Forest Bathing
What is Forest Bathing?!
One of my good friends first told me about this one day when we were all traipsing through the woods. (She actually took the above picture, I am the short one at the end.) I was intrigued. You all know I am all about finding ways to get to that relaxation response we all need to work on.
In 1982, the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries created the term shinrin-yoku, which translates to “forest bathing” or “absorbing the forest atmosphere.” The practice encourages people to spend time in nature simply — no actual bathing is required.
It’s also very low impact, so you don’t have to go for intense trail runs or hikes. The goal of forest bathing is to live in the present moment while immersing your senses in the sights and sounds of a natural setting. It sounds very simple but makes complete sense.
Here are 5 steps you can follow to manage anxiety, reduce stress, and improve your health by forest bathing:
Find a quiet spot...
Leave your devices behind...
Slow everything down...
Use all five senses...
Be mindful of details and just be in the moment!
The practice of forest bathing has been found to lower blood pressure, heart rate, and levels of harmful hormones — like cortisol — that your body produces when it’s stressed. This can help put you in a more calm and relaxed state. In addition, studies have found that simply spending 10 to 20 minutes a day outdoors can lead to increased well-being and happiness and decreased amounts of stress.
This is my sweet mom, (who is 85 years old) and my brother on a hike with all of us this summer.
Go out there and find a park, trail, or somewhere to be in nature!
All material was gathered and researched through my amazing fellowship program, The Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine.
https://integrativemedicine.arizona.edu/
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