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Forest bathing Feeling tired or low? Immerse yourself in the healing powers of nature.
Research has found that a hefty dose of preventative medicine is just one forest away. The Japanese therapy of ShinrinYoku - literally ‘forest bathing’ - was first introduced in 1982 by the Forest Agency of Japan as a method of stress relief for urban residents. With its incorporation into the country’s government health programme, it is now considered a key therapy of preventative health care and healing in Japanese medicine. Studies have confirmed the health benefits of spending time in nature. Just 20 minutes of immersion in natural surroundings significantly lowers stress hormone levels, according to a 2019 www.carers.net.nz
study published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology. Researchers measured levels of the stress hormone cortisol before and after nature interactions, and found the drop to be significant for those who participated. Other studies have shown that benefits range from improved immune function, mood and cognitive function, to lower heart rate and blood pressure. When you step into bushland, you’re breathing in a number of bioactive substances released by plants, such as terpenes. Usually emitted from leaves, pine needles, tree trunks, and bark, studies show that terpenes mimic antidepressants like Prozac. Another chemical released by vegetation, phytoncides, has also been found to boost the immune system. The popularity of forest bathing is growing around the world, with more people becoming certified as forest therapy guides.
How does Shinrin-Yoku work as a practice, and how is it different from just going for a stroll in the fresh air, that common sense remedy which we’ve all enjoyed at some point? Yaki Wo, founder of Wilderites, a forest therapy group based in Auckland, says “as a therapy, it is simply about connecting with nature through your senses, from sight to hearing, smell, touch, taste, intuition, body radar, feelings in your heart”. Yaki first came across the concept while travelling in Japan. Then, in 2016, her mother fell ill, and Yaki started reading about practising mindfulness as a way to explore her own search for meaning and purpose. After her mother passed away in 2018, Yaki was physically and emotionally exhausted. She knew that the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy (ANFT) was coming to New Zealand to offer training for guides. FamilyCARE 21
