Forest Baths and the Human Connection with Nature

This post will discuss the human connection with nature and communication with nature, which is necessary to reduce stress levels – forest bathing. What is forest therapy, who invented it, and why forest therapy is so essential for us in the modern world.

What are Forest Baths?

Forest bathing, or shinrin yoku, as it was first conceived in Japan in 1982 by Tomohide Akiyama, then director of the Japanese Forest Agency, can be viewed as an intentional practice of surrounding oneself with nature and being aware of each sense – something more mindful and disconnected than staring at a smartphone under a tree. The term may be relatively young, but the concept dates back to the Holocene epoch in Earth’s geological history. Scientific works show that Cyrus the Great, founder of the Achaemenid Persian Empire in 550 BC, built gardens with the intention of improving the health of his people.

What is Forest Therapy For?

Forest Therapy aims to promote positive mental health states and improve physical and social health by strengthening the connection with nature.

Forest therapy is based on three distinct traditional concepts: yugen, komorebi, and wabi-sabi:

1. Yugen is about being acutely aware of the beauty of the surrounding world and deeply experiencing emotions that cannot be expressed in words.
2. Komorebi literally translates as “sunlight seeping through trees.” It describes the connection or interaction between the sun and leaves.
3. Wabi-sabi celebrates the beauty of imperfection and impermanence.

“The goal of forest bathing is to come into very deep contact with the experiences of the present moment,” explains a clinical psychologist. “The sights, sounds, and smells of the forest transport us right into this moment, so our brain stops anticipating, remembering, reflecting, and worrying.”

Forest Therapy is supported by an interdisciplinary approach from fields such as planetary health, forest medicine, sociology, psychology, social work, emotional ecology, ecology and forestry, etc. Supported by this interdisciplinary approach, Forest Therapy can act as a complement to standard treatment and rehabilitation for certain diseases.

Forest Therapy is a research-based healing practice through forest immersion aimed at strengthening mental and physical health and improving disease prevention, while allowing enjoyment and appreciation of the forest. To give you some ideas about activities to enjoy during “Forest Bathing” practice, there are relaxation techniques such as mindful meditation or yogic breathing in the forest, as well as aromatherapy. Forests are also full of phytoncides – antimicrobial compounds released by trees and plants. Inhaling these compounds during forest therapy sessions can benefit the immune system and help reduce stress. “And the pleasant aromas of nature can have a positive effect on mood and emotional well-being.” In other words, forest therapy is also aromatherapy. Add to this cocktail the mental health benefits of walking, and you have a recipe for improving mental and physical health in your hands.

Forest Bathing: Benefits

Communication with nature: positive impact

A 2007 study showed that forest therapy reduces cortisol levels by 15%, the stress hormone. A study conducted in 2010 showed that people who walked in the forest twice a day for two hours (i.e., four hours of walking per day) had higher levels of cancer-killing proteins and immune cells. Walking in the forest reduces pulse and pressure by 4%. Walking reduces excessive activity in the prefrontal cortex, reducing the level of negative emotions.

In 2011, another study showed that forest therapy is beneficial. It reported that shinrin-yoku had a positive effect on blood pressure and adiponectin, a protein that helps regulate blood sugar levels.

A 2022 study showed that location matters: it showed that walks in a real forest have a greater impact on cardiovascular health than walks in an urban park.

During the walk, try the practice of Grounding. The earth is a conductor and creates the necessary human bioenergetic field. Negatively charged electrons act as antioxidants, neutralizing free radicals.

Collectively, the scientific evidence on forest bathing convincingly proves that communication with nature can help cope with stress, anxiety, and depression.

Resources:

1. Song, C., Ikei, H., & Miyazaki, Y. (2016). Physiological Effects of Nature Therapy: A Review of Research in Japan. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 13(8), 1-1.
2. Ritchie, H. and Roser, M. (2018). Urbanization. Our World in Data.org.
3. Miyazaki, Y. (2018). Shinrin yoku: The Japanese Art of Forest Bathing. Timber Press.
4. Hansen, M.M., Jones, R., and Tocchini, K. (2017). Shinrin-Yoku (Forest Bathing) and Nature Therapy: A State-of-the-Art Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14(8), 851.
5. Clark, B. (2020). Finding Solace in the Soil: An Anthology of Gardens and Gardeners in Amache. University of Colorado Press.
6. Kotera, Y., Richardson, M., and Sheffield, D. (2020). Effects of Shinrin-Yoku (Forest Bathing) and Nature Therapy on Mental Health: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 20(1), 337-361.
7. Farrow, M.R., & Washburn, K. (2019). A Review of Field Experiments on the Effect of Forest Bathing on Anxiety and Heart Rate Variability. Global Advances in Health and Medicine, 8, 2164956119848654-2164956119848654.