Is Walking Barefoot in Sand Good For You? – Health Benefits & Tips

Not a single person would ever want to miss out on the chance of walking on the seashore that too barefoot. Walking barefoot on sand is one of the most soothing and freeing feelings that a person can ever experience.

With all that pleasure, you will be surprised to know how beneficial it is for your physical as well as mental health.

Walking on sand relaxes the mind and eases your body and affects you positively in ways that you cannot imagine. So, let us now explore all the amazing advantages that you can get by just walking on the sand.

Get the Most from Walking Barefoot on the Beach

Given below is the list of some of the interesting facts regarding walking barefoot on sand that you may find useful and beneficial in the long run:

1. Helps to Gain Strength

Walking in the sand especially on a beach is one of the most freeing feelings one can ever experience. However, at the same time, it consumes more energy to walk on the sand as compared to walking on a plain surface.

The reason behind this is that your feet are not stable and they keep sinking in the sand. This makes you put an extra effort to take a step to move forward. Due to this reason, researchers claim that walking barefoot in sand helps in making the body muscles strong. Its major effect is on your calves and quadriceps.

2. Sand As an Exfoliator

This is an interesting and unique point to notice. Research shows that sand is one of the best exfoliators which sounds interesting as well as makes sense. Exfoliators are basically grainy or sandy consistency that people use in the form of scrubs for removing dead skin cells.

Likewise, sand’s consistency is the same. However, it is not usable on the face but can be a good exfoliator for the feet while you walk barefoot in the sand. It also makes your feet soft and clean. So, sand can play the role of a quality exfoliator, and that too for free.

3. Excellent Source of Minerals

Walking barefoot on the sand can lead to several health benefits. For instance, if it is a beach or even a desert, such places are sunny most of the time. Plus, the sand has a salty composition. So, this is the reason why it is a great source of minerals.

So, when you walk barefoot, all the minerals are directly in contact with your feet. Moreover, seawater is also salty and is rich in minerals. Plus, through the sunlight, you get to receive the very popular vitamin i.e. vitamin D. It has multiple advantages for your bones, skin, immune system, and whatnot.

4. Energy From the Earth

So, there is this theory called earthing that incorporates the idea that the earth is the source through which you can absorb electrical energy. Now, when you walk barefoot, the energy is transferred from the feet to your body.

Therefore, it adds value to the body’s overall stability. It also keeps your mind healthy and functions in a more effective and productive manner. The moist sand on the beach is the best kind of sand for that matter. It allows you to feel the calming sensation and improves your reflexes too. Plus, it helps in relaxing the body and the mind.

Athletic Shoes for Running

As we have talked about multiple advantages of walking on sand barefoot, wearing athletic shoes for running or long walks has their own advantages. Athletic shoes play the role of a supporter and protect the feet while giving comfort to the arches.

Moreover, when you are on the beachside, you may find sharp shells, broken mirror pieces, or metals that can hurt your feet especially while running. So, to protect your feet from all the hurt, shoes are not a bad option. This does not deny the fact that walking barefoot has its own multitude of advantages.

FAQs

1. How many calories do you burn walking in the sand?

Walking in the sand comes with multiple advantages. It fastens your metabolism and balances all other systems in the body. Simply walking on it can help you reduce your weight and lose calories. In fact, you may not believe it but you can lose up to 350 calories by just walking in the sand.

Sounds amazing, right? The reason is that it takes more energy and effort to walk in the sand than to walk on a plain surface.

2. What diseases can you get from walking around barefoot?

Walking barefoot on grass or plain surfaces like roads may cause infections because of the unhealthy and unclean surfaces. However, walking barefoot in the sand does not cause any disease. Rather, it is actually very beneficial to one’s health.

One disadvantage that you may find is that the sand can have sharp shells or metals which can hurt your feet. On a general note, it is really safe and healthy.

3. Is it better to wear shoes or go barefoot?

If the surface is clean and safe then it is better to walk barefoot as it adds value to your health. However, if you feel like the surface is not suitable enough for walking barefoot then it is safe to wear the shoes.

Walking barefoot actually balances the body overall and solves other health issues too. It is believed that the electric energy that is essential for the body comes from walking barefoot.

Conclusion

As we have talked about multiple advantages of walking barefoot on sand, one can also not deny them because they are based upon facts. However, sometimes one feels the need to wear shoes while walking in sand.

So in our opinion, the best and most appropriate shoes for the beach or sand are water shoes, crocs, and beach and sand walking shoes. These shoes are best suitable for water as well as sand and do not get damaged when they come in contact with water. So, this was all about it and we hope you find this information useful.

References:

https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness/walking-on-the-beach.

https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/fitness/a39564309/walking-on-the-beach/

https://www.eatthis.com/secret-side-effects-of-walking-on-the-beach-says-science/