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What is forest bathing?
- Forest bathing, or shinrin-yoku in Japanese, is a stress management technique that involves heading to a forest or another fauna-heavy location and using all five senses to reconnect with nature.
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What is forest bathing?
- The practice originated in Japan and is believed to be beneficial for both the body and soul.
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Benefits
- According to Dr. Qing Li, author of ‘Forest Bathing: How Trees Can Help You Find Health and Happiness,’ forest bathing can be used as a preventative medicine against illnesses such as cancer, strokes, gastric ulcers, depression, anxiety, and stress.
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Benefits
- This is because the practice has been shown to boost the immune system, lower blood pressure, and aid sleep.
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Origins
- Forest bathing as a concept started in Japan in the 1980s, but Japanese people had already been enjoying walks in the forest for centuries.
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Origins
- As studies began to emerge that showed forest bathing could have tangible health benefits, the practice was incorporated into the country’s health program.
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Origins
- Benefits of forest bathing that were proven by studies included reduced blood pressure, lower cortisol levels, and improved concentration and memory.
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Origins
- Phytoncides, a chemical released by trees and plants, was also found to boost the immune system.
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Growing popularity
- Now it looks as if shinrin-yoku may be incorporated into Western medicine, with talks of it becoming part of the ‘social prescribing’ movement in England's NHS.
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Growing popularity
- The ‘social prescribing’ movement recognizes that health can be affected by a number of factors, many of which are not physical but social.
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Growing popularity
- Social factors that can affect health include employment, housing, debt, social isolation, and culture.
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Growing popularity
- Where traditional medical treatments do not help with socially-induced health problems, doctors are prescribing non-clinical activities such as volunteering and sports.
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Growing popularity
- Now general practitioners in Surrey, England have expressed an interest in prescribing forest-bathing.
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Growing popularity
- The Forest Bathing Institute is currently training people to become practice guides.
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Growing popularity
- The practice of forest bathing was even a hit with Kate Middleton, who used her forest bathing experience as inspiration for the garden she designed at the Chelsea Flower Show in May 2019.
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Who can do it?
- The answer to this is simple: everyone! With the average American now spending more than 90% of their time indoors, it has never been more important for us all to get out and reconnect with nature.
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Who can do it?
- It doesn't matter if you don't have a forest nearby–simply head to any place where you can see trees, look at the sky, and hear birds singing.
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Who can do it?
- If this is not possible, simply taking off your shoes in the park and feeling the grass between your toes will help you to de-stress.
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Who can do it?
- The more time spent practicing, the better. But even a small amount of time spent in nature can have a positive effect on our health.
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How can I do it?
- Firstly, find a spot in nature where you will be able to stroll around at a leisurely pace.
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How can I do it?
- There is no ‘one size fits all’ location, so choose a place where you will feel relaxed–perhaps a place with which you have a personal connection.
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How can I do it?
- Be sure to leave your cell phone and camera behind. There is no need for any devices during practice.
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How can I do it?
- Start to wander freely, letting your body be your guide. Take your time–there is no final destination and it doesn’t matter if you don’t go anywhere at all.
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How can I do it?
- The key to successful practice is allowing the forest to access all five senses.
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How can I do it?
- Listen for the birdsong and look for the light rippling through the tree branches.
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How can I do it?
- Smell the dampness of the soil, taste the moisture in the air, touch the trees, and dip your fingers in the stream.
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How can I do it?
- The more deeply you manage to connect with the natural world, the more beneficial the practice will be. See also: Celebs who practice Transcendental Meditation.
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Introducing forest bathing: the Japanese answer to stress relief
Learn about the latest trend in preventative medicine
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It is a truth universally acknowledged that stress can have a seriously negative impact on our health. It has a role to play in a huge number of conditions such as high blood pressure, heart problems, and depression.
Traditionally-advised methods for combating stress include regular exercise and a good night's sleep. But a new form of stress relief has arrived from Japan and it's taking the world by storm.
Check out this gallery to learn all about forest bathing, the Japanese answer to stress relief.
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