People who live close to the sea are happier and have better mental health compared those who live inland, a new study has found.
According to research by the University of Exeter, people who live less than a kilometre from the coast are around 22 per cent less likely to have symptoms of a mental health disorder than those who live 50km or more away.
More than 25,000 people from various economic backgrounds were surveyed. While the study saw an improvement in mood and mental health across the board, moving to a coastal environment was found to be of particular benefit for people from low-income households.
Published in the Health and Place journal, the findings add to growing evidence that access to blue spaces, particularly coastal environments, might improve health and well-being.
‘This kind of research into blue health is vital to convincing governments to protect, create and encourage the use of coastal spaces,’ said researcher Dr. Mathew White, according to Country Living.
‘We need to help policymakers understand how to maximise the wellbeing benefits of “blue” spaces in towns and cities and ensure that access is fair and inclusive for everyone, while not damaging our fragile coastal environments.’