Forest Bathing or Forest Therapy
Do you ever get tired of the fast pace of your job? Or even worse, the thoughts that accompany it and spill you’re your personal life? Yoga and meditation are two common ways to calm the body and the mind and to relieve the stress. Another really cool way to relieve stress is Forest Bathing, also known as Forest Therapy or “Shinrin-Yoku”. It is a term developed in Japan during the 1980s, and now it is an integral part of their preventative healthcare. It is not unique to the Japanese. Forms of nature therapy are traditional in many cultures throughout the world. The really cool thing is that there is a considerable amount of research to support the benefits of forest bathing.
How to Forest Bathe
The beauty of Forest Bathing is that it is easy to do. Go take a walk or spend time in a natural area try to relax and take in the beauty and awe of nature through any of the senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, and feel. It is most beneficial if you can be totally present and remove other thoughts from your mind, similar to meditation. Finally, like other stress relieving strategies, to get the most benefit it requires regular practice. Of course, you can make it much more complicated by going on a guided forest bathing excursion. A tour maybe be a good way to get started for anyone who has never considered meditation, yoga, or another type of stress relief. Also, there are numerous books and internet resources to get you started.
What does the research say?
Forest Bathing may:
- Decrease levels of the stress hormone cortisol
- Improve immune functioning
- Increase in the number of “NIK” cells that fight cancer
- Greater parasympathetic nerve activity
- Improve mental performance & mood
- Decrease blood pressure
- Accelerate healing
- Increase energy
- Improve sleep
Try Forest Bathing, you might like it
From the great John Muir, "In every walk with nature, one receives far more than one seeks."
References:
Association of Nature & Forest Therapy
Northern Virginia Park Authority