Welcome back! Today, I’m going to dive into one of my favorite places to practice mindfulness: the ocean.

Growing up on Long Island, New York, I was never more than a 15-minute car ride from the beach (one of the benefits of living on an island!). During the summer, thousands of people would flock to the shore, setting up their blankets and umbrellas; beaches on Long Island are about as popular as football games in State College. In fact, the beaches would get crowded so quickly that only a few hours after opening, they would have to turn new beachgoers away. This was never a cause for concern, however; there was always another beach a short car ride away.

I invite you to consider: Why are the beaches always so crowded? You might think the answer to this question is obvious—the beach is a fun place to hang out with friends and unwind. But, there lies a hidden answer to this question rooted in mindfulness—the beach (more specifically, the ocean) holds the power to heal.

These healing powers of the ocean have been harnessed into a practice called thalassotherapy (“thalassa” is the Greek word for “sea”), which is rooted in rich history. A professor at the University of Montpellier in France coined the term in 1865, when bathing in seawater gained popularity in Europe. Then, thalassotherapy was used to treat depression, anxiety, and respiratory diseases. However, evidence exists that this practice had been used hundreds of years before across many different cultures—the ancient Egyptians and Romans, for example, are thought to have practiced thalassotherapy as well.

Today, thalassotherapy’s uses have also expanded to help treat a variety of medical conditions. In a 2005 study, it was found that in addition to exercise, thalassotherapy helped to improve quality of life in patients suffering from fibromyalgia. And, in a 2023 review of thalassotherapy, the practice was shown to effectively treat many skin conditions, including eczema and psoriasis, and it may help cancer patients undergoing immunotherapy and radiation treatment to recover more quickly.

With all this in mind, the physical benefits of the ocean are clear—but, the ocean also offers much in the practice of mindfulness and healing the mind. This New York Times article offers a valuable mindfulness practice if you find yourself at the beach. When you arrive, lie down on the sand, feeling the support of the ground and where your body connects with it. Relax, muscle by muscle, and begin to focus on the sound of the ocean crashing against the shore. Close your eyes and breathe in the air, noticing its salty smell. You may also opt to walk along the ocean, feeling the grainy texture of the sand and the cool ocean water with your toes.

This mindfulness exercise is not only easy to practice, but it helps you to appreciate the present moment and escape the whirlwind of thoughts in your brain, a technique called grounding. It makes sense, then, why the beach is so popular—dedicating your attention to the ocean and the sand assists in refocusing your thoughts of worry, sadness, and anger to more positive ones.

As Penn State students, we have the unfortunate disadvantage of living quite a distance from the shore, but, if you have the opportunity to visit the beach during summer vacation or any other break, make sure to utilize the above techniques for a more mindful and healing experience.