Holidays: why is playing in the sea so important for children?

Yes, that contagious joy that we see in children when playing with water in natural spaces, such as the sea, lakes, rivers or waterfalls, is scientifically explainable: activities with water in natural spaces bring well-being not only to children but also guarantee a mental health in adulthood.

It is important to ensure that children have contact with Nature, as concluded by a study carried out by researchers at the University of Exeter, after analyzing data from 18 countries, including Europe, the United States and Canada. (Click here to read the study in the Journal of Environmental Psychology)

Several studies have already highlighted the health benefits of contact with green spaces (such as parks, forests and gardens). But now, researchers have sought to understand the impact of water environments.

Affective memory

Among the hypotheses to explain the benefits of contact with nature and blue spaces in childhood is the creation of a positive experience and an affective memory, which will possibly make the person visit these places more often throughout their lives. 

“This ends up reinforcing the well-being perceived in childhood and this in itself favors mental health because it increases satisfaction with life”, explained Eliseth Leão, leader of the Interdisciplinary Research and Studies group on the Connection with Nature, Health and Wellbeing and researcher at the Teaching and Research Center at Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein.

According to the researcher, natural environments help regulate emotions and manage stress processes, in addition to promoting children's cognitive development, with a consequent increase in gray matter in the prefrontal cortex.

“This is a protective factor against depression, as studies show that this brain area appears to be related to depression,” he explained.

The benefits of water

Blue spaces have unique sensory qualities – such as the reflection of light on the water, the movement of sea waves, the sounds of water movement – ​​and enable a series of leisure activities, such as fishing, swimming, water sports, among others. others, point out the study authors.

According to Eliseth, each scenario we see when we contemplate water (be it the sea, waterfall or a calm lake) has the potential to trigger a specific positive emotion that increases the feeling of well-being. 

“We had the opportunity to observe this with a study using a photographic image bank, which we validated for potential use in clinical environments and research on the topic. We realize that each element of nature has the potential to bring a different emotion to people. If we observe this in photographs, it is very likely that this also happens in natural settings”, he highlighted.

According to Eliseth, ocean sounds also activate the prefrontal cortex region, which is associated with emotions. Furthermore, the waves contribute to the formation of negative ions that accelerate the oxygen absorption capacity (and this improves blood oxygenation) and increase brain activity. 

“When inhaling these negative ions there is an increase in serotonin, which is a neurotransmitter that regulates mood and sleep. That’s why the sea helps alleviate depression and stress, and also causes a consequent improvement in sleep,” she explained.

Source: Einstein Agency

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