The Benefits of Forest-Bathing
‘Nature bathing,’ or the practice of spending time in natural environs for one’s health, has been a buzzword for a bit, but when Japanese researcher Dr. Qing Li first began measuring the benefits of walking among trees, the concept was the stuff of lore, mountain wisdom, something that felt true but couldn’t quite be ‘prescribed’ as medicine.
Undaunted, Dr. Li began networking in the 1990s from his position at the Nippon Medical School Department of Hygiene and Public Health. By 2004, he spearheaded a Forest Therapy Study Group of the most familiar test subjects he could think of: middle-aged Tokyo businessmen.
To start, he tested the quality of their sleep, stress hormones, heartrate, anxiety, and more, before and after a three-day excursion into some of Japan’s most mystical forest preserves. In his landmark book Forest Bathing: How Trees Can Help You Find Health and Happiness, he finally had the data to make his case: shinrin-yoku (‘forest bathing’ in Japanese) does indeed:
Boost our immune system;
Increase energy;
Decrease depression, anxiety, and anger; and
Reduce stress and increase relaxation.
These results, leading to others, fueled a ‘forest therapy’ certification in Japan, now a designation in 62 forest preserves throughout the country. These therapeutic forests feature comfortable walking paths and host between 2.5 and 5 million participants a year.
That’s a lot of well-being, uplifting a whole nation, that originated from the forest-going footsteps of 12 businessmen.
The best part about forest-bathing is that, like mindfulness practice (and in fact, a form of it), anyone can do it, and you don’t have to be steeped in the science to benefit.
It’s not a practice to get somewhere specific or that requires special equipment, muscles, or money. It’s just time to take in the forest with all five senses (if parts are edible!). Wander without aim. Just notice what you hear, smell, or touch. Two hours are ideal; in just 20 minutes, Dr. Li says, you’ll feel the benefits.
People lucky enough to live in beautiful mountain landscapes already know how the body infused with awe feels. The key to cultivating positive mind-states is to pay attention to what inspires awe or joy and to actively put yourself in those places, physically and mentally.
We’re on a mission to make mindfulness second nature in Jackson so we can operate from this foundation of mental stability and strength, with fluent awareness of nature’s healing presence. That’s something to take for a walk in the woods.
Photo by Matthew Smith on Unsplash