Benefits of walking on the beach 

We are so lucky to have so many beautiful beaches in South Devon, with so many just a stone’s throw from our South Devon holiday cottages.

These beaches can be enjoyed at any time of the year, and the great thing about walking on them beaches is that it is free, offering you a great day out for no cost! Alongside of this, walking on the sand offers a number of health benefits for the body, which we have outlined below: 

Calorie burning

When you walk on sand, either with or without shoes, it burns more calories than when you walk on a pavement. A study in the “Journal of Experimental Biology” found that walking on dry sand requires an energy expenditure of 2.1 to 2.7 times more than walking on a hard surface at the same speed. The higher the energy expenditure, the more calories you will burn!

Stress reduction

Shedding your shoes and getting your toes stuck into sand can do wonders for you! Freeing your feet from your shoes increases circulation around the body, which leaves you feeling more rejuvenated. The feeling of the sand on your feet helps you feel more relaxed and can offer feelings of nostalgia, taking you back to memories of beach visits as a child!

The sand also acts as a natural exfoliant, which leaves you with much smoother skin on your feet. What a bonus!

Build strength

When you walk on sand, it forms resistance against you which means it is more demanding on our bodies than walking on other hard surfaces. As your feet sink into the stand with each step, your foot and leg muscles have to work much harder to push your foot up and propel you forward. 

The extra effort required results in a more intense workout for your muscles, helping to strengthen and tone the muscles. You will experience even better results if you haven’t got your shoes on.

Proprioception

Proprioception is the ability of the body to sense movement within joints and joint positions. As sand is an uneven surface, walking on the beach can be classed as a proprioceptive exercise. This greatly benefits your body, as it develops your ability to know where your feet are without you having to look at them. This allows your body to react to changing surfaces instantly, greatly improving your balance, agility and co-ordination.

Why not book in to one of our beautiful holiday cottages and come and experience the benefits of beach walking for yourself?