A reminder of what Shinrin Yoku is and its potential health benefits
What is Shinrin-yoku?
In 1982 the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries coined the phrase ‘Shinrin-yoku’ which translates to ‘forest bathing’ or ‘absorbing the forest atmosphere’.
Simply put, it is the therapeutic act of spending time in a forest. You have probably already experienced some of the benefits of being outdoors among the trees, listening to the birds sing, seeing leaves fall to the ground.
Shinrin-yoku is a particularly mindful way of being among the trees, using our senses to focus on the details. It allows us to slow down enough to take in our surroundings without being overwhelmed with thoughts and feelings, which can happen with other techinques such as meditation. This makes it accessible to people who have struggled in the past to meditate for whatever reason.
In Japan, Shinrin-yoku is a well-regarded part of preventative healthcare. Research has shown that it can help us deal with stress, improve sleep and our mood, and increase our ability to focus.
In the UK we call Shinrin-yoku ‘Forest Bathing’. It is about immersing yourself in the experience of being in the woods – there is no water involved and you don’t need to remove any clothing.
Anyone can benefit from entering the woods and using all their senses to explore the world among the trees. In addition, you might like to join a Forest Bathing session with an experienced Forest Bathing Practitioner like Nigel Grimes, who will guide you through a full Shinrin-yoku experience.
The benefits of forest bathing
Dr. Qing Li, MD, Ph.D. is a Japanese doctor and President of the Society of Forest Medicine and author of the book Forest Bathing: How Trees Can Help You Find Health and Happiness. People living in urban areas in the West often spend over 90% of their time indoors. Dr Li suggests that there is a ‘nature deficit disorder’ in society, which is causing us all manner of problems. The good news is that he thinks this can be significantly improved by just a few hours spent among the trees.
As well as there being more oxygen among trees than in an urban setting, trees release a chemical called ‘Phytoncides’. These are natural oils that are part of a plant’s defence system against bacteria insects and fungi. It is exposure to phytoncides that has been found to boost the immune system. The greatest benefit comes from being under the canopy of trees – the more ancient the trees, the better. Evergreens such as pine trees, conifers, spruce and cedars, release the most phytoncides.
Breathing in forest air increases the level of natural killer (NK) cells in our blood. Our body uses these NK cells to combat infections and cancers. One Japanese study showed a rise in the number and activity of these NK cells by people who forest bathe. In addition to affecting immune system function, phytoncides improve sleep, attention and concentration, lift mood, lower cortisol levels (the chemical involved in stress), lower blood pressure and boost creativity.
Dr Li himself was a stressed out medical student, who found spending his spare time among the trees calmed him. This started his interest in the power of the trees and now he takes lunch among the trees every day and takes three days per month to go out into the country and spend time forest bathing.