Seashore Serotonin: Unlock your Mood with Ocean Air
Mar 05, 2025•12 min
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Episode description
Story at-a-glance
- Negative ions are electrically charged molecules that concentrate naturally in areas like beaches, waterfalls, mountains, and forests, that help cleanse the air of unhealthy particles
- Scientists have found that high-density negative air ionization may help counter symptoms of seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
- The ocean's negative ions are created when water molecules gain electrons, while mountain air can be rich in negative ions due to mineral content like magnesium and calcium from limestone
- Taking a shower can generate negative ions at home through the "Lenard effect," where the shearing forces of fast-flowing water create friction that adds electrons to molecules
- Negative ions form when oxygen in the air (O2) takes on a negative electrical charge to become O2⎺, which then gets enveloped by microdroplets of moisture to create what we know as "fresh air"
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