How often do you get outside? Not just when you’re walking to your classes, your car, or around the university, but how often do you go outside with your only goal being to spend time outside? For most of college students, the answer is not often. A recent study conducted by the EPA found that the average American spends “93% of his or her time indoors” (Li, 2018). Doing the math shows that this equates to about 23.52 hours inside, or only 28.8 minutes outside, every day. For me, being stuffed up at my house or in class makes me feel anxious and stressed. After a while, I start to feel trapped by the walls, the stuffy air, and the artificial light. However, once I get outside, I feel all those negative emotions leave my body with every breath of fresh air I take. And it’s not just me being a nature enthusiast. Being outdoors is shown to have amazing benefits for our health and well-being. Originally from Japan, a technique called shinrin-yoku, better known as forest bathing, is one way to be outside that has been scientifically proven to reduce stress, boost our immune systems, make us happier, and much more.
What is forest bathing? The phrase forest bathing comes from the Japanese word shinrin-yoku, which means “taking in the forest atmosphere” (Fraga, 2017). While people have been walking in forests for centuries, this practice began in 1982 when it was promoted “as a form of eco-therapy” (Fraga, 2017) by the agriculture ministry of Japan. Since then, it has made its way to the United States as more and more people have been intrigued by it’s benefits and put this practice to the test. Forest bathing is nothing more than just being in nature and connecting with it “through our senses of sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch” (Li, 2018). It is simply going outside with your only goal being to slow down and take in all that nature has to offer. You can practice forest bathing anywhere that there are trees or plants surrounding you. Think of it as “a cross between a hike and a meditation class” (Aubrey, 2017). You are going amongst the trees just to be with the trees. How can this help me manage my stress? Forest bathing can be a very effective stress management tool. This is due to the higher amounts of fresh oxygen in a forest compared to a city, as well as chemicals called phytoncides that are present in concentrated areas of trees and plants. Phytoncides are “natural oils that are part of a plant’s defense system against bacteria, insects, and fungi” (Aubrey, 2017). They are released by trees, mostly by evergreens, and can be breathed in when we spend time in nature. The phytoncides can boost our immune system, lower our blood pressure, and calm our heart rate (Evans, 2018). Aside from the benefits of the phytoncides, just being in a forest or surrounded by trees has also been linked to various health benefits. Forest bathing can help lower cortisol levels, reduce anger and anxiety, and improve metabolic and cardiovascular health (Fraga, 2017 and Evans, 2018). Lowering cortisol levels is very important for effective stress management. Cortisol is a stress hormone that can cause a lot of the negative side effects of stress, like weight gain, high blood pressure, and a weakened immune system. Lowering this can do nothing but good things for our stress and our health! Just being out in nature and away from your stessors for a while can do a lot for your stress management and happiness as well. It’s not hard to get into this technique and start to see these benefits. All you really need are some feet and some trees. How to forest bathe The first step to forest bathing is finding somewhere to forest bathe. While this is traditionally and most effectively done in a forest, anywhere you can get outside with some trees and some peace will suffice. Find a spot that you enjoy and begin to walk slowly. Try not to have a destination in mind-- just walk. Focus your attention outwards, and “let nature enter through your ears, eyes, nose, mouth, hands and feet” (Li, 2018). Take deep breaths and just explore all the beautiful sights and smells. You could do yoga, eat a snack, meditate, write, draw, or simply just walk (Li, 2018). That’s really all there is to it. When you’re done, try to reflect on your experiences and how you and your stress feel afterwards. If it works as well for you as it did for me, you’ll truly feel amazing. References Aubrey, A. (2017, July 17). Forest Bathing: A Retreat To Nature Can Boost Immunity And Mood. Podcast retrieved from: https://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=536676954 Evans, K. (2018, August 20). Why Forest Bathing Is Good For Your Health. Retrieved from: https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/why_forest_bathing_is_good_for_your_health?utm_medium=email&utm_source=other&utm_campaign=opencourse.es3OSXqhEea1Vw7ENWFEPw.announcements~opencourse.es3OSXqhEea1Vw7ENWFEPw.NyzGa6cwEeiD2QqOJunOiA Fraga, J. (2017, June 5). According to Science, 'Forest Bathing' Has Proven Health Benefits. Retrieved from: https://www.healthline.com/health/stress/forest-bathing-shinrin-yoku#2 Li, Q. (2018, May 1). ‘Forest Bathing’ Is Great for Your Health. Here’s How to Do It. Retrieved from: http://time.com/5259602/japanese-forest-bathing/
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorHannah Brewington Archives
November 2018
Categories |