Walking along a sandy coastal path perched perilously on the cliffs above St Abbs, one of Scotland’s most picturesque fishing villages, it’s hard not to feel healthier just by virtue of being here. It’s not just the time spent getting my heart rate up in my hiking shoes – there’s something about the bracing wind whipping my hair around, the sound of the waves lapping the shore below me and the salty residue on my skin that just feels like it’s cleansing my body and mind of the hectic pace of city living. But is the sea air really good for you?
Certainly, spending time at the seaside has been considered a remedy for all sorts of maladies for centuries. The Atlantic reports that cold water immersion and even drinking salt water was an 18th century solution for everything from scurvy and jaundice to anxiety, and the whole concept of the seaside resort began as a place for tuberculosis patients and other ailing folks to convalesce with fresh air, sunshine and sea views.
