Beach Vibes for Mental Health

Going to the beach can be a great way to help with your mental health. One of the things to remember is that with mental health learning what you need is important to your journey. So what is it about a beach day that is helpful?

Loving the Beach is Essential

In order for a beach day to be a mood booster for mental health you have to love going to the beach. So for those reading and saying to yourself that the beach isn’t your thing that’s fine. I will give more examples all summer long on things to boost your mental health.

For my beach lovers it’s the water, the sand, the heat, being outside or the trip of it all that does it. For instance I’m not a beach water person. If I go into the beach water it’s for a mere second. It’s being at the beach and the sounds of the waves that does it for me. It’s relaxing and stimulating at the same time.

Getting Ready

It can cost a little money to explore the beach. If you don’t live near one there’s travel, beach tags, food, and more that should be calculated in the cost. For instance when I go by myself is cheaper than if I go with the kids. So I plan my beach time. I take the kids down a few times, go with a friend, and go alone. There’s about 3 months in the summer you can best believe I try to be at the beach at least 3-4 times in the summer.

The Essentials

There are a few beach items that you might want to be prepared for. The goal is to pack efficiently and without much hassle. Think about what you want to do. When I go alone I know I need a travel chair and umbrella, and the beach essentials, books, art, headphones and so much more. It’s essential to make sure that I won’t have to spend money on the beach. FYI the shops on or near the beach are quite expensive.

Here are the things you will need:

• Beach towels
• Sunblock
• Swim shoes/flip flops
• Beach toys
• Food/drink in non glass containers
• Baby powder to get the sand off of you
• Brim had
• Swim suit
• Beach bag
• Beach tent
• Water
• Water bottle
• Ice
• Cooler/Cooler bag
• Waterproof phone sack
• Beach chair
• Chargers
• Cords for phones

Now how do I lug all of this without issue? The art is in the planning and packing.

Packing for the Beach the Day Before

Unless you get asked to go last minute then pack the day before. I have some of my essentials packed from the previous beach season ready to go. For instance my beach tent is always in my car so I don’t have to worry about forgetting. So are my beach chairs. in addition I have an all year bag that has swim items and most of those items are helpful for the beach too. It has phone protectors, beach towels. When things need to be switched out I do it right after use.

Trust me this way has helped me. The day before use the above list or any other list that you have made to help you. Pack it and set it by the door. If there are things like cold kept items that you will need the day of make a separate list.

Beach Day Tips

I have a few tips that i swear by. For instance things like Go-Gurt I usually add in my freezer. I also place about half the water bottles (disposable water bottles) in the freezer. These will act as my ice for the cooler. I will add some ice but not too much. In addition I use my coldest water bottle to transport more ice too. These bottles will keep for at least 12-36 hours of cold. I cut fruit and place them in individual bags. This is to help those I’m traveling with to grab fruit proportioned so they aren’t putting sand back in containers. Pro tip-do this for all proportionate foods.

Take individual bags of chips and individual juices. Those grab and go snacks are your friend. Want to save money, buy the party side or family side and use proportionate bags aka sandwich or snack bags.

Things for self care while at the beach

I always for sure back books and notebooks while at the beach. You can also bring those colored coded individual paint by the color activities with you too. They have them for adults and kids. Bring a puzzle game too. Traveling with kids? Have water games on deck. With any water day, be aware of heat exhaustion. Take breaks, stay hydrated, and remember to enjoy the day. You will be tired once you’re home. The sun alone can be draining. But if you love the beach it will bring you a day of peace and serenity.