By Jody Sackett
New Year’s resolutions are all about second chances. Maybe we didn’t achieve our resolutions the first time around, but now we can give it another go. If your 2024 resolutions include getting more fresh air and reducing stress, here’s an easy solution for accomplishing both – try forest bathing.
“Shinrin-yogu” is an ancient Japanese practice. It simply entails spending time quietly in the woods immersed in the forest atmosphere while mindfully engaging with the natural world. Sort of like a walking meditation. Fully clothed, of course (there’s no actual bathing).
Forest bathing is not a strenuous activity, so no cardio training; instead, just connect with the outdoors using your five senses. The peaceful solitude of winter is perfect for this activity.
Numerous studies have concluded that forest bathing has multiple benefits. It reduces stress by lowering blood pressure and increases the ability to focus. It boosts the immune system, stabilizes blood sugar and accelerates healing. It helps reduce anxiety, depression, confusion, and anger. It improves mood and sleep and even boosts energy levels.
Intrigued? Here’s how it’s done.
Winter Forest Bathing Basics. You don’t need any special equipment for shinrin-yogu, just your five senses and the trees. Start by choosing a serene patch of forest to explore. There are lots of ideal parks for this in the Two River area, such as Hartshorne Woods, Holmdel Park, or Huber Woods. You can forest bathe in the suburbs, too, or even in a city park, but it works best in the woods where there are plenty of trees. Aim for a two-hour session. Wear comfortable hiking shoes or boots. Be sure to dress warmly for the weather. Pick a sunny day, if possible. Bring a thermos of hot herbal tea if you’d like. Walking aimlessly is the easiest way to forest bathe, but doing gentle yoga or tai chi is okay, too.
Breathe. Walk slowly into the woods and begin with gentle deep-breathing exercises: Breathe in for a count of 3; breathe out for a count of 6). Don’t rush – this isn’t a competition. The crisp, clean winter air contains higher concentrations of beneficial negative ions that elevate immunity and mood to help with relaxation. Evergreen trees like pine, cedar, and spruce emit lovely scents that generate an aromatherapy-type bodily response. Trees also naturally emit phytoncides and terpenes, which have antibacterial and antifungal properties to help them fight disease and repel insects. Breathing in these natural airborne chemicals can help reduce inflammation, enhance mood and increase production of our own infection-fighting cells to improve immunity. It also triggers the parasympathetic system, the network of nerves that relaxes the body after perceived danger. As adrenaline and cortisol levels decline, so does stress. The body begins to physiologically slow down, improving mental clarity and enabling us to focus better on the nature surrounding us.
Use Your Senses. As you relax, begin deliberately engaging all your senses while you stroll. Focus intently on the world around you. Sit on a stump and be still as you listen for a bird chirping or a squirrel scampering through leaves. You might also hear nearby branches creaking in the breeze. Touch the tree bark – is it smooth or rough? Can you find woodpecker holes in it? Do you feel the wind rustle through your hair and the therapeutic warm sunlight on your face? Open your mouth and taste the air for its freshness (yes, it’s possible). Look carefully at the minimalist, monochromatic palette of the winter forest; its very simplicity encourages mental decluttering. Do you see the camouflaged wildlife hiding nearby? They’re there!
So, Scientifically, What’s Happening? Forest bathing is based on our biological need to connect with nature. According to Dr. Qing Li, a Nippon Medical School professor in Tokyo and president of the Japanese Society of Forest Medicine, just being around nature switches our bodies from being governed by the hyper-sympathetic system that signals our “fight or flight” response to the calming parasympathetic system instead. Studies show that simply looking at trees outside a window or in photos can help induce a parasympathetic response, as can breathing in essential oils of evergreen trees; but the impact is not nearly as significant or effective as actual forest bathing. And indoors, you won’t get the sunlight-induced vitamin D or seasonal affective disorder relief either. Finally, since forest bathing improves our concentration abilities, it helps reduce directed attention fatigue, a phenomenon like ADHD that impairs our focusing endurance.
In the crazy-busy world, we pride ourselves on multitasking and working long hours but both take a toll on our bodies and psyches. Forest bathing is a simple yet transformative ecotherapy that requires no special equipment or costs to rejuvenate us, restore our health, and connect us to our natural roots. It’s a new year – resolve to give it a try.
The article originally appeared in the January 4 – January 10, 2024 print edition of The Two River Times.
