Forest Bathing Does WHAT For Your Health?!

Today, we are covering Forest Bathing 101: what it is, how it works, and the tangible impact it has on your wellbeing.

Summer is nearly here, and the season of fresh air & sunshine & blue skies is upon us. [and all the pale Minnesotans said ALLELUIA!!!!]

Just last night, I had a picnic on the shores of Lake Superior with some friends, and it was so simple, but I left it feeling so refreshed.

…Moreso than if we would’ve just gotten together in one of our living rooms, ya know?!

And I’m sure you can relate—

• that blissful feeling after a day spent at the beach,

• the refreshing jolt of energy from jumping in a lake,

• the instant calm when walking through the woods,

• the peaceful state of watching a sunset…

Intuitively, I think we all understand time in nature feels “good”, but it is important to realize that has a tangible impact on our health, supported by the data!

In fact, a study found that a walk in nature was correlated with a…

• a 12.4% decrease in cortisol (the stress hormone),

• a 7% decrease in sympathetic nerve stimulation (AKA getting you out of “fight or flight” mode)

• a significant decrease in both blood pressure & heart rate parameters

• *and* a statistically significant improvement in self-reported mood & lower anxiety levels

Boom— an improvement in both physical and mental health *solely* from getting outside and going on a walk outdoors.

Nature really IS medicine!!!🌲🌸🌞 

forest bathing 101:

One specific way to improve your health through nature is through the practice of forest bathing! 

Forest bathing (or “shinrin-yoku” in Japan, where the practice originated) is defined as being in a forest environment in order to restore balance, both psychologically and physiologically. 

Simply put– it is the act of intentionally getting out in nature (in a forest when possible), engaging your senses, and just doing your best to truly be PRESENT & soak up all of that nature goodness, both for your body and mind 🌿☀️☁️

Now, I know what you’re thinking—

“That sounds relaxing, Kate… but it really have THAT big of an impact our health, could it?”

Well, friend, I am here to tell you that it CAN.

In fact, forest bathing proved SO impactful for wellness after its initial start in the 1980s, that Japan made it part of its national health program! With its benefits on mental, physical, and emotional health, it has become an accepted part of the culture’s preventative approach to healthcare. (How cool is that?!).

And while its roots are in Japanese origin, today, forest bathing has gained popularity around the world. And for good reason! While it may sound simple & peaceful (um, because it is…), but there is actually a large body of evidence and scientific studies showing its efficacy on physical and mental health.

Let’s dig in!

It may surprise you, but forest bathing has been shown to…

• IMPROVE IMMUNE FUNCTION: Okay, this is so COOL. It has been shown that after forest bathing, certain immune markers (specifically natural killer cells) will increase. And, (here’s the cool part), they have found that trees & plants in the forest emit a type of substance, phytoncides, which contribute to the boost production of the NK cells. Nature is so cool?!?!?! And, not only are NK levels boosted short-term after forest bathing (source), but increased NK activity after forest exposure can last for more than a week! (source)

• LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE: Forest Bathing has shown to significantly reduce blood pressure . One meta study in Japan showed that blood pressure levels in the forest environment were significantly lower than those taken in the non-forest environment. (source)
  

• ACTIVATE THE PARASYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM: In addition to reducing the “fight or flight” sympathetic nervous system (source), forest bathing showed a parasympathetic nervous activity was enhanced by 55.0% (!) after forest bathing, indicating a state of relaxation. (source)

• REDUCE CORTISOL (THE STRESS HORMONE): As mentioned in the beginning of this email, Yoshifumi Miyazaki and his research team has found that forest bathing can yield a 12.4% decrease in cortisol after forest bathing. (source). That is wild! Furthermore, it has been found that even just looking at forest scenery for 20 minutes can lower the amount of cortisol in your saliva by 13.4 percent compared to looking at an urban view. Wow! (source)
  

• IMPROVED CARDIAC BENCHMARKS: After forest bathing, it was found that participants’ pulse rate, systolic, and diastolic blood pressure were significantly lower, which is subsequently very helpful in overall cardiac health. (source)
  

• IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTH: Utilizing the Profile of Mood States (POMS) test for assessment, forest bathing has been shown to improve anxiety, depression, anger, fatigue, and confusion (source). Forest bathing has been shown to have significant benefits for mental health, especially in those with depressive tendencies. (source)
  

• BOOST CREATIVITY?!: I thought this was so fun— one study found that those who went on a wilderness backpacking trip performed 50% better on creative problem-solving tasks after nature exposure than prior to . (source). Kind of a random benefit to highlight (and not super well studied), but I found it so relevant because I have DEFINITELY experienced this, but I can truly say I feel like I get my BEST ideas, breakthroughs, and mental clarity when out on a walk in nature. (n=1, ha!)

• SPEED UP HEALING PROCESS: I’ll never forget my “Optimal Environments for Healing” course in grad school where we learned that patients who had access to nature at their hospital (nature views, gardens, etc.) were shown to have improved outcomes compared to their non-nature-exposed counterparts. As a nurse, it was something I had never even considered! But the data does support this notion. In fact, one study even found that patients with a view of trees were hospitalized for a shorter duration (7.96 days) than patients who had a brick wall view in their room (8.7 days), and utilized fewer pain medicines. (source) So cool. While this isn’t technical forest bathing, it shows that even simple exposure to nature can be so powerful!

After that^^ rapid-fire list, it is clear that forest bathing and nature access can have a tangible impact on our health in a variety of ways!

Forest bathing is such a beautiful practice and one that I try to sneak into my everyday life on a regular basis. I am privileged to live in an area with ample outdoor access and a beautiful public forest nearby (ily, Duluth, Minnesota), but I understand that is not the case for everyone!

So, let’s chat about how to best “forest bathe” when you don’t…. exactly have a forest right outside your backdoor!

^^Me, forest bathing.

(Okay, okay— this is absolutely me in a vineyard after drinking a glass of cabernet, but I’M COUNTING IT, OK)

If you don’t have a true forest or nature accessible right outside your door, I encourage you to do what you can, how you can, and where you can! 

Here are some ideas for simple ways to infuse some more nature into your life this week!: 

• ENGAGE YOUR SENSES: Touch the fresh dew! Sit in the grass! Feel the breeze! Go swimming! Smell the fresh rain! Smell the dandelions! *Engage* your senses with the outdoors
  

• DON’T DISTRACT YOURSELF: During at least one walk this week, I challenge you to not listen to a podcast, music, or call a friend— simply walk around in silence & truuuuly allow yourself the GIFT of being present & spending time outdoors✨
  

• HAVE A PICNIC: Eat a meal picnic-style outside this week. You could make identical meals and eat one inside and one outside + the outdoors one would taste 7392838x better, I swear 😂 There’s just somethin’ special about eating outside under the open sky.
  

• MORNING SUNLIGHT: Go outside first thing in the morning— being exposed to sunlight early in the AM is amazing for regulating your circaidian rhythm + sleep/wake patterns.
  

• TAKE YOUR CARDIO OUTSIDE: I know the treadmill and stair stepper can be tempting, but taking your exercise outside is such a seamless way to boost your nature time + vitamin D levels. (BONUS IDEA: Walk when you are running errands– walk to your morning coffee, take a stroll to the post office, etc.) 
  

• NOTICE THE RHYTHMS OF NATURE: Start paying attention to the seasons, moon phases, weather, etc., and notice how your mood and energy may shift with each stage (examples: feeling more energetic/social in summer, more inward/slow-moving in winter, etc.) This is something I’ve really leaned into the last few years, and it has become so tangible once I truly started paying attention. Trust me, the natural rhythm, cadence, and cycles of nature can have SUCH an impact on our mood, energy, and desires. Being in tune with them can be quite beautiful.
  

• MAKE THE MOST OF WHERE YOU ARE: Don’t have a forest? Maybe take a visit to a local park. Are you limited in access to nature’s flowers and plants? Maybe there is a local greenhouse or arboretum in town. It doesn’t have to be perfect to make a difference ◡̈ (But, also…. don’t get me started on the lack of green space in low-income areas……….. nature access is a SYSTEMIC issue!!!!)
  

• GO BAREFOOT! Take your shoes off + walk around grass, pebbles, sand, water and truly FEEL the earth beneath you. (This is called “grounding” or “earthing”, and actually has strong evidence of its own behind it! I’ll dig into more thoroughly in a future post!)
  

• BRING THE OUTDOORS INSIDE: Even if you are indoors all day with work, life, motherhood, etc., try to expose yourself to nature as much as you can! Do your work by a window, sit in areas of natural light, open the windows, limit fluorescent lighting when you can…
  

• SWITCH IT UP: If you’re like me, you have a few “go-to” walking or hiking routes that you visit over + over + over again, but I challenge you to mix it up and try a different option this week! New spots often lead to new perspectives

How are you going to get outside this week?

I hope these ideas for forest bathing (and other ways to engage with nature) were inspiring! As I mentioned, I think we already know it simply just ~feeeeels good~ to be out in nature,

….but it’s ALSO fun to see from a more concrete perspective that the science does support nature’s impact from a physiological & psychological perspective! 🫁💓🧠

Personally, I’ve found that seeing the data (or “proof”) behind something makes it more concrete for me mentally, and, therefore, more inspiring to implement!

Like, yes, if time in nature IS proven to be good for my health, it is worth prioritizing (just like eating healthy, exercise, drinking your water, etc.)

And the best part? You can make this your own! Love going on hikes? Find a trail! Are you more of a swimmer? Go for a cold plunge in a lake this week! Early riser? Catch a sunrise! Feeling introspective? Do your meditation outside!

The take home message is that: in any way you can, try to bring a bit more nature into your day-to-day. 

Your body (and mind) will thank ya for it!🌞

PROMPT FOR THE CHAT:

I’d love to hear how being in nature makes YOU feel. In the comments below, summarize how fresh air makes you feel in 3 words or less (I’ll go first!)  🤩☀️💛

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annnd… some big news! *pops bubbly*

Last week, I found out that The Reset is ranked # 22 out of  ALL health-focused publications on Substack?! 🫢 *mouth hangs open in shock*

Not only is 22 my absolute favorite number & holds such a special meaning to me (I…. literally have it tattooed on my body, haha), but this milestone meant so much more to me.

When I started this newsletter 3 months ago, I never could've guessed that momentum would grow THIS quickly. I am truly honored, and so grateful to YOU, the paid subscribers who have supported my writing, my mission, and my passion for health.

To celebrate this milesone, I would be honored if you shared The Reset with a friend or added it to you “recommended” reads on Substack ◡̈ But, regardless, just THANK YOU for being here. Truly. Sincerely. Genuinely. I appreciate *you* so much

Eeeeee! This was such an exciting milestone. I am so proud of this lil newsletter, and can’t wait to continue to watch it grow, baby, groooooow!

Onward!

-Kate