Seawater and Sea Air, Good for Mind, Body and Soul
No matter the time of year a day at the seaside will always leave you feeling better. There are so many ways in which the beach affects your mind and body. The salt tang in the air, the rhythm of the waves, the way the horizon seems to stretch our thinking as well as our breathing. Long before wellness became an industry, people believed the sea could heal. Today, modern research is beginning to catch up with that ancient intuition.
From skin health and respiratory relief to improved mood and deeper sleep, time by the coast offers a surprising range of benefits. Some are firmly backed by science, others are more subtle and still being explored. Together, they help explain why the seaside continues to feel like a place of quiet restoration.
Why Has the Sea Always Been Associated with Healing?
The idea that seawater is therapeutic isn’t new. It dates back to ancient Greece, where Hippocrates wrote (Treaty of Medicine) of the sea’s ability to soothe skin conditions and support respiratory health. The Romans followed suit, building bathing complexes near the coast. As the playwright Euripides famously observed, “The sea washes away the ills of men.”
In the 18th century, seawater thermal baths and the practice of “taking the waters” became fashionable in England.
Margate’s Royal Sea Bathing Hospital, founded in 1791, treated patients with seawater immersion for tuberculosis and chronic skin disease. Across Europe, this practice became known as thalassotherapy – from thalassa, the Greek word for sea.
Although these treatments declined with the rise of antibiotics, interest has returned in recent decades, supported by a growing body of medical and environmental research.
Is Seawater Good for Your Skin?
For certain skin conditions, the answer is a qualified yes.
Psoriasis, eczema and inflammatory skin conditions
Clinical evidence is strongest for psoriasis. Modern studies show that seawater bathing, particularly when combined with natural sunlight (a treatment known as balneophototherapy), can significantly reduce symptoms and improve quality of life.
Research on Dead Sea climatotherapy has reported reductions of up to 88% in psoriasis severity scores, with many patients maintaining improvements for months. Saltwater combined with UVB exposure has also been shown to outperform UV treatment alone in controlled trials.
The benefits are thought to come from a mix of factors:
- The anti-inflammatory properties of magnesium
- Improved skin hydration
- The osmotic effect of salt, which helps remove scaling and calm irritation
For eczema and atopic dermatitis, results are more mixed, but many people report reduced itchiness and calmer skin after regular sea bathing.
Can Sea Air Help You Breathe More Easily?
Many coastal visitors notice that breathing feels easier by the sea, and there may be some truth in that.
Sea air contains fine salt aerosols created by breaking waves. These particles may help loosen mucus and clear the upper airways, which is why salt-based inhalation therapies are sometimes used for respiratory conditions. While large-scale randomised trials are limited, smaller studies and clinical observations suggest benefits for people with asthma, sinus issues and chronic respiratory irritation.
The spray from crashing sea waves releases iodine into the air, so as you are taking in a peaceful stroll along the beach you are breathing in the benefits of iodine entering your respiratory system. Salt air from the sea clears your nasal canals helping to cure asthma and other breathing problems.
It’s not a cure, but as you are taking in a peaceful stroll along the beach you are breathing in the benefits
Do You Absorb Minerals From Seawater?
This is where science urges caution.
Seawater contains magnesium, potassium and iodine, and while it’s tempting to assume these are absorbed through the skin, evidence for significant transdermal mineral absorption is limited. Magnesium uptake, in particular, appears minimal according to current reviews.
Iodine is a different story. Studies of coastal populations, especially in seaweed-rich areas such as parts of Ireland, show higher iodine levels even without iodised salt. This is likely due to inhalation of iodine-rich aerosols, rather than skin absorption, and may support thyroid health over time.
Can the Sea Help With Joint and Muscle Pain?
Thalassotherapy has shown consistent benefits for people with rheumatic and musculoskeletal conditions, including:
- Osteoarthritis
- Fibromyalgia
- Ankylosing spondylitis
Warm seawater immersion reduces stress on joints, improves circulation and encourages gentle movement. Combined with the anti-inflammatory effects of minerals and the relaxation response, many people experience reduced pain and improved mobility.
While it isn’t a replacement for medical treatment, it can be a valuable complementary therapy.
Why Being by the Sea Improves Mental Health
One of the strongest areas of evidence comes from research into “blue spaces” – environments that feature water, such as seas, lakes and rivers.
Large-scale UK studies involving tens of millions of people show a clear pattern:
- People living closer to the coast report better overall health and wellbeing
- Those within 1km of the sea experience significantly lower rates of mental distress
- Coastal proximity appears to reduce health inequalities, benefiting lower-income households most
International research across 18 countries echoes these findings, linking coastal visits to improved mood, reduced stress and greater life satisfaction.
Why does the coast have this effect?
Researchers point to several overlapping factors:
- Natural stress reduction from expansive views and rhythmic sounds
- Increased physical activity, such as walking and swimming
- Social connection in shared outdoor spaces
- A sense of perspective and mental “breathing room”
Even views of the sea from home have been shown to enhance wellbeing.
Does the Sound of the Sea Help You Sleep?
The steady sound of the waves is soothing and promotes a deep sense of calmness, and it may also support better sleep.
Ocean sounds act as a form of pink noise, masking sudden disturbances and encouraging the nervous system to shift into a parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) state. Studies have linked these soundscapes to lower cortisol levels and improved sleep quality.
Claims around ‘negative ions’ in sea air boosting mood are more controversial. While ion levels near breaking waves can be far higher than in urban settings, robust evidence for a direct therapeutic effect is inconsistent. The calming experience likely comes more from the environment as a whole than from ions alone.
After returning home from a day by the sea, most people find they sleep more soundly .
The Bigger Picture
With our busy lifestyles, taking time out with an afternoon out by the sea, and simply reading a book, or being mesmerised by the relaxing sound of the waves can have a deeply calming and restorative effect.
Taken together, modern research supports what generations before us seemed to know instinctively: the coast offers something deeply restorative.
From improved skin and joint comfort to calmer minds and better sleep, seawater and sea air can contribute to wellbeing in ways that are both physical and emotional. Not every traditional claim stands up to scrutiny, but enough does to make the sea more than just a pretty backdrop.
Sometimes, healing isn’t about a single mechanism. It’s about space, rhythm, light, movement and breath. And few places bring those elements together quite like the shore.
If it is a warm day, kick of your shoes and socks, and wade through the water.
Whether it’s a bracing winter walk or a summer swim, time by the sea remains one of the simplest, most accessible ways to support body and soul – no prescription required.
