It’s become a cultural trope the world over: Sun, sea and sand as a remedy for the ailments of body and soul. So it might surprise you to learn from The Washington Post that the concept of a beach holiday actually originated in late 18th century England, a place not exactly renowned for its sunshine. In fact, the very idea of a trip to the seaside was more about enduring, rather than enjoying, the elements — all in the name of good health.

What was it all about? Doctors believed that submersion in cold, salty water would toughen up the sickly, and fresh sea air would help to prevent conditions such as “melancholy,” believed to be a sickness of the soul and body caused by an excess of black bile. Their directives were based upon medical theories dating back to the time of the ancient Greeks, including that of the four humors, which posited that a person’s vital bodily fluids needed to be kept in balance for them to remain healthy.

So it’s perhaps no surprise that around the world a great many more people prefer to soak or steam their health problems away. But fancy spas are a comparatively new phenomenon. As the BBC reports, the practice of bathing in natural hot springs or releasing impurities in a sweat lodge dates back thousands of years, is rooted in traditions all over the world, and almost always has a social (and in many cases, a spiritual) dimension.