Shinrin‑yoku (森林浴) can change your life.
Research shows that your quiet presence in nature can lower blood pressure, reduce cortisol, support the immune system.
I've always loved time in nature, and many years ago, I discovered the concept of Shinrin-yoku or “forest bathing.” In Kanji, Shinrin-yoku is written 森林浴, the three characters representing forest, woods, and bath. Forest bathing is sometimes referred to as forest therapy as well because there are real therapeutic benefits to the act of spending significant periods of time in natural wooded areas. Research suggests this practice can lower stress, reduce blood pressure, improve mood, and even support immune function, essentially using nature as a kind of preventive medicine.
Shinrin‑yoku is not hiking or exercise necessarily; it’s about slowing down and immersing your senses in a forest or natural space, listening to the wind and birds, noticing light through the leaves, feeling the air, and just being present.
Many people also feel more creative or inspired while in nature. A pen and a notebook are useful analog tools for writing down your ideas as they flow to you naturally.
Below is a 1-minute video I made of some iPhone shots I took while hiking several miles in the mountains near Kyoto a couple of weeks go. It could be the endorphins from the uphill hiking in cool mountain air, or maybe there is something magical about the trees, the sounds, and the great views, but during this hike, it's the best I've felt physically/mentally in a long time.
Here are a few clips of a recent hike in the mountains above Kyoto, Japan.
Research into the possible connection between forests and human health began in earnest by Dr. Qing Li and others at the Nippon Medical School in Tokyo in the early 2000s. Dr. Qing Li is one of the world’s leading experts on shinrin-yoku and is currently Associate Professor of the Nippon Medical School in Tokyo. Dr. Li has been studying the effects of forest environments on human health and well-being for over thirty years and has published many scientific papers in the field of forest medicine.
I recommend Dr. Li’s book published in April of 2018 called Forest Bathing: How Trees Can Help You Find Health and Happiness (Penguin Life). This book is a good introduction to Shinrin-yoku. “Forest-bathing can help you sleep and it can put you in a better mood,” Dr. Li. “It lowers your heart rate and your blood pressure and improves cardiovascular and metabolic health. And most importantly, it can boost your immune system.”
Research on the effects of forested environments on mental health and well-being support the idea that time spent walking in forests helps us clear our minds, think more clearly as well as improve memory and problem-solving abilities. The literature on forest bathing also supports improved creativity as a consequence of time spent in among trees. Citing research from the universities of Utah and Kansas, Dr. Li says that “spending time in nature can boost problem-solving ability and creativity by 50 percent.”
