Gaining popularity all over the world, Forest Bathing or shinrin yoku is a practice that more and more are turning to in order to re-establish balance in their lives. The roots of this practice began in Japan nearly 30 years ago, where individuals in states of stress were advised to spend time in forests or green spaces to re-center themselves.

Since then, the practice has grown tremendously and become the subject of a lot of scientific research. We’ve created a short list here of just some of the scientifically proven benefits of a ‘Forest Fix’

According to the journal Environmental Research, people who spend more time in green spaces have reduced risks for a number of chronic illnesses. Over 143 studies were considered, and researchers tracked nearly 290 million participants from 20 different countries. The analysis determined that greenspace exposure (and Forest Bathing) showed:

• Statistically significant reductions in diastolic blood pressure, salivary cortisol and heart rate
• Statistically significant decreases in the incidence of diabetes, all-cause and cardiovascular mortality.
• Greenspace and street greenery exposure may form part of a multi-faceted approach to improve a wide range of health outcomes.^[1]

More forest bathing research can be found published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine (2013) that demonstrates positive mental health benefits. Completed at Heriot-Watt University in the U.K, scientists determined that the brain enters a meditative state when going through green spaces, and participants demonstrated less frustration, long-term excitement and engagement.^[2]

Finally, a recent article published in the Harvard Business Review included an analysis on the effects of nature in the workplace, and encouraging staff and teams to “get outside”.  According to authors Emma Seppala and Johann Berlin, “Scientists are also exploring how exposure to nature might result in lower risk of depression, obesity, diabetes, and cancer. The immune system certainly receives a boost from stress-reduction, and even just the sounds of nature trigger a relaxation response in the brain. Exposure to natural environments lowers stress, including its physiological correlates the “stress hormone” cortisol, heart rate, and blood pressure. By boosting mood, natural environments may also decrease inflammation at the cellular level.” ^[3]

Learn more about Forest Fix and our Forest Bathing programs here.

[1] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935118303323

[2] https://www.huffpost.com/entry/green-space-meditation-brain-walk-park_n_2964199

[3] https://hbr.org/2017/06/why-you-should-tell-your-team-to-take-a-break-and-go-outside