Being beside the seaside can make us feel better, says new study
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Psychological benefits may be the reason why so many people like to be beside the seaside.
A study has found that a walk on a beach has more impact on emotional well-being than a stroll in the park.
Researchers looked at data from 2,750 participants in a two-year study of people's engagement with the natural environment.
All outdoor locations were associated with positive feelings of enjoyment, calmness and refreshment.
But visits to the coast were the most beneficial, while urban parks had the least effect.
The trend remained after taking account of factors such as age, distance of travel, the presence of others, and type of activity.
Mathew White, from the European Centre for Environment and Human Health in Truro, Cornwall, said: "There is a lot of work on the beneficial effects of visiting natural environments, but our findings suggest it is time to move beyond a simple 'urban versus rural' debate and start looking at the effect that different natural environments have on people's health and well-being."
The research was presented today at the British Psychological Society's annual meeting in London.
PA
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments