Each year, more and more people from all over the United States and Canada move to South Carolina. In fact, according to the recent nationwide population relocation survey of the South and West, except for just a handful of other states, more people move to the Palmetto State every year than most other states. “Right now, a lot of people are selling their houses up north and moving to Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand to get out of the snow,” Says Luke Anderson, a Trembley Group Real Estate Professional Sales Agent. “But they’re also coming for retirement and for jobs. They’re coming to Myrtle Beach because property taxes are very low, particularly compared to their home states in the Northeast.”

While some of The Trembley Group Real Estate Professional are born-and-raised Myrtle Beach and Grand Strand Natives, the majority of the company’s Professionals are typical of most of the area’s residents – they come from all over The United States and Canada. New York and New Jersey have accounted for the highest numbers of people relocating to South Carolina. But they haven’t been coming to all parts of the state. Population increases have been concentrated in the coastal metropolitan areas — Myrtle Beach, Charleston, and Hilton Head Island — and the northwestern corner of the state, the Charlotte metro area.

In Horry County (pronounced OH-REE’), the home of Myrtle Beach, migration from other states has accounted for 9 out of 10 residents added to the population since the 2010 census. Some who move from other states could be South Carolina natives returning home or who have family ties to the state, but the majority were born elsewhere. That’s clear since, year after year, the number of South Carolina residents who are born-and-raised natives has been falling. In Horry County, nearly 75 percent of residents were born outside the state.

While lower taxes and the mild weather are a big draw to Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand, the area’s biggest attraction is a short walk or a few minutes’ drive to the east – the sixty miles of white sandy beach called the Grand Strand and the Atlantic Ocean. “My favorite beach is at Huntington Beach State Park,” Says D’Ambrah King, a beach-loving Trembley Group Real Estate Professional Agent. “Every time I cross the causeway between the Murrells Inlet Marsh and the brackish Mullet Pond, I know where I’m headed – a sandy stretch of beach at the end of the boardwalk at the North end of the park. Crossing the causeway gives me a genuine feeling of peace because I know where I’m going. I’ve been coming to this stretch of beach for the ten years I’ve lived here. On clear days, I can see the navigation buoys at the end of the Murrells Inlet jetty. I just know that’s my water.”

Moving to the coast is pretty much living the dream. And Myrtle Beach or anywhere along the Grand Strand make the area a dream destination of a lifetime.

Life truly is better at the beach.

That’s not just a phrase for those who live along the Grand Strand — scientists have actually proven it.

Studies suggest the age-old wisdom that being near the seashore is good for your health may be in fact true. Research shows that spending time by the ocean has many positive effects on health and well-being.

The notion that being near a beach makes one feel healthy is not new, of course. Doctors were prescribing trips to the shore or visits to “bathing hospitals” — special clinics that offered seawater bath treatments — as early as the 18th century. And most health spas have some sort of associated water like a hot spring. But only recently have scientists begun experimentally studying the ocean’s health benefits.

“Research has shown that being near, in, on or under water can provide a long list of benefits for our mind and body, including lowering stress and anxiety, increasing an overall sense of well-being and happiness, a lower heart and breathing rate, and safe, better workouts,” Marine Biologist Wallace J. Nichols said in an interview with USA Today.

Nichols’ best-selling book, Blue Mind: The surprising science that shows how being near, in, on, or under water can make you happier, healthier, more connected, and better at what you do. Nichols uses scientific evidence to explain how being close to bodies of water promotes mental health and happiness.

“The term ‘blue mind’ describes the mildly meditative state we fall into when near, in, on, or under water,” Nichols said. “It’s the antidote to what we refer to as ‘red mind’ which is the anxious, over-connected and over-stimulated state that defines the new normal of modern life. Research has proven that spending time near the water is essential to achieving an elevated and sustained happiness.”

That may explain why so many people choose to live in Myrtle Beach and along the Grand Strand. The Travel Channel lists Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand as one of the top 10 beaches in America, and Thrillist Travel lists Myrtle Beach as one of the best beach cities in the nation.

“We’ve found that being near water boosts creativity, can enhance the quality of conversations and provides a backdrop for the really important parts of life,” says Eric Graham, another Trembley Group Real Estate Professional Agent. “Of course, all this depends on the waters being safe, clean and healthy. The South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services test the Atlantic waters twice a week, at 120 locations, during the summer, assuring that we have some of the cleanest beaches and water on the Atlantic and Gulf shores.”

Since humans started exploring the planet, they’ve followed the water. Crossing oceans gave way to new discoveries and changed the course of history. Following rivers opened new horizons. Travelers seek waterways on vacation, driving to new coastlines in search of pristine beaches, great fishing, and wild surf spots. People love to return to the familiar “blue spaces” where they grew up or visited as children. And month after month, water graces the covers of all sorts of magazines from National Geographic to Sunset Magazine to Grand Strand Magazine.

It’s the immeasurable sense of peace that’s felt around water that Nichols calls a “blue mind.” It offers an opportunity to escape the techno-connected, over-stimulated, state of modern life, in favor of a rarified moment of solitude and peace. Research has long found that humans are pulled toward Mother Nature’s blue for its restorative benefits. Victorian doctors often prescribed “sea air” as a cure for all sorts of issues, from pulmonary complications to mental health conditions.

When we physically enter the water, our body can rest muscles used every day, and work others that are used only occasionally. Water immersion allows bathers to give up gravity, something that’s a material break for a brain. For some, time spent in the water is an opportunity for insightful thinking, creative output, and even quality conversations.

So, what specifically do The Trembley Group Real Estate Professionals love about living at the beach? Just about everything, but here are a few at the top of most everyone’s list.

1. Wellness. It turns out that all those 18th century physicians were onto something when they prescribed a visit to the coast to cure all ailments. A recent UK study showed that, even discounting factors like age and economic factors, people who live by the sea are healthier than those who live away from the coast.

Sea air encourages respiratory health, while sun exposure (with a healthy coating of SPF) is great for getting your daily dose of Vitamin D. Swimming in saltwater also speeds healing, boosts circulation, and encourages a good night’s sleep.

Those soothing sea breezes are not just a promise of relaxation. Those breezes smell so good because of all the ions. The iodine, salt, and magnesium present in sea air can reduce the symptoms of asthma, promote respiratory health, improve allergies and skin problems, as well as stimulate the immune system.

2. Rest and relaxation. Every beach lover knows that feeling of settling into the warm sand and letting all of life’s troubles wash away. It’s not all in the head. Studies show that people are less stressed when they visit the coast. Even seeing pictures of the beach can reduce stress and increase feelings of contentedness.

Feeling overwhelmed? An evening stroll with your toes in the surf is just the ticket to reduce anxiety, open your mind, and encourage creative thinking.

The smell of the ocean breeze also contributes to a relaxed state. Scientists believe the sense of peace may have something to do with all the negative ions in beach air. These ionized oxygen atoms have an extra electron and occur in places like waterfalls and the ocean. A study published in the Journal of Alternative Complementary Medicine suggests that negative ion therapy could be used to treat symptoms of seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

“The reliable ebbing and flowing I hear when I lie on my towel under an umbrella kind of de-stimulates my brain,” says Lora Coward, a Trembley Group Real Estate Professional. “The noise combined with the sight of the surf somehow slows me down makes me feel more relaxed, and makes me feel more engaged and connected.”

Water is nature’s cure to life’s stressors. Whether people jump in for a swim, go wading and simply dip their toes in the water, or sit and watch the ebbing and flowing of the surf, they’re guaranteed to experience a feeling of relaxation. It’s an instant mood booster that could benefit everyone from time to time!

3. The beach boosts creativity. Scientific studies have found that the color blue is associated with feelings of calm and peace. Staring at the ocean actually changes brain waves’ frequency and puts us into a mild meditative state. A study published in the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s journal even found that blue is associated with a boost of creativity.

Scientists actually believe that the solution to a creative rut is the beach. That means being in blue space allows heads to clear and problems or projects to be approached in a more creative way. Much like meditation, the beach triggers a calm feeling that tunes out life’s stressors and allows reflection on the issues that really need focus.

4. Going to the beach can help reduce feelings of depression. Much like the effects that the beach has on feelings of stress and creative ruts, the beach also provides some relief to feelings of depression. The hypnotic sound of the waves in combination with the sight and smells of the beach puts folks into a meditative space. In turn, the sound of the waves can clear their mind and help reflect on life in a psychologically, emotionally, and spiritually safe place away from the chaos of daily life.

5. Seaside living promotes an active lifestyle. The Trembley Group Real Estate Company is all about beach life. The sun, the sand, the fantastic seafood fresh from the surf… what’s not to love? But seaside living does more than just put a smile on your face; it’s good for your health too. It provides the energy to get moving.

Walking or running on the beach is an excellent way to develop calf muscles, while exploring local trails, strolling the shops of U.S. Business 17, and fishing and playing water sports gives that amazing and invigorating “Holy Cow! I feel great! I feel like I worked out today!” feeling.

Scott Trembley, partner and CEO of The Trembley Group Real Estate is passionate about fitness. In his years living, working, and playing in Myrtle Beach, Scott has done early morning shoreside workouts followed by a swim, has regularly run on the beach, and has played professional two-man beach volleyball.   

“I’ve read a lot of studies on the benefits of exercising in natural environments. Most suggest that different natural environments have a major effect on people’s health and well-being,” says Scott. “I know that any exercise in the open air is good for me, but if I’m going to reap the full benefits of working out, I need to head for the shore rather than some urban park.”

Jeremy Jenks, Vice President of Sales and Scott’s partner at The Trembley Group Real Estate, is just as passionate about water sports as Scott. While Jeremy no longer swims competitively, he still loves an afternoon at the shore. “Water pulls on me the way the moon pulls on water, ” Jeremy says. “It’s just in my blood and bones. Water makes me feel alive in a deep, calm and spiritual way. It sort of pulls me in.”

Overall, spending time near the water at the Atlantic Ocean changes life’s perspective. And that perspective is guaranteed to change for the better! Nature has always been a factor in healthy, happy lives, and the sea shore is particularly good for the soul.

So grab the sunscreen and pack a picnic, because it’s time to head to the shore for some vitamin sea!

Need help? Call The Trembley Group at 843.945.1880 ext. 1 and we’ll help you look for the perfect listing or buyers agent!

At The Trembley Group, we pride ourselves on being the experts at more than just selling real estate. We are local residents, some of us have been here for a lifetime. The rest of us will be here until the end of time. We love living, working, and playing in the diverse backyard of Coastal Carolina, and look forward to helping you live and love your dreams soon too. Please reach out to us by phone or email for personalized service and one-on-one advice. 

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Our agents write often to give you the latest insights on owning a home or property in the Myrtle Beach, SC area.