There are other health benefits that may be overlooked. The clean salt air is good for most people when it comes to breathing, helps many with allergies, myself included. Plus you get deep breaths which is a plus. The reduced stress is an obvious. Plus swimming in the salt water is good for your muscles and skin. Seems even the worst boat problem doesn't compare to some of your previous days in the office. Companionship for many. Yes, you may have been married 30 years but you never had the quality time together. On the water too, you socialize. In the office you saw many co-workers but it's not socialization.
A couple of things you need especially be careful of though. Sun is number one. You're exposed to a lot more than ever before. Protect yourself by limiting exposure and by always using sunscreen. The other is mold. Be wary of it. Use drying products and mold free products in especially susceptible areas. You will not know if it's hurting you until much too late. And for those with hot tubs or jacuzzi bath tubs, be very very careful. Do what the instructions say times two or three. They are breeding grounds for mold in the tubing and this mold goes straight to your lungs.
And as to the healthy lifestyle, cruising isn't about just sitting on the boat in the captain's seat. Get out. If you cruise all day and then anchor, go for a swim or walk at the end of the day. A long one. If you go to a marina. Get out and walk. Sitting on a boat does the same to you physically as sitting in an office. In fact condition yourself to take breaks on the boat, walk around while your partner takes over. But the difference is when the end of the day comes you have no other responsibilities. We walk every day, every town we reach. If it's raining, we go "Singing in the Rain." Well, not exactly, but we do have umbrellas and still explore if not too bad. We don't even think of it, but a teen traveling with us was sneaky and used a pedometer app on her phone. Staying with us on just an ordinary day exploring a small town, she found we walked 8 miles. The day in the National Forest, we walked 20 miles. 5 miles is considered by some healthy. We don't jog other than treadmill as it's tough on joints.
One last thing I was just reminded by my wife I must include. Massages. Whether your muscles from the positions in the engine room or the extra walking you did. We both find our leg muscles tightening after a lot of walking and do give each other leg massages. It's the best way not to end up with pulled muscles plus it's pleasurable.
Wifey B: Warning label hehe.....leg or other massages can lead to more. But then that more is also good exercise. Maybe burn another 300 calories.
All the way around massage is one of the healthiest things a couple can do, plus it's fun. And I'm not just thinking full. Legs or shoulders and necks. Seriously, any neck shoulder or back pain don't wait till it's worse or doctor or chiro or whoever. Massage is preventative. Do it. And if you're alone or with someone you don't want massaging the areas in trouble, then not a bad idea to occasionally get one, available in every port. Doesn't have to be the expensive spa, but often just someone with a cheap chair massage. And you can even massage your own legs or get a massager and do your shoulders and upper back. Do it...and that's an order...ok, not an order. Just please.
Confession time. When we have a dress up night on the town or go just to fancy restaurants, I wear heels. Tall heels. Yes, I know they're bad. Wear tennies mostly, but still like my heels. Rule has always been the moment I take them off, he massages my legs. And I've never had a problem. But I would without.
But being on the water is our stress relief, always has been. When my hubby had a high powered stressful life and I taught and you can only imagine some of those days even as much as I loved it (generally bad days weren't the kids but others). We'd just get on the water or even just sit beside it and melt our troubles away....ok, launched into a song. Can't help it.
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