Health Benefits

Health Benefits of Forest Bathing / Forest Therapy / Shinrin Yoku

The research into the benefits of forest bathing began in the 1970s in Japan, and it is now well established that time spent in nature and more specifically in forests has numerous psychological and physiological health benefits.  The psychological benefits are intuitively understood, because during forest bathing we get away from the stress of the working world and we focus on ourselves and our own well-being. The physiological benefits include blood pressure reduction and stress relief, as measured by lowered cortisol levels, and an improved immune system, as measured by white blood cell counts, specifically a special type of white blood cells called killer cells, which are critical in the body’s defense against cancer. Phytoncides, such as alpha-pinene (yes, you can find a lot of it in pine trees), which are secondary plant metabolites are at the root of these physiological benefits. The ANFT is currently working on getting forest therapy approved as a medical and wellness treatment – yes, the time will come when you can get your forest therapy walk by prescription from your physician, as already available in Japan.