A forest bathing experience is a unique way to spend time in nature, with the purpose of slowing down, connecting with yourself and other people, and appreciating the natural world around you. Forest bathing is not a formal practice or activity; it’s more like an attitude or state of mind. You can enjoy forest bathing simply by spending time in nature or by practicing formal meditation techniques designed to help you connect with your surroundings.
What is Forest bathing?
You may have heard of forest bathing, or “shinrin-yoku “, but are wondering the actual meaning of it and how it differs from regular exercise. It is a natural activity that involves spending time immersed in nature’s beauty to promote physical and mental health. The practice makes use of the power of trees and plants to help people relax, slow down, and feel better overall.
It helps us reconnect with our bodies by slowing us down enough so that we can focus on our breathing, feel the texture of our clothes against our skin, and notice if there’s the wind blowing around us—all things we usually take for granted as part of life but which can become more noticeable when our minds aren’t preoccupied with other thoughts. It also helps us connect with others by opening up opportunities for conversation about their favorite and special places; whether those places are parks or trails nearby where they live or faraway vacation spots they’ve visited multiple times over many years.
Where it originates?
Forest bathing is a practice that originated in Japan, where it is called shinrin-yoku. The word “shinrin” means “forest” and the word “yoku” mean “bath”. This practice originated in Japan in 1982 when Dr. Shunryu Suzuki, a Buddhist monk, promoted the idea of spending time in nature for its calming effect on the human mind and body. He believed that this practice would help people relax and relieve stress while also improving their overall health.
He even went so far as to say, “I believe that being with trees can make people more healthy.”
How to practice Forest bathing?
To practice forest bathing, you can simply take a walk in the jungle. You may have to go out of your way to find one and it is worth it.
Another option is to sit quietly for about 20 minutes in your backyard or a nearby park that has some trees. You can also use meditation techniques such as observing thoughts, breathing slowly and deeply, or repeating a mantra (a word or phrase used as an object of concentration).
If you’re looking for something more structured than this basic approach of sitting quietly with nature around you, Forest Therapy Programs like “Forest Bathing” exist where people come together in parks for guided walks through forests designed specifically for this purpose by experts on forest therapy practices from Japan.
Benefits
Improves heart health
Forest bathing—or shinrin yoku—is a form of nature therapy that’s been practiced in Japan for centuries. It involves spending time in the jungle and has been found to have numerous benefits for your health.
One of the most notable effects of it is that it improves heart health. During one study, participants who engaged in shinrin yoku saw a significant reduction in their blood pressure, as well as an increase in their parasympathetic nervous system activity.
The parasympathetic nervous system is associated with relaxation and calmness; it helps you regulate your heart rate and blood pressure, which can help prevent heart disease.
Reduce stress
When the body is stressed, it releases stress hormones like cortisol. These hormones can cause a host of negative effects on your body, including making you feel tired and moody (aka “stressed out”).
Stress is different for everyone. For some people, stress might be caused by work-related deadlines or an argument with a friend. For others, it could be something as simple as standing in line at the grocery store or being late for an appointment.
Regardless of any causes your stress levels to rise, forest bathing can help reduce them with its calming effects on both mind and body.
Why it is Good for health
Forest bathing is a type of therapy that involves immersing yourself in nature. This can be done by walking through a jungle, or just sitting down and taking in the sights, sounds, and smells around you. It’s all about relaxing your mind and body with the sights and smells of nature. It has been shown to have positive effects on your physical and emotional health, as well as to help you relax and reduce stress.
Relieve Anxiety
One major cause of anxiety is stress. Stress can lead to a number of physical and mental health issues, including panic attacks, insomnia, and depression. It can help reduce anxiety because it improves your sleep quality.
As you walk through the jungle with all its sights and sounds, you will experience many different emotions during your time there: joy, wonderment, and relaxation come to mind right off the bat. As you breathe slowly in this peaceful environment—with all its positive effects on both body and mind—you should begin to feel more relaxed than before entering the woods. This sense of calm helps relieve any built-up stress from your day-to-day life that may be making you anxious or irritable at home.
Boost energy and improve sleep
Forest bathing can also help you to relax and sleep better. Research shows that walking in jungles can help reduce fatigue, improve your quality of sleep, and boost energy levels. The therapeutic effects of forest bathing may be related to the restoration of balance between homeostasis and stress responses in both mind and body. In addition, studies show that exposure to natural settings has positive effects on mood (by reducing anxiety), behavior (by decreasing aggression) and self-esteem (by improving body image).
Reduce blood sugar
The best way to lower blood sugar is through exercise. It is a form of exercise, so it can help you with this by reducing your blood sugar levels and improving insulin sensitivity. This means that it could be used as an alternative treatment for people with diabetes, especially if they’re unable to exercise due to their condition.
Lowers inflammation
If you’re not familiar with the term, inflammation is a natural response to injury or infection. When your body senses foreign particles such as bacteria, it sends out specialized cells called phagocytes that engulf and digest the invaders.
Inflammation can cause pain, swelling, and redness in the affected area—a good example being a sunburn on your skin. It’s important to note that these symptoms are just part of how our bodies respond when they think they need help fighting an infection or injury.
However, if inflammation isn’t addressed properly, it may lead to chronic conditions like heart disease, cancer, and other serious illnesses.
Enhances mood
- Connecting with nature has a calming effect on the brain. It’s thought that this is because jungle environments are more complex than urban areas, which means our brains have to work harder to take in all the information around us. All of this stimulation helps reduce stress, boost mood and improve focus.
- Feeling like you’re in your own world while walking through a jungle can be relaxing and even meditative, making it easy to forget about your daily stresses. It also have a way of calming down the nervous system by increasing the release of serotonin — sometimes called “the happy neurotransmitter” — into your bloodstream when you’re near trees or other plants (think green spaces).
Clear skin health
Nature is the ultimate beauty treatment, and forest bathing can help you achieve that. Spending time in nature is good for your overall health, which means it can also have a positive impact on the appearance of your skin. It works by boosting your immune system and slowing down aging processes (like wrinkles). But what’s more, it can even reduce inflammation in the body—which is one of the leading causes of acne. If you’re looking to clear up your breakouts while enjoying some fresh air, try taking a stroll through a nearby park or jungle during lunchtime.
Conclusion
Forest bathing is a holistic practice of mindfulness that combines elements of nature and medicine. The practice involves walking slowly through an outdoor location in order to experience the stress-reducing, mood-enhancing effects of trees and plants. It originated in Japan, where it is also called shinrin-yoku or “forest bathing.”
