The Healing Power Of The Sea

There is a reason we are drawn to the water. Call it instinct or something more elemental, but the pull of the sea has long been tied to a sense of renewal. Along the Emerald Coast, that quiet restoration is part of the landscape—felt in the rhythm of the waves, the salt in the air, and the steady return to something simpler, calmer, and whole.

The idea is not new. Ancient Greeks and Romans embraced “taking the waters,” immersing themselves in bathhouses and sea baths believed to restore vitality. In the eighteenth century, British physician Richard Russell prescribed seaside visits as a remedy for ailments ranging from melancholy to chronic illness. By 1869, French doctor Joseph de la Bonnardière formalized the concept, coining the term thalassotherapy—the therapeutic use of seawater, seaweed, and other marine elements.

Today, science offers a more measured understanding. The ocean is not a cure-all. Yet time spent by the sea continues to reveal meaningful benefits for both body and mind.

Photo by Boo Media

The Sanditon Effect

In Jane Austen’s unfinished novel Sanditon, a seaside resort is imagined as a place of renewal, where fresh air and ocean bathing promise restored health. That vision mirrored a broader cultural shift in which coastal retreats became synonymous with wellness.

Modern research suggests there may be more to the idea than simple romanticism. A 2020 study reported by the National Institutes of Health examined the effects of seawater therapy on post-stroke patients with mild to moderate disabilities. Participants engaged in daily aquatic sessions over two weeks and experienced measurable improvements in mobility, pain reduction, and overall function.

Still, the benefits of the sea may be less about permanence and more about rhythm.

“The fact that the effects weren’t long-lasting in that study is not a discouragement,” says Colleen Wenner, a licensed mental health counselor and clinical director of New Heights Counseling in Fort Walton Beach. “We are meant to operate in rhythms. When we nurture that rhythm, we support both our physical and mental health.”

Sea Meets Spa

While early sea bathing often meant bracing, cold plunges, modern thalassotherapy blends ocean elements with the comfort of controlled environments. Warm seawater pools, mineral-rich treatments, and seaweed-based therapies bring the benefits of the ocean into the spa setting.

Local aesthetician Shanelle Lucas points to the role of trace minerals—magnesium, calcium, and potassium—in supporting skin health and overall function. Magnesium plays a role in sleep and cognitive function, calcium supports cellular metabolism, and potassium aids hydration.

“Those minerals are detoxifying, essentially flushing the body,” says Lucas, spa director at Serenity by the Sea Spa at Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa. “They help repair and restore the skin at a cellular level.”

Jerralyn Karakorn, assistant spa director, adds that treatments incorporating seaweed and algae may also benefit conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, fibromyalgia, and gout. A 2024 review cited by the National Institutes of Health found that such therapies can improve both disease severity and overall quality of life.

Beyond the physical, there is a sensory dimension to these treatments. The scent of salt air, the sound of waves, and the tactile experience of mineral-rich water all contribute to a deeper sense of calm.

“The sea is so nurturing,” Karakorn says. “It remineralizes the body and fills it with what it needs to function at its best.”

Photo by boo Media

Rhythm of the Ocean

Perhaps the most immediate benefit of the ocean is its ability to regulate. Waves arrive in a steady cadence. Tides shift predictably. Wind and water move in patterns that feel both dynamic and reassuring.

For Wenner, this natural rhythm offers a powerful counterbalance to modern life.

“We carry so much compressed energy and anxiety,” she says. “When you return to nature—especially the ocean—it provides a rhythm that helps regulate the nervous system.”

Even brief exposure can make a difference. Wenner notes that as little as 10 minutes at the beach can reduce stress and improve mood. Ideally, she recommends longer, more regular visits, allowing the body and mind to sync with the environment.

But the benefits are not limited to time spent physically at the shore.

Through guided techniques such as bilateral stimulation—a method often used in therapy—individuals can recreate a sense of calm by mentally returning to a place like the beach. By pairing rhythmic movement, such as tapping or eye motion, with visualization, the brain can access similar states of relaxation and focus.

Sensory cues can deepen the effect. The scent of salt air, the sound of waves, even the memory of sunlight reflecting on water can trigger a calming response.

“Our sense of smell is closely tied to memory,” Wenner explains. “It allows us to access those feelings quickly.”

In this way, the ocean becomes both a place and a state of mind—one that can be revisited whenever needed.

The Lasting Pull

What keeps people returning to the Emerald Coast is not just its beauty but the way it makes them feel. There is a quiet recalibration that happens here—a slowing down, a softening, and a renewed sense of balance.

From mineral-rich waters to the steady rhythm of the tides, the sea offers a kind of restoration that is both tangible and deeply personal. It may not be a prescription in the traditional sense, but for many, it is exactly what is needed.

Sometimes, the cure is not something you take. It is somewhere you go.

And along the Emerald Coast, the sea is always waiting.

Resourcing
Your Calm Place

Counselor Colleen Wenner says that events as minimal as traffic jams can cause emotional dysregulation. Grounding ourselves in the rhythms of the ocean can help, but we can’t always make it to the beach. Try incorporating this meditative self-regulating technique from anywhere. Before you begin and at the end of your session, do a check-in to note how dysregulated you are feeling on a scale of 1 to 10. “[When] we do that exercise, without a doubt, without exception, patients always come down a notch or two,” Wenner says. 

It’s as easy as following these simple steps: 

Check in.

Sit in a comfortable place.

Access sensory queues if any are desired—essential oil or beach sounds, for instance. 

Close your eyes or select  a focus point.

Begin tapping your feet  one at a time, from one side  to the other, creating a  “tick-tock” effect, at whatever speed you prefer.

Envision your calm place—the beach.

What do you see?

What do you hear?

What do you feel?

Think of specifics like the flow of water lapping on shore, foamy bubbles forming on the waves, birds overhead,  the texture of wet sand and smooth seashells. 

Stay there as long as is  comfortable, continuing to ask questions and envision the calming place of the beach. 

Slowly open your eyes.

Check in.

Repeat as needed.