Forest Bathing: How Nature Boosts Our Health

How “Forest Bathing” Has Been Proven to Bring Nature, Body, and Mind into Harmony.

Do you live in a big city? Then your need for nature is surely even greater! And for good reason: Scientific studies confirm the link between stress reduction and nature—greenery has been proven to promote health. This, by the way, has been known for quite some time. As early as the 1990s, the University of Gothenburg (Sweden) established the connection between green surroundings and good health. According to the study at the time, patients recovered more quickly after surgery if they could gaze out from their hospital beds at plenty of greenery—bushes and trees. They required fewer painkillers and also appeared more optimistic about their recovery from a psychological standpoint.

Almost at the same time—in 1982, to be exact—a new movement emerged in Japan, initiated by the Ministry of Forestry: “Shinrin Yoku,” which translates roughly as “forest bathing.” Originally intended to preserve the forests, this practice has since established itself almost as a form of medicine. A therapeutic forest was created near Tokyo; millions make the pilgrimage there every day, and Japanese researchers have been able to prove that forest bathing—as strange as the term may sound—is not esoteric at all, but that the forest can make a significant contribution to your regeneration and recovery—both mentally and physically. Today, doctors in Japan can specialize and train to become board-certified specialists in forest medicine. No wonder the trend is gradually spreading from East to West.

“Forest therapy” is actually simple. It’s simple because you can do it even without instructions: You go into the forest and just try to let the trees, the ferns, the animals, and the scents work their magic on you. What birds do you hear? What does it smell like? Have you ever walked barefoot across a mossy patch? Or hugged an oak tree? Did you know that beech trees smell different from oak trees, and that tree species exchange scents with one another to communicate? That alone is incredibly fascinating! When you sit on a tree trunk: What kind of beetles are crawling around you? These kinds of small observations—or mindfulness exercises—in the forest allow you to immerse yourself in the forest’s atmosphere and absorb its vibrations. You forget your own problems—the argument with your boyfriend or girlfriend, worries about your job, and much more fade into the background—and that’s what relaxation means: letting go. One of the leading experts in forest therapy, Prof. Dr. Qing Li of the University of Tokyo, puts it quite simply:

“Forest bathing is the art of connecting with nature through all our senses.”

Anywhere there’s a patch of forest. Even a leisurely stroll can be forest bathing. However, if you’re listening to a podcast or getting caught up in a lively debate, you won’t truly immerse yourself in the green world. So a little mindfulness wouldn’t hurt. But in any case, you can just let yourself drift. By the way, lying in a hammock and watching the leaves dance is also considered forest bathing, and there are many, many forms of it. Breathing or meditation classes under the trees are also included in the broadest sense—even a run through the woods can count. But in the truest sense, forest bathing means immersing yourself in the forest. You can do this with or without a special class. Perhaps trying it for the first time with a coach will sharpen your senses. You might also want to try it on your own a few times and then enlist the help of a certified instructor for further training. For example, Germany’s most famous forest lover, Peter Wohlleben, offers training to become a forest guide at his forest school. Since 2018, there has also been an Academy for Forest Bathing & Health, based in Rhineland-Palatinate and the first institution in Germany to offer training programs. So the topic is really gaining momentum. If you’re looking for more ideas: The “Federal Association for Forest Bathing” has also been active since February 2019. It was recently appointed by the German Forest Certification Council to help develop standards for therapeutic and healing forests. By the way, Usedom can boast of having Germany’s first therapeutic forest.

Generally speaking: During rest (just as during sleep, by the way), the body initiates its repair processes and sends messenger substances to areas where minor healing is needed. But this also applies to athletes: Muscles grow during rest, and that’s when the effects of training become apparent. That’s why it’s so important to schedule breaks so that your body and mind can literally hit the reset button after a stressful day. Forest bathing is proactive health care and helps you slow down in many ways.