How living by the sea is good for your physical and mental health

Living by the Sea is a dream for many of us.

At Bombus we have strong connections to our planet. Every day we are looking at maps of our earth. The geographical topography of our little rock is really beautiful. We work in the amazing Kent countryside just outside of Faversham. So we appreciate nature every single day! But did you know that a huge number of our team live down the road in Whitstable? Right on the coast!

Our Director Amelia lives within walking distance of the sea. She spends as much time as she can taking her children to the beach so that they can swim, play, and enjoy being outdoors.

And for those of us who don't...it's definitely on our Bucket List.

I asked the team if living by the sea was a possibility:

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

Alex:  I'd have to take my extended fam with me please, and if that's okay I'll take them to the coast, right on the beach. Somewhere with proper seasons. Good summers, good winters.

Nikki: I would live anywhere that was right by the sea, like right on the beach, the warmer the better but the sea view is the most important thing.  With sea levels rising I'm not sure how long my perfect home would last.

Louise: I don't have a particular location in mind but I would love one of those houses that is directly on the sea, the weather would make the view different everyday.

Esther: Of course I'd love to be living by the sea! I would live in a little town called Pals on the north east coast of Spain. Its already like a home away from home for me so I know I'd be comfortable there and it's also not hours and hours away!... when's my private jet arriving?

Alice: If I could live anywhere in the world I would want to live somewhere by the sea. I love to go to the beach because it helps me to relax and forget any of my worries for a while. When I went to Cornwall for the first-time last year and it was so beautiful. I would definitely visit again and could imagine myself living there. 

It was unanimous amongst the Bombus team that the preferred spot to live would be by the coast. And they're not alone!

The property boom and seaside towns

We have all seen the news about the massive property booms in coastal areas across the UK. Since the pandemic more and more of us are choosing to ditch the city living and embrace coastal towns and cities. (So much so we wrote a blog about it here: New Home Gifts in the Post-Pandemic Property Boom! - Bombus blog )

Chimney Pots Estate Agents actually put it best when they answered the question:

Property boom – why are more people moving to the coast?

"2020 and the early part of 2021 has seen the majority of us spend more time indoors to adhere to the ‘stay at home’ restrictions imposed by the government. This has led to a shift in priorities among property buyers, with many searching for larger homes with significant outdoor space."

Why is living by the sea good for you?

Living close to the ocean encourages people to get out and enjoy the salt air and sunshine, staying active and providing the health benefits of daily exercise.

Research finds that spending time by the ocean is pretty good for your wellbeing. In fact, according to an analysis of English census data published in the journal Health Place, those who live by the coast report better physical and mental health than those who don't.

And even NBC news claim that living by the beach can physically alter your brain! And that something as simple as the colour blue can bring you feelings of calm and peace.

“The color blue has been found by an overwhelming amount of people to be associated with feelings of calm and peace,” says Shuster. “Staring at the ocean actually changes our brain waves’ frequency and puts us into a mild meditative state.”

Read the whole article here:

What the beach does to your brain (nbcnews.com)

What do our team do to try and minimalize their impact on the environment? 

At Bombus we know that our coastal areas are at risk from Climate Change. We promote sustainable and eco-friendly living, not only to be good citizens but because we know that our precious seaside towns like Whitstable could be at risk!

Alex: Right now we are hanging on for as long as we can before buying a new/second car. 

Louise: We recycle all that we can and try to be smart with our meals so we don't have much waste. When we do the food shopping we always use reusable bags.

Nikki: I recycle wherever I can, buy second-hand where I can.

Alice: I like to buy local produce when I can. It is always good to support small local businesses and knowing that something is being made or grown locally is very special and sustainable. 

Esther: So I don't eat meat, the climate crisis was never at the for front of my mind when I stopped eating meat, however in recent years its made me realise I am contributing to a teeny tiny part even if it is this smallest of acts.

And every little thing we can do really helps. It really is up to us to change our daily routines to be as sustainable, and waste-free as possible.

At Bombus we have our own kitchen. The team all bring a home-packed lunch, or often the fresh ingredients to cook a healthy lunch, and eat together. You won’t find a meal deal, over packaged salads, or a take away coffee in the studio lunch room!

If you're not lucky enough to live by the coast, you can certainly visit it!

Here are our top three seaside villages in the UK:

Whitby, North Yorkshire

Our Marketing and Accounts Manager Jo visited here recently:

"Despite having family in Yorkshire I'd NEVER visited Whitby until this September. And what a shame I hadn't visited before! The best bit by FAR was visiting the Abby up on the cliff. And as a big gothic horror fan in my youth I was delighted to read all about the inspiration for Bram Stoker's Dracula and sit on the Abby grounds day dreaming out to sea."

But Whitby isn't just about the Abby. It has a thriving port with independent shops, restaurants, arcades, and of course Fish and Chip shops on every corner (including the famous Magpie Cafe!) Not to mention Whitby Jet, the famous stone used to create gorgeous pieces of jewellery.

Falmouth, Cornwall

While Padstow is Falmouth's showier and fancier cousin, skip (some) of the crowds and head a bit further into Cornwall and visit this thriving port town with beautiful surf beaches and delightful independent restaurants.

Whitstable

Ok. So we're biased. But really, Whitstable all the way to Tankerton slopes just along the coast is some of the most beautiful coastline in the WORLD. And there is so much to do here! From the independent shops on Harbour Street, to the many pubs and restaurants...and you can even learn to sail, windsurf, or paddle board at the incredible Sailing Club right off the harbour.

What does Bombus do to minimize our impact on the environment?

Alice: At Bombus we use as little packaging as possible and most of the packaging we use is recyclable.

Esther: The main concept at Bombus is using vintage maps, by doing this we are repurposing and recycling these otherwise wasted maps and giving them new life. 

Louise: We recycle the bubble wrap that the frames come in, and we have changed our plastic jiffy bags to recyclable paper bags.

Nikki: I think Bombus does well to minimize plastic use wherever possible.

We have worked hard over the past two years to eradicate plastic from our packaging, using biodegradable bubble wrap and switching to paper mailer bags. It isn’t easy for small companies as it can be very cost prohibitive. But we have seen that the more we demand cheaper environmentally friendly options from our suppliers, the more we have been offered. So our advice to fellow businesses is to speak up and insist that your suppliers meet your eco-policies! For Bombus this has not just been in the way we package our goods to send out to our customers, but also in how we receive our raw supplies. We reject excess plastic, and insist on larger bulk deliveries to minimise how many lorries are on the road. Bombus also sources locally, and we only use sustainable forest friendly timber in our frames.

At the Oast House, we are conscious of what we buy in terms of office and cleaning supplies. Eco-friendly toilet paper that doesn’t come wrapped in plastic may seem like a small change to make, but with anywhere between 10-15 people in the studio every day it can add up to make a big difference. We use Who Gives a Crap!

Tell us what makes your seaside town the perfect place to live!

We love to hear from our followers and customers. Your stories inspire us to create new artworks and gifts! So if you have a story or tip about where you live, drop us a message on our socials! #livingbythesea