Negative Ions

The change in the atmosphere can be felt before the destination is even reached, from as far as several miles away.

A peace rolls over one’s psyche, like a blanket of calm.

It is the lure of the tides, the pounding of the surf that draws humans to the edge where land meets the vastness of the ocean.

Sand and salt mix with flotsam and jetsam creating ridges of sea washed ribbons.

Waves break just off the shore. Science has discovered that the negatively charged ions produced by the surf have positive health benefits to people.

Excerpt from Web MD

Negative ions are odorless, tasteless, and invisible molecules that we inhale in abundance in certain environments. Think mountains, waterfalls, and beaches. Once they reach our bloodstream, negative ions are believed to produce biochemical reactions that increase levels of the mood chemical serotonin, helping to alleviate depression, relieve stress, and boost our daytime energy.

Ions are molecules that have gained or lost an electrical charge. They are created in nature as air molecules break apart due to sunlight, radiation, and moving air and water. You may have experienced the power of negative ions when you last set foot on the beach or walked beneath a waterfall. While part of the euphoria is simply being around these wondrous settings and away from the normal pressures of home and work, the air circulating in the mountains and the beach is said to contain tens of thousands of negative ions — Much more than the average home or office building, which contain dozens or hundreds, and many register a flat zero.

“The action of the pounding surf creates negative air ions and we also see it immediately after spring thunderstorms when people report lightened moods,” says ion researcher Michael Terman, PhD, of Columbia University in New York.

The Fairegarden clan makes a yearly pilgrimage to the ocean. When we lived in Southern California, the weekends were filled with beach days. It was the only place that the four offspring could play together without fighting amongst themselves. Now we know why.

Shrimp boats troll the waters fishing for crustaceans to be used for tasty dishes served at local restaurants.

The beach is where my usual early rising and early to bed is shifted to more normal patterns. No more waiting for the light of day when on this vacation, the day starts without me!

The view from the rental house at Isle of Palms, South Carolina contains a sliver of the magical power of the sea.

All is calm.
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Links to our previous beach vacation stories:
2008
2009
2009-Sea Creatures
2010
2011-Water, Wind, Earth and Fire
2011-The Shark Tale
Frances

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~ by fairegarden on June 25, 2012.