At The Betsy, we’re well versed in the restoarative power of art, music, and poetry. We know there’s nothing more soothing than getting caught up in a great book, and nothing more therapeutic than getting swept up in a transcendent piano solo.
Well, almost nothing.
It’s hard to imagine a more gloriously relaxing scene than ten miles of white sand beach and turquoise water — and at The Betsy, you don’t have to imagine it. We’re steps away from the shore, with nothing but palm trees between us and the Atlantic.
The heart can think of no devotion
Greater than being shore to ocean…~ Robert Frost
There’s something magical about spending time by the ocean, and scientific research is emerging that proves why. For years, we’ve known about the mental health benefits of being immersed in nature or green spaces (we’re looking at you, Lummus Park). In the early 2000s, Dr. Roger Ulrich released his findings on the health benefits of gardens in hospitals, showing how patients were positively impacted by having access to lush green spaces — a conclusion the late neurologist Oliver Sacks corroborated in this beautiful ode to the healing power of nature.
By the late 2010s, researchers began proving the therapeutic benefits of blue spaces — the ocean, lakes, rivers, even swimming pools. Professor Michael Depledge and environmental scientist Mat White collaborated to conduct research that shows how stress levels drop when participants are shown photographs of green spaces — and when water is added to the mix, those stress levels drop even further. Likewise, a 2018 study in Hong Kong found that time spent in blue spaces correlates to improved self-reported health, particularly for those lucky enough to live with a water view; in another study out of Ireland, respondents with access to sea views reported lower rates of depression, further underscoring the positive impact of coastal blue spaces on our mental health.
This year more than ever, we’ll be thrilled to welcome you back to The Betsy’s blue spaces when we reopen December 18th. Our ocean views and sea breezes will be ready and waiting, from our decks and terraces to our rooftop pool and our endless expanse of tropical beach. This winter, treat yourself to a second summer at The Betsy — and let our blue spaces do the rest.
