Florida beaches are some of the most beautiful beaches in the world and going to the beach can be a wonderful way to promote both physical and mental well-being. The beach offers opportunities for physical activity, such as swimming or beach volleyball, which can promote cardiovascular health and reduce the risk of chronic disease. Additionally, being in nature also allows us to disconnect from the demands of our daily lives and be fully present in the moment, promoting mindfulness. Overall, the beach can be a great place to rejuvenate and nurture our mind, body and spirit.

Clearwater, Cocoa Beach, Melbourne, all these fantastic beaches are easily drivable and can be fun day trips, and Lake Nona is less than an hour away from the closest beach! The beach offers a multitude of opportunities for physical expressions. Swimming, beach volleyball and surfing are just a few activities that can be done at the beach. These are all exercises that promote cardiovascular health and thus reduce the risk of chronic disease. 

However, even if you choose to simply walk, you will experience a new range of use for your muscles. Walking, jogging or running on streets is different from doing so on sand. The sandy beach allows you to experience a new ground that is excellent for training small muscles in your feet! Simply walking or jogging on the soft beach sand trains muscles that can become weak from underuse. Additionally, it reduces impact stress and since it requires more energy, you get a greater caloric burn. So long as you are practicing sun safety, the body receives many benefits from going to the beach. 

The combination of sea air, sunshine and sand creates a peaceful and calming environment that can help reduce stress and anxiety. Research has shown that the practice of mindfulness increases cognitive flexibility and decreases emotional reactivity. Although mindfulness can be practiced anytime, it is easier to practice when your senses are awakened and the objects of attention are easy to identify. For example, what does it currently smell like, right now? Or what are the tastes in your mouth right now? The beach provides very tactile and identifiable sensory stimuli for practicing mindfulness. 

The next time you go to the beach, try this mindfulness exercise and fully take in each aspect with one sense at a time:

1. Begin by admiring the views. Notice the water. Notice the waves and their rhythm as they roll in and sweep out. Look at the horizon and find the space where the ocean ends and the sky begins. Notice the colors and textures present on the ground and in the sky. Allow your eyes to take in all that is present without letting your mind judge what it is seeing.
2. Gently soften or close your eyes and notice where you are sitting. Notice the feeling of sand underneath you. What is the temperature on your body? Are there areas that are colder or warmer than others? Can you feel heavier or lighter in some spaces? Allow your body to feel the air as it surrounds you. Notice the breeze. Allow your body to experience all it touches without judging, simply noticing.
3. Let your ears take in all the sounds around you. What is the first sound you hear? Can you hear the rhythm of the waves? What is the loudest sound? Can you identify the quietest sound? This may even be yourself breathing. Notice if there are any animals chirping or talking or singing. Notice all the sounds as they enter your awareness and resist the urge to judge the sounds as pleasant or unpleasant.
4. Take a breath with your mouth and notice the flavors present. Is the air salty? Sweet? Is there texture present in the air? Maintain a non-judgmental awareness of all the tastes present. 
5. Resume breathing through your nose. What are the smells at the beach? What does the air feel like as it enters the body? Can you smell the salty air? What does this air smell like and feel like? Simply notice the smells and your breath without judgment.
6. Finish your practice by noticing all that is present at the beach. Let your senses be bathed in all that is present. 

Let this quick practice be a part of your next time at the beach and let your body and your mind indulge in well-being. Being at the beach offers many sensory experiences that promote wellness. And lucky us, living in the Nonahood lets us receive all these benefits in less than an hour!