Happier while living next to the seaside?

Happier while living next to the seaside? /summary

*Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-17743980

Researchers discovered people of all age groups found the seaside more refreshing than the country*

A study to the beneficial effects on the rural and urban environment on people has been presented to the British Psychological Society in which researchers examined the effects of different types of outdoor environments on people. They discovered that the bracing seaside air had a more positive effect on people than the air of the countryside or an urban park.

The study undertaken by Katherine Ashbullby and Mathew White, looked at responses from 2,750 people in England over two years, comparing their experiences of the seaside, countryside and urban parks. While all of these could be refreshing, the greatest sense of pleasure came from exercising beside the sea - regardless of factors such as age, where they lived and who they were with when they were visiting.

There are no clear conclusions about why being beside the seaside should be more refreshing than other types of settings, but the researchers are considering a range of possibilities like social or cultural expectations, individual childhood associations or just the light fall at the beach and the sound of the sea.