Go Barefoot, Sink Your Toes Into the Sand

In May 2013, Dr. Beach ranked Southwest Florida’s Barefoot Beach as one of the top three beaches in the sunshine state in, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

This is what the doc had to say: “This beach in Southwest Florida is 8,200 foot long and located in a 342 acre park. The surf is gentle with waves generally being measured in inches and the water is very shallow, making this a great beach for bathing and swimming for families. The sand is fine and contains many small shells.”

Overall, it was ranked number six.

But Floridians have known about the breathtaking 8,200-foot long treasure between Fort Myers and Naples in Bonita Springs for a long time.

In this Yelp review, Jaime R from Naples says it is a, “pristine beach with the most picturesque approach in the County—through residential Barefoot Beach on a red brick street. It’s a gopher tortoise sanctuary with well-marked and protected dens in the sand along the road and well maintained boardwalks.”

There May be More Benefits to the Beach Then You Might Think

One great thing about living in Southwest Florida is that you’re pretty much 12-20 minutes away from the beach at all times, give or take. And as a Southwest Floridian, I can tell you that it’s even better than it sounds.

But besides the soothing sound of the waves that many of us mimic late at night using apps on our iPhones or the picturesque landscape you can find on many prepackaged screensavers across the country, the beach offers more restorative benefits than the gym according to a study by J. Aaron Hipp, Ph.D., environmental health expert and assistant professor at the Brown School.

“Studies have shown that natural environments like beaches and waterfront parks offer more restorative benefits to people than gyms, entertainment venues and the built urban environment,” said Hipp and taken from MedicalDaily.com.

Hipp also went on to say:

“Mild temperature days and low tides offer the most restorative environments when visiting the beach,” Hipp added. “Beachgoers visiting on a day nearly 3 degrees (F) warmer than average were 30 percent less likely to perceive the beach or coastal park as restorative, compared with those visiting on average or cooler than average days.”

Go Barefoot and Sink Your Toes Into The Sand

Walking on the sand doesn’t just feel all warm and squishy between your feet, it also stimulates nerve endings and strengthens the muscles in your feet.

In a study focused on running and walking on the sand, researchers found that walking on the fluffy surface barefoot requires 1.6 to 2.5 times the energy it takes to walk on a hard surface like the floor.

“Our muscles perform more mechanical work when running or walking on sand than on a hard surface,” said the study’s co-author Dr. Thierry M. Lejeune, M.D.