Gift from Mother Nature: this is what a day at the beach unconsciously does to you

‘Look, it's going to be thirty degrees next week. Shall we book a staycation at the beach? Zandvoort? And then eat at that one nice beach tent?’ Sorry, but you only have to ask me this once and I say: legggoooooo. Twenty minutes later, the same friend texts. ‘Look, I booked it. Almost everything was full, so I had to be quick. Nice Airbnb right by the beach!’

I love friendships like this. Hajar and I can go two months without seeing each other, but then suddenly it's not just talking, but getting things done, that kind of work. Plus: how nice is it to really spend quality time with someone and have good conversations instead of cramming all those coffees and dinners into your daily routine ‘just because we always do it that way’?

So there we are, a week later. Lying flat like two sea stars grumbling on a stretcher in the sun. The only thing we do is order snacks + rosé and grow freckles. These are the moments when you realize that having a fun job is worthless if you don't also enjoy the moments around it. Genuine quality time. For yourself, for your friendships, for your body, for your mind.

Research also shows that a day at the beach is literally good for everyone, whether you're twenty or eighty. Doctors have been sending patients to the sea for centuries. And that's not for nothing: in fact, sea air is a medicine you can breathe in. The sea attracts, fascinates, and has had a mysterious allure on people since time immemorial.

But what is it that makes you always feel calmer, fresher, and more positive after a visit to the beach? It's mainly the sound of the sea that has a calming effect, according to researchers. Additionally, the vast ‘emptiness’ of the beach creates space for inner reflection and peace. Our brains also respond positively to seeing water. The smelling and feeling can bring the brain into a state of complete relaxation. This ideal state of calm is great for the release of hormones like dopamine and serotonin, which enhance our sense of happiness. Ahaa.

The beach literally allows you to escape from everything that might stress you out. I literally feel it happening during our beach day. How my feet touch the sand, my nose inhales the salty sea air, and how my eyes enjoy the setting sun.

All senses seem to be stimulated.

So, if you have a week where you think: pfff… or are afraid of a little winter dip because the corona summer was already so short and oppressive: go to the beach. Drag your friend, mother, sister, brother, dad, colleague, whoever along and you will see: no matter how big the problems are, the beach always offers peace.