Hugging a Tree Makes You Happy? Science Says, YES!
Have you ever heard of forest bathing? It is also referred to as forest therapy, or nature therapy. In Japan, where it originated, it is called shinrin-yoku. It’s a real thing, and it is incredibly good for you! You don’t have to be a yogi or zen master to enjoy the benefits.
I stumbled upon the practice while taking a photography class 2 years ago. I had an extra class that I didn’t need to use toward my graduation requirements, and I thought it would be fun! It was one of the most glorious experiences because it pulled me away from my laptop and my textbooks, my responsibilities at home, and it got me outside deep in the woods to search for beauty in a unique way. I thought that’s why I felt so at peace – the forced escape from the stress of my to do list. I had no idea that I was reaping the benefits of a practice that has been studied, and has measurable results!
The practice of Shinrin-yoku began in Japan during the 1980s when a medical doctor there began researching it after he found that spending time in the woods helped him destress. It improved not only his mood, but his health as well! The actual term was coined by the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries in 1982. It is now part of prescribed therapy practices there.
Benefits
- Reduced stress
- Improved mood
- Increased creativity
- Heightened immune system
- Reduced high blood pressure
- Accelerated recovery from illness
- Decreased depression, anxiety, and fatigue
- Circadian rhythm improvements
“There is a serene and settled majesty to woodland scenery that enters into the soul and delights and elevates it, and fills it with noble inclinations.”
Washington Irving
A little too “woo” for you and you need some science-based evidence? I’ve got you covered! According to a study reviewed in PubMed, research subjects were sent to various urban areas, and 24 different forest areas in Japan. Their salivary cortisol, blood pressure, pulse rate, and heart rate variability were used to measure results. Forest Therapy was found to promote lower concentrations of cortisol, lower pulse rate, lower blood pressure, greater parasympathetic nerve activity, and lower sympathetic nerve activity than do city environments.
The Association of Nature and Forest Therapy (ANFT from here on out, because that’s a mouthful) reports that during testing, the average concentration of salivary cortisol, a stress hormone, in people who gazed on forest scenery for 20 minutes was 13.4 percent lower than that of people in urban settings. It’s not just inside versus outside either! When compared with urban walks, leisurely forest strolls proved to have greater benefits. They showed a 12.4 percent decrease in the stress hormone cortisol, a seven percent decrease in sympathetic nerve activity, a 1.4 percent decrease in blood pressure, a 5.8 percent decrease in heart rate, and up to a 50 percent increase in NK cells (white blood cells that fight off illness).
Phytoncides, the substance secreted by evergreen trees, are believed to play a role in the immune boosting benefits of being in a forest setting for extended periods of time. This would explain why we don’t get the same benefits taking walks in cities and suburbs. These immune boosting benefits were found to be even greater when there was moisture in the air trapping the phytoncides closer to the forest floor and in the air the test subjects were breathing. There has even been some research into forest bathing showing promise when it comes to enhancing your body’s ability to prevent cancer from developing. More studies are needed in this department, but in 2008, a study was conducted where 13 nurses went on a 3 day forest therapy trip. The trip produced anti-cancer proteins in their bodies and those benefits remained for three days. The results from these experiments are contributing to the development of an entire research field dedicated to forest medicine. Can you imagine if Forest Therapy became a viable prescription when it comes to preventative medicine?
Convinced and ready to give it a try? Here’s how:
- Go during a quiet time when there won’t be much foot traffic. At public parks, there are always days when schools are likely to take field trips, or general high traffic times. See if the park you want to visit has a club or membership where you are allowed to go during hours when they are typically closed.
- Set a time to start and stop, and set an alarm on your watch so you won’t check it constantly. Not having a set time to leave can sometimes make you feel anxious or be distracting because you are constantly checking the time. As my mom likes to say, “That can really harsh your mellow.” Decide in advance how long you plan to stay and make a commitment to yourself to set that alarm and let it go. Don’t keep checking the time and removing your mind from the present.
- Leave your phone in the car. I can verify that I was even more relaxed when I left my phone in the car, my camera at home, and started adding completely unplugged evening walks to my schedule. Trying to get the perfect shot, or getting the itch to check your email and social media accounts can be far too distracting.
- Take it slow. There’s no goal here for how much distance you need to travel. We aren’t working on your heart rate or trying to burn fat. This is all about stress levels. Just wander. You have a time goal, you don’t need a distance goal. It’s ok.
- Don’t plan your route, just wander freely! Mastering this is going to cause a little anxiousness at first for those of you who like to have a plan, set goals, and check things off lists. It’s worth it though. Push through the angst. You can do it!! You have a time set, and that’s all you need! Go where the path leads you, but do stay on the path, please.
- Let your mind wander with your body. Try not to think about your day, your to-do list for tomorrow, your schedule, your grocery list…just observe. Hum a tune if you need to give your brain something to do to keep it from focusing on tasks.
- Pause every now and then to take note of things you would not see at a faster pace. Like I said above, this is not about exercise and burning calories. This is about soaking in the beautiful creation around you and being aware of every little gift it offers you. Notice the baby frog, the tiny little mushroom peeking through the fallen leaves. It’s all there waiting for you to see it! The vine climbing up the tree above got me. It’s so beautiful! You can also search for patterns in nature, or even a break in patterns.
- Find a cozy spot, plop right down, and sit for a bit. Listen. Look. Touch. Slip your shoes off and feel the ground beneath your feet. Connect. How does it feel? What sensations do you notice? Use your senses to keep you present in the moment.
- Go alone if at all possible. If you go with other people, see if they feel comfortable splitting up for a set time. If that makes them nervous, or you really want to share the moment with them, just agree in advance not to speak and disturb the still, quiet moment. If you want to share what it meant to you while you’re still in the environment, set a timer or an alarm for a specific time, and then talk on the way back to the car . Just be sure to have some designated quiet.
While I’ve given you some guidelines on how to get started. There really are no hard and fast rules. The way each person practices and experiences forest bathing is going to be different. Don’t push yourself to check every box off the list. Mushrooms? *check* Hug a tree? *check* Shoes off? *check* Nah. Relax and enjoy the moment. It is what it is for you in that particular moment.
So, have you ever heard of this before? Am I late to a big, quiet party in the woods?
Who’s going to hug a tree this week? PS. If you see a tree like the one pictured above, maybe skip hugging that one. I learned in my daughter’s nature class this week that the beautiful vine I was vibing on is actually poison oak! *YIKES*
