Get some VITAMIN N

The professor behind the concept of forest bathing takes us on a deeper dive into how nature is so good for your wellbeing.

AS WE EXPLORED in the previous article, every time you head out for a walk you’re treating your body and brain to a spot of ecotherapy. Whilst that sounds like some pricey new spa experience, ecotherapy – the term for the healing benefits of spending time in the great outdoors – is easily accessible and absolutely free!

‘Human beings have existed for around seven million years,’ explains Professor Yoshifumi Miyazaki, author of Shinrin-yoku: The Japanese Way of Forest Bathing for Health and Relaxation (Aster). ‘Considering urbanisation coincided with the industrial revolution, that particular history is only 200 to 300 years old, meaning humans have spent 99.99 per cent of their history living in nature. Your brain, body and even genes are adapted to nature, but we now live in an artificial environment.’

This can lead you into a state of overstimulation and pressure that causes your body underlying stress without you even realising it.

‘In recent years, stress-related diseases have become a social problem on a global scale,’ says Professor Miyazaki.

THERAPY OF NATURE

So, the professor devised ‘Forest Bathing’ – inspired by the abundance of woodland in his home country of Japan. His studies showed just how beneficial the stress-lowering effects of being among the trees were for people’s health. ‘As well as lowering blood pressure for five days after the walk, the improvements in immune function continued for a week afterwards,’ he says.

A BREAK FOR YOUR BRAIN

When you walk through nature and purely focus on what you can see, hear and feel there, it relieves your brain from the daily multitasking that it’s used to. This is how ecotherapy calms and renews your focus in the same way that a session of meditation would. Man-made

landscapes on the other hand will stimulate your brain, but not replenish exhausted mental resources, according to research undertaken by the University of Exeter.

In nature, without interference from various emotional or physical stress responses – no matter how subtle – you’ll not only have clearer thoughts and better physical health; you’ll feel happier and sleep more soundly, too.

‘When you come into contact with any kind of nature, your body automatically unwinds pent-up tension without you even noticing,’ says Professor Miyazaki. ‘This simple act helps to regulate your nervous system, promoting a healthier balance between activation and relaxation.’

MAXIMISE YOUR MEANDER

In the Japanese studies, forest walkers focused on taking in all the colours of the cherry blossom or leaf foliage, sitting solo while mindfully sipping tea, or feeling the warmth and texture of the trees themselves. Wherever you walk, just tune in to what personally helps you feel good at the time. This could mean a walk with no particular destination in mind, a lazy cloudgazing stroll as you focus on your breathing, or simply enjoying time away from your phone.

Before you know it, you’ll be combining the physical advantages of walking with the meditative, mindful benefits. Learn more on how to tune into senses as you stroll on p46.