Forest Bathing: 3 Fascinating Health Benefits Of Forest Bathing

Forest bathing promotes health and improves focus

Can you immerse yourself in nature?

It’s been a long time since I regularly go on evening walks.

People may like going on morning walks, but the evening has a majestic charm for me.

And it thrills me when I take evening walks in a natural environment because I love immersing in nature.

Learning about forest bathing was a big motivation to keep my walking habit intact.

Despite the ease modern technology has brought to every walk of life, it has never been able to replace the pleasure I take in evening walks.

It’s never been so forceful for me to blur my relationship with nature. Nature has always drawn me towards herself and I obliged always.

And why you should do it too?

Because extensive use of modern technology adversely affects your mental and physical health.

People spending more time on digital devices have lost the touch with nature and have fallen into tensions, depression, and stress.

That’s what happens when you neglect nature and accept technology blindly.

And we have brought this shift — from nature to artificial life.

This shift has caused degeneration in mental health and deteriorated physical health.

But don’t lose hope!

You can still regain what you have lost.

All you have to do is to spend quality time in nature, which is called forest bathing, to find the lost mental peace and health.

Nature has the power to sprout hope in you and gives you the satisfaction to live peacefully with yourself and others.

It provides you an opportunity to leave the technology behind and immerse yourself in nature to promote your mental and physical health.

Forest Bathing And Its Origin

Forest bathing is all about getting closer to nature and leaving behind the technological world for a while.

It doesn’t mean taking a bath in the forest water literally but immersing yourself in the forest.

It is not just spending time in nature but spending it consciously with meditative and mindfulness exercises.

The practice originated in Japan in the 1980s and is known as (shinrin-yoku), which translates to Forest Bathing.

In1980s, the Japanese initiated it as a process of disconnecting from modern technology and spending time in a completely natural environment to recover their mental and physical health by de-stressing themselves.

For them, forest bathing means completely immersing in nature. One should be smelling the refreshing aura of the plants and flowers, listening to sounds, and seeing natural sites consciously.

People around the world use forest bathing as a practice to release stress hormones like cortisol, regulate their blood pressure, and improve their mental health.

Due to its popularity, researchers continue to find its potential benefits for mental and physical health.

Still, people around the world have found that the practice has many health benefits.

3 Fascinating Health Benefits Of the Forest Bathing

1. It Increases your focus on the present

Worries in the modern world have shattered our focus.

Failures of the past and thinking about future responsibilities and tasks have blurred our vision to see our present fully.

Our days are often spent lamenting the past or visualizing a glorified future, which is unpredictable.

And this unpredictability of the future invites unwanted stress and makes our life miserable.

In all our struggles for the unseen future, we have forgotten to focus on the present and enjoy what we have.

And this neglect of the present has made all the problems.

However, forest bathing helps us increase our focus on the present. It brings us back to the present.

It makes you feel present in the moment by observing the surrounding nature while walking.

Passing by fragrant flowers and plants gives you a sudden joy that enlivens your senses to appreciate your life and what you have.

Though walking is a physical exercise, you can practice meditation and increase your focus by focusing on the natural world's beautiful sights, smells, and sounds.

2. It gives you a break from your busy life

Modern life has accelerated urbanization unprecedentedly and urban life is devoid of a natural environment where you can disconnect yourself from the technologies.

So, forest bathing is highly beneficial for your health if you are living in an urban environment.

Forest bathing provides you a chance to disconnect from technologies and reconnect with nature.

3. Forest bathing refreshes your soul

Spending time in a natural environment with sunlight, fresh air, and clear sights refresh your soul and energizes you.

It provides you a space to meditate and use mindfulness exercises even if you are walking.

3 Best Ways to Practice Forest Bathing

1. Select a location for forest bathing

You don’t need to go to a forest to achieve the results of forest bathing.

Forest bathing simply means reconnecting with nature. So, you can forest bathe in any natural environment.

If you like wildlife areas, that surely will provide much greater benefits because that’s what a raw natural environment is.

But you can also experience the desired effect in any park that resembles nature.

2. Practice mindfulness to regain your health

You don’t need to sit in a posture to practice mindfulness.

You can do it while walking, standing, or sitting.

All you need to do is to give your attention to what smell, hear, and see.

Focus on the surrounding nature completely and allow yourself to immerse yourself in everything around you.

Forget about your work, responsibilities, and everything else that stresses you. Be with nature and be in nature. Leave all other considerations behind.

Do this for an hour or two every day and regain your mental and physical health.

3. Leave the distractions behind

Initially, I would take my mobile phone and camera with me to nature. I would spend most of my time taking pictures and editing.

Posting new pictures on social media and engaging with people would ruin my forest bathing.

I wouldn’t achieve the results because I was taking the distraction with me.

Then I left the devices behind and went into a natural environment. Leaving the distraction behind really helps you to completely focus on nature and practice mindfulness exercises.

If you can’t leave your phones behind, limit their use and enjoy immersing in nature.

Final Words

Forest bathing is spending quality time in nature where you can relax and release your stress.

Forest bathing offers huge benefits for your mental and physical health.

It helps you refresh your soul and energize your body.

It provides you with a happy escape from the hustle-bustle of the modern world and offers a break from your hectic life.

Forest bathing also helps your increase your focus on the present and relieves your worries about the future and teasing memories of the past.

However, to achieve these things, you should consciously select the best place for forest bathing.

Personally, I like wildlife because it gives a raw natural environment that is majestic and graceful.

Parks are often too artificial and don’t satisfy my urge for being in nature.

Practicing mindfulness, such as giving complete attention to the sounds, sights, and smells of nature, help you regain your mental and physical health.

But if you don’t limit your distraction or leave it behind, you won’t achieve the true benefits of forest bathing.