Is Living Next to Water Beneficial?

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For a lot of people, they’ll be quick to admit that if they looked outside and saw concrete and iron, that the view isn’t that impressive. In fact, those types of views can be a little depressing for some people. It might be this particular reason why some people see the appeal to homes with a view of a lake or an ocean. According to a recent study, living near the water can be really good for you.

 

The research is based out of Hong Kong China, where participants were asked to spend time in “blue spaces”. These blue spaces are places like beaches, harbors, coastlines, or anywhere else with a large body of water. They found that those who spent time there had good self-reported health. This research was further backed by a press release from the University of Exeter. The press release explained that those who visited places by the water regularly had a lower risk of experiencing depression.

 

The research in Hong Kong that was done took 1,000 people with eighty percent of participants being over 50 years old. They asked them some questions about their health and emotional well-being. They also asked about how much time they spend near water, or “blue spaces.”

 

After the responses, the researchers discovered that spending time near water wasn’t just linked to positive well-being. In fact, the blue spaces might be a valuable resource for public health.

 

To quote the press release:

 

“Our evidence suggests that Hong Kong’s harbors, beaches, and other natural blue spaces could be an important public health resource, at least for older residents. We found that people with a view of these environments reported better health, while those who visited regularly reported better well-being.”

 

With this in mind, the researchers looked further into whether it would be good to live near water. They found that if you live a walkable distance (roughly ten to 15 minutes away) that you will be more likely to spend more time there when you’re free. This means that you are more likely to go there frequently and receive a number of benefits.

 

The research also found that those who spend longer time while also engaging in higher-intensity activities will get more benefits there. For example, if you are doing HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) or even jogging or running, you’ll get a larger boost to your emotional state.

 

The lesson here from this research is clear: if you are near any kind of body of water, it’ll help you mentally. From a massive lake to even a pool, you’ll get benefits and have improved health.