Forest bathing can provide physical, mental, and emotional healing. Learn what forest therapy is and the benefits to be gained from surrendering to nature.
Spending time in nature, with its perfect balance of sights, sounds, smells, and peaceful environment, offers essential rewards for our highly stressed mental and physical selves. No wonder the ecotherapy practice of forest bathing, otherwise known as Shinrin-yoku, is gaining steam for all the right reasons. Don’t be confused; the exercise has nothing to do with soap or water. Instead, the name refers to the way participants fully immerse themselves in — and reconnect with — nature.
What Is Forest Bathing?
Forest bathing is the practice of soaking up the sights, sounds, and feel of our natural environment. Carrie Lam, MD, Fellowship in Anti-Aging, Metabolic, and Functional Medicine, of Dr. Lam Coaching describes it to DailyOM simply as “spending quality time in nature.” It’s an effortless way to enjoy the therapeutic benefits of being outdoors.
Forest bathing helps to wash out the noise from constant stressors. On most days, life begins with the jolt of an alarm clock. Workdays are spent almost on fast-forward, as Slack notifications, email alerts, and reminders of pending deadlines fight for our attention.
When forest bathing, you can enjoy a relaxing reset by taking time to wander and “bathe” in nature. This exercise doesn’t require any special skills or equipment. Your body’s natural powers of sight, smell, and hearing are all that are necessary.
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What Is the History of Forest Bathing?
Humans have been enjoying the wonders of nature forever, of course! However, forest bathing developed mainstream appeal around the 1980s in Japan. Nature therapy became a necessary outlet after the burnout that followed the tech boom of that decade. While the ’80s were a period of rapid economic development, this was followed by a bubble burst that sparked record levels of depression in Japan. People returned to nature to find peace and to avoid — and counter — the effects of life’s challenges. It became so popular that the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries named this practice Shinrin-yoku: taking in the forest atmosphere, or forest bathing.
Sean Ormond, MD, dual board-certified in anesthesiology and interventional pain management at Atlas Pain Specialists, tells DailyOM, “Forest bathing is part of Japanese preventative health care because of the mental, physical, and spiritual health benefits it gives."
But while Japan popularized this practice in modern times, Dr. Ormond says, “it comes back from thousands of years of intuitive knowledge. We are part of nature and need to feel that connection.”
How Do You Practice Forest Bathing?
You only need one thing as a forest bather: a clear, open mind.
Though a walk outdoors is always wonderful, forest bathing’s unique form of ecotherapy requires full engagement with the environment. Permitting yourself to be present in nature unlocks the many benefits of this practice.
There are no hard rules for how to properly practice forest bathing, Dr. Lam explains. “If you’re a runner, then you can run in nature, but if you’re more the sit-and-relax type, then that’s a beneficial form of forest bathing as well. The most important thing with this practice is to spend time in nature while absorbing the sights and sounds — as long as you’re mindful about the experience.”
You may consider leaving your mobile phone, camera, ear pods, etc., back home, or at least mute or power them off. The idea is to limit distractions as you soak in your surroundings, giving yourself the gift of staying focused and connected to your environment.
The ideal location is one that brings you closest to nature. A quiet, clear portion of the woods is great for centering yourself in the present, but if you live in an urban area, your dreams of forest bathing don’t have to go down the drain. Lam suggests easy fixes to re-create the experience: “Find a set of trees in the park and take some time to breathe under the trees. If you have some plants at home, you can set up a mat under them and focus on looking at the leaves while breathing.”
While forest bathing, you’re free to observe your surroundings. Appreciate the roots of a tree, the green of a plant’s leaves, and the sounds of birds chirping. Notice the smells of nature, the wind against your face, and sun rays that escape through branches.
If you're practicing guided bathing, an instructor may issue prompts to enhance your experience. Here, you're encouraged to slow down and engage your senses. This will spark a delicate awareness of your environment. During this journey, your guide might also ask questions that broaden the bathing process.
Because forest bathing is a uniquely personal experience, there are no set times or right or wrong ways to enjoy your moments in nature. Remain as long as you can for a full, immersive experience, whether that’s 20 minutes or a few hours. To deepen this practice, Lam says you may wish to meditate, practice breathing, or journal while forest bathing.
What Are the Health Benefits of Forest Bathing?
As people worldwide struggle with pollution, climate change, and long work hours, spending time alone in nature provides a break away from daily demands. Beyond providing a much-needed pause from modern life, forest bathing does a lot of good for your physical and mental well-being.
Studies show that walking in forest settings or even making time to view the outdoors can produce similar benefits. (Yes, simply watching videos of natural environments has been shown to lower heart rates.)
If you’ve ever wondered why being in nature is so soothing, Lam has your answer. “Relaxing in nature causes increases in parasympathetic nerve activity. The parasympathetic nervous system activates when your body is at rest.” Usually, the body turns this system on after periods of stress or danger. Trees are also a major part of nature therapy. Lam explains, “The trees themselves might also directly cause some of these health benefits. Trees release compounds into the air known as phytoncides, which can help reduce stress levels.”
Research continues to highlight the mental health benefits of forest therapy. This practice not only boosts mood, but is also known to reduce and prevent the effects of depression and anxiety. Forest bathing can also help reduce sleep disturbance, reports a study done on participants with sleep complaints.
How Do You Find a Forest Bathing Class?
If you’re interested in ecotherapy, but unclear where to begin and how to form a habit around it, you can enroll in a forest bathing class. You can grow in your journey by working with a trained guide. Instructors can be found on the Association of Nature & Forest Therapy website.
This is a practice that you tailor to your needs, so you can also put on your sneakers and find a brief window of time to fully engage with and be grateful for the wonders of nature around you, whether that be in the woods, a park near your office during a lunch break, or a lovely plant on your windowsill.
