Forest bathing, or shinrin-yoku in Japanese, is the medicine of simply being in the forest. It’s taking time to unwind and connect with nature to improve your health.
It’s not about hiking or exercising, but rather simply being. Think of it as mindfulness meets time in nature. We are simply there and connect with nature through our sense of sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch.
We all know time in nature is good for us, but forest bathing actually has scientific benefits. A study on Pub Med found that “the forest bathing program significantly reduced pulse rate and significantly increased the score for vigor and decreased the scores for depression, fatigue, anxiety, and confusion. Urinary adrenaline after forest bathing showed a tendency toward decrease. Urinary dopamine after forest bathing was significantly lower than that after urban area walking, suggesting the relaxing effect of the forest bathing. Serum adiponectin after the forest bathing was significantly greater than that after urban area walking.”
So how to forest bathe?
↠ Find a forest / nature spot
↠ Leave your phone behind
↠ Walk slowly and aimlessly
↠ Allow your body and senses to be a guide
↠ Take in your environment through all five of your senses
↠ Allow yourself to open up and connect
AH+M Strategic Consulting 