Ask HN: Do you sleep better by the ocean?

If I had to guess, it’s about security. Sleeping on a boat, no one is getting on there without you knowing. Animals generally stay away from the undrinkable ocean and you can basically run into the ocean to escape from a predator. Most things don’t hunt in the rain. All these things aren’t permanent security, but they are a temporary reprieve from the day-to-day dangers for our ancestors. Maybe.

Honesty, it's probably everything you listed. Also, if you were on vacation, reduced stress, sun exposure, movement, etc. would contribute too.

I looked into the negative ion thing a few years ago, and there does appear to be something to it. It seems it can have a positive impact on the lungs, which actually handle more than just breathing. Serotonin is inactivated in the lungs, so in theory negative ions could help reduce circulating serotonin, which could have a mood boosting effect. This is of course if you buy into the argument that serotonin is not so much the happy chemical but the chemical of stress [1].

https://raypeat.com/articles/articles/serotonin-depression-a...

Best time of my life was living next to the coast. I would leave train one station early and just walk 30 minutes. My social anxiety gets triggered if there is any friction in my surroundings. I know I could take a buss to the beach or go to the park but having any kind of negative experience pushes me back to my gaming station. Living in small town in Alps also had similar effect as the beach. Lots of woods where you only meet other people who want quiet walk so nothing but short hello and good day. My five years living in city center seem the same even though I move 3 times because I never left the room. Esp after 20h. My job is stressful and I just dont have patience and energy to deal with other people problems constantly.

I sleep better outside in the open air, or at least with windows open and lots of outdoor air circulating.

I'm sure there probably research on it.

But my guess is that we're in a womb of water for 9 months so subconsciously are soothed by it. Personal anecdotal evidence is any time I've slept where i could hear ocean/rain/rivers I've had great sleep.

Would 100% move to Hawaii in the future

The probability of finding prey animals is low near a beach. This is bad if you’re a predator and need to find food. However it is also good if you want to sleep because the probability of being found by a predator is low.

There are several other things that make a beach inconvenient for hunting, e.g. large open spaces which compromise stalking behaviors, sand/water slows you down, tall skinny palm trees equipped with coconuts that serve as projectiles which land predators can’t climb but primates can.

I would imagine that there’s a similar explanation related to ease of hunting that could explain why rain sounds are calming.

I've never slept anywhere as well as on a boat. Even if the boat is moving, the waves are smashing against the structure and it feels like you're in a washing machine it's still the most restful sleep I've had.

Same here. Over time I would attribute it more to nature. If off the grid = sleep like a baby.

Ocean is also very calming.

BTW. I was trying to "replicate it" in city with various dolby atmos etc. gimmicks and headphones/etc. and without any similar results.

Mother nature

I used to take vacations to go home, where I'd sleep by a river throughout the day. I'd just take books, go read under a tree by the river and take a nap as well. I have to walk about 4 km to get to the river bank, so that might account for the fact that I sleep really well there. But I have never slept as well as I have under the tree by the river.

If covid has taken anything from me, it is the opportunity to go do that. The river is by an archaeological site, so it is cordoned off most of the time. I want to return to see the tree, and the river, and to sleep by it. I don't know when I'll be able to do so.

Where do you normally live?

I'm totally speculating based on my years living at high altitude, but if you also mostly reside at a higher altitude, you are acclimated to less oxygen, which could decrease your rate when you change to a location with more. If that were the reason, you could expect to see your RHR go back up to "normal" after a few weeks at sea level.

Or it could be something completely unrelated, I just didn't see this in your list of possible causes.

Does a speaker with a noise machine produce the same effect? Some kind of candle or other device producing an ocean scent?

Actually, I sleep pretty soundly in general. I prefer vacations to cities or mountains, so I haven't spent that much time near the ocean.

Negative ions — There are various studies that show their impact on physiological and psychological health.

I believe it's the noise of it. A rainy(but not stormy) night has the same effect on me, also.

Boats are surprisingly comfortable to sleep. The problem is when you wake up.

Humidity off the right kind.

I've only been near the ocean when on vacation, so YES!

How do you measure your RHR while sleeping?