Why I Do Forest Bathing Everyday

It’s free, powerful and I live in a forest.

I live in a forest. By choice. By intention.

Yes, I do it every day without even trying so hard. But again, that was why I moved into the forest — to live and grow in a natural environment.

It’s been over two months now — living in a jungle, with occasional visits to the city to take care of business and supplies. If there was one word to describe the experience, it is “nurture.”

Mainly through forest bathing.

But you don’t have to live in a forest like I do, to benefit from forest bathing. Once you understand its benefits you will be able to enhance your experience in nature by focusing your awareness on those things that matter most.

So what is forest bathing?

Forest bathing is not hiking or trekking. More than a walk in the woods, it is the practice of engaging all your senses in the forest environment with the intention of receiving therapy and contemplation.

It is also known by the term “Shinrin-Yoku” in Japanese, which literally translates to “forest-bath.” But of course, forest bathing is not unique to any one culture. Its powerful healing and inspiring properties date back to ancient times.

This is precisely why in our fast-paced environment with ambitious goals and infinite possibilities, forest bathing is a powerful antidote for many diseases we live through.

I seriously began practicing forest bathing after reading the book “The Japanese Art and Science of Shinrin-Yoku: Forest Bathing,” by Dr. Qing Li, who is also the Chairman of the Japanese Society for Forest Medicine.

I have also journaled about my forest bathing experiences. For an ambitious person like me, I feel that these benefits not only complement but also bring clarity to my thinking, goal setting, relationships, and overall lifestyle.

Of the many benefits that experts have identified, I personally have experienced four that I elaborate on below.

Path-finding to Path-mining

When we go on a journey, our brain is always working — doing calculations about the safest, most optimal way to get from point A to B. In forest bathing, however, we are not concerned about going from point A to B. We already know the route and the distance.

We are trying to look for the “riches” in the path instead. Here, we relax our ambitions, goal-seeking nature, and focus on expanding the experience in the here and now.

Yesterday, my forest bathing was a slow walk from one end of a nearby village to the other — a short walk of about 300 meters. I intended to take note of all the novel things that were there but hadn’t noticed before through my six senses — smell, touch, taste, sound, sight, and feelings (call it the sixth sense).

Let me quote from my forest bathing journal:

“Smell of moist air as I walked past the large old tree, soft-hairy touch of rambutan fruits that had fallen under the tree, and their sweet taste in my mouth; warm furry dogs of neighbor, gray chickens running around, and the refreshing sensation of the drizzling rain on my skin.”

Here you see that I am not trying to get anywhere. Instead, I am expanding my experience of the present moment. I get to actually “mine” the path, instead of finding one. In path-mining, I am able to dig deeper, wider, and identify the wealth that is there, hidden in plain sight for the rushing mind.

This exercise very well compliments the goal-seeking, path-finding behavior we are involved in most of the time.

Forest bathing sharpens our senses, which is exactly what we need in our daily lives when we make “big, life-changing” decisions.

Eco-therapy

Forest bathing is a powerful antidote to burnout, and in my experience, an effortless way to relax and recover.

There is scientific evidence that nature provides therapy for the brain.

Ions are charged particles in the air. They can be positively or negatively charged, of which the negative ions are the good ones that have energizing and refreshing effects. They help increase mental clarity and our sense of well-being. There are more negative ions outdoors than indoors — particularly abundant in forests, near waterfalls, rivers, and streams.

Nature is full of negative ions.

The air near a waterfall can contain as many as 100,000 negative ions per cubic centimeter, whereas the air in your office might have only a few 100 per cubic centimeter, according to Dr. Li. No wonder a walk by a waterfall, or even a stream can feel so healing and invigorating.

Studies show that negative ions help regulate sleep patterns and moods, reduce stress, boost the immune system, increase the metabolism of carbs and fats, and kill/inhibit the growth of certain harmful microbes.

Some words from my forest bathing journal:

“The sound of the stream beside the beautifully tended farm was so healing. The water was clear. I sat there for a while and felt the flowing stream.”

“It started raining, and the drizzle felt so good on my skin. I felt connected to everything.”

We spend a lot of time thinking, working indoors in offices, and especially in front of our screens. There is no doubt, we are “ionically imbalanced.” Forest bathing is the easy and effective way for us to not only achieve that balance but also give ourselves the eco-therapy that we need to keep ourselves energized.

Longevity

Forest bathing gives us life and vitality. Period.

Let’s take a look at a few interesting facts.

A boost to the immune system. An effective way to test the health of our immune system is to look at our NK (natural killer) cells — a type of white blood cell that attacks and kills unwanted cells like those infected with virus or tumor cells. An increase in NK cells activity is associated with a lower likelihood of autoimmune diseases like cancer.

According to scientific studies done by Dr. Li, three days and two nights' stay in a forest increased NK cell activity by 53 percent, increased the number of NK cells by 50 percent, and increased the presence of anti-cancer proteins by 40 percent.

These studies concluded that a forest-bathing trip once a month is enough to maintain a high level of natural killer cell activity.

Personally, I have not been sick ever since I have started living in the forest. With daily experiences of natural beauty, peace and gratitude, there is no doubt that my immune system is in good health at the moment.

This boost to our immune system can be pointed to two unique things in the forest: smell and bacteria.

The unique smells that come out of trees are called phytoncide. Phyton is Greek for ‘plant’ and cide is ‘to kill.’ They are the natural oils within a plant, as part of its defense system. Trees release phytoncides to protect themselves from bacteria, insects, and fungi, and also to communicate with one another.

These phytoncides are the elements that make the essential and natural oils used in aromatherapy.

Then there is the unique forest bacteria, Mycobacterium vaccae, which is found in the soil. This bacteria is also known to make us feel “happy” during sickness. The soil with this bacteria stimulates our immune system, which in turn makes us feel good and happy.

Studies have shown that this bacteria works as antidepressants, and also brings more positive feelings, higher energy levels, and better cognitive functioning in patients.

Numerous studies have shown that patients whose rooms looked out onto trees recovered more quickly than those whose rooms faced the wall. Those who looked onto the wall needed more medication for pain and spent longer in hospitals. They were also more depressed.

Having a green, tree-covered area to walk has also been linked to increased longevity in the elderly.

We all wish we had more time. When we set many goals, both small and lofty, the gift of time and vitality is second to none. Forest bathing gives us life not only during the activity itself but also by making us healthy and energized in the long run. We need our NK cells to stay alive and active.

Disconnecting to Connect

Yes, drop them! Leave your devices at home or the office while you go take a walk at the park, or anywhere green with trees and plants. A deep, meaningful connection happens when you disconnect from your devices and let your body connect with nature.

With the normal habitual distractions removed, you are forced to connect with all your senses. All six of them. The sense of sight, sound, smell, touch, taste, and the sixth sense — call it joy, happiness, or awe.

You can hear the birds and the insects, the leaves fluttering, the wind on your skin, feel the sunlight, smell the fragrance of the trees, flowers, or the dampness of the moisture in the bark of the trees, soil, and taste the freshness of the air.

You can dip your finger or toes in the stream feeling the flow of water and its peaceful sound. You can walk barefoot and feel the grass and the soil massage your feet and feed you those healthy negative ions. All this makes you feel so good!

And you can also feel the sense of awe in looking at the natural fractal patterns — the petals of a flower, the branches of a tree, the spiral of a shell, the bracts of a pine cone, and the way a fern unfolds.

The Nobel Prize-winning psychologist Dr. Dacher Keltner describes awe as “the feeling of being in the presence of something vast or beyond the human scale that transcends our current understanding of things.”

The sense of awe slows down, helps us reframe our challenges, dissolves our worries, transforms negative emotions into positive feelings, and brings us joy.

All these sensations make us feel deeply connected with nature. This is the sixth sense. Through the use of the other five senses, you can feel the sixth. Now, you truly have connected by disconnecting from your habituated connections like your electronic devices.

This is why forest bathing does not only relax, recover, and energize us, but it also feeds us plenty of creativity and wisdom.

So even if you live in a city, try to spend as much time as you can at your local park, or even try just looking at trees and greenery. The science is real. Just like trees play a vital role in keeping our cities clean, they are also essential for our health, wellbeing, and happiness.

Every time I visit New York City, I make it point to spend at least a few hours at Central Park. I touch the trees, walk barefoot on the soil, and lay down on the grass, as I enjoy the city skyline.

Key Takeaways

Forest bathing is not hiking or trekking. It is the practice of engaging all your senses in the forest environment with the intention of receiving therapy and contemplation.
Forest bathing is a powerful complement for ambitious people who have high drive, lofty goals, and are seeking clarity, wisdom, and creativity.
Forest bathing allows us to look deeper and wider in our current moment, “mining” the wealth we would have otherwise missed. We relax our ambitions/goal-seeking nature, and focus on expanding the experience in the here and now instead.
Forest bathing once a month is enough to maintain a high level of natural killer (NK) cell activity. NK cells defend us from autoimmune diseases like cancer.
Forest bathing boosts our immune system especially via smell (phytoncides) and bacteria (Mycobacterium vaccae). A healthy immune system means a long life of vitality.
A deep, meaningful connection happens when you disconnect from your devices and let your body connect with nature.
In forest bathing you can train and experience all your six senses: sight, sound, smell, touch, taste, and the sixth sense — call it joy, happiness, or awe.
Forest bathing does not only relax, recover, and energize us, but it also feeds us plenty of creativity and wisdom.
Even if you live in a city, try to spend as much time as you can at your local park, or even just looking at trees and greenery.