Constant pressure, unforeseen situations and bad health can cause mental imbalance. Feeling of loneliness, helplessness, hopelessness and low affect can hamper your daily functioning. If prolonged, it may worsen and result in clinical depression.
“DEPRESSION” – it is a serious medical condition that negatively affects how you feel, think and act. It is a constant feeling of sadness, helplessness, hopelessness and worthlessness which leads to disturbance in social, educational and occupational functioning. Depression today, is a very commonly known disorder, often misused term for low mood and popular hash tags on social media. WHO estimate that more than 300 people are suffering from depression is not just low mood; it is a serious psychological disorder that needs attention and treatment.
Psychiatric medications and various psychotherapeutic interventions like CBT (cognitive behavioural theory) mindfulness, REBT (Rational Emotive Behavioural Therapy) and many more are common therapies offered for the treatment. Most clinical psychologist often suggests a change of environment for clinically depressed clients. The question is – “which geographical location in adequate in bringing about a positive change in the condition of the individual?” … Mostly people think of going to mountain to spend some quiet time with themselves in the aloofness of the tress, feeling the chilled air passing through their hair. Mountains and cold winds is the wrong option to be visited by individuals suffering from depression, because as you go higher up the altitude, the air gets thinner causing a condition called hypoxia (condition in which the brain does not get the sufficient oxygen) when the oxygen levels received by the brain reduces, brains production of serotonin (chemical responsible for eliciting feelings of happiness and well-being) is hampered. As serotonin level dip, individual is already undergoing depression would not benefit, rather would result in deteriorating the condition.
“BEACH” – A large body of water with an area of sand around it .Beach is the right place to be at for the individuals suffering from depression, the feeling of warmth, calmness and healing. Just the colour of the water- blue- has an overwhelming feeling of calm and peace. As soon as you get off onto the beach there is a distressing effect. The sun and waves combined together causes immediate release of serotonin; completely relaxing the body from aches and stress.
The sounds of waves are often used as the background music in meditation session and photo therapy is often recommended for people suffering from depression. Hence being at the beach is indeed a natural therapeutical setting for the individuals suffering from depression. Depression often leads to disturbances in sleep patterns. Walking on the beach is a great exercise which helps in lowering high stress and anxiety levels thus elevating mood and restoring the hormonal balancing; making it easier to fall asleep.
Just ten minutes in the sun, is enough to restore the level of vitamin D and make your skin glow, making you feel good and happy about yourself. Ocean water is rich in iodine which has anti-septic and anti-bacterial properties. It helps in boosting the functioning of the thyroid glands and the immune system; helping the person feel stronger and healthier it promotes physical as well as mental health of a person.
Beach helps you connect with yourself. The vast ocean, unending horizon and the beauty around makes you indulge in the feeling of gratitude. Gratitude helps you focus on what you want what you have and be grateful for rather that focusing on what you don’t and feeling glum! You will feel at peace with your thoughts, your problems and most importantly with yourself.
It is summer season and indeed the best time to hit a beach. Take a week off and swim across the ocean, heal yourself and soak up the sun!!!
