s Pinterest-worthy if you paint it on a canvas, “salt water is the cure for everything: sweat, tears, the ocean.” Only people who are miserably hungover know how true this can be. A good hangover cure is exercise. Sweating out the toxins can be helpful in shortening the time your hangover lasts. Sitting on the beach isn’t exercise, but it does make you sweat. Once you’re good and sweaty, jump in the ocean and wash those toxins off your body. Diving under a wave is also extremely  refreshing and can make your head feel better.   

4. Wounds

Similar to how salt water helps acne, it can help to heal minor wounds. The sodium chloride in the water cleans out the wound and aids to it to scab over more quickly. Sometimes the water will sting your cut but tough it out and it will stop hurting in no time. Now, there are some horror stories about a cut becoming infected after swimming in the ocean because of some flesh eating bacteria in that water. However, those stories are rare, and to prevent this from happening to you, don’t use the ocean as a cure for major wounds, it’s best for minor cuts and scrapes.

  5. Boredom

If you’re not a book person, laying on the beach all day can get boring. What do you do to cure that boredom? You jump in the ocean! Bring your boogie board or just your friends and go for a swim or bodysurf some waves.  Jumping around in the ocean is a playful exercise that produces endorphins. Anyone who’s seen Legally Blonde knows exactly what endorphins do...they make you happy!