Summer has arrived in Alaska, and with it comes a busy season filled with camping, fishing, hiking, and being out in the beauty and bounty of nature.
I love summer here. We can easily get away from town to the mountains and the ocean, and we have amazing trail systems that allow us to step away from our screens, the stressors of work, and feed our minds in healthy ways. Studies have found that exposure to forests and trees:
- boosts the immune system
- lowers blood pressure
- reduces stress
- improves mood
- increases ability to focus, even in children with ADHD
- accelerates recovery from surgery or illness
- increases energy level
- improves sleep
Plus spending time outside also offers the perfect opportunity for forest bathing to help us recalibrate our systems through mindful relaxation.
What is forest bathing?
Forest bathing, or forest therapy, known in Japan as shinrin yoku, is the Japanese practice of immersing yourself in the atmosphere of the forest to relieve stress and improve health. Forest bathing isn’t simply walking in the woods, though. It is being mindful in nature–the conscious practice of being present, immersing yourself in the sights, sounds and smells of the forest. It is being calm and quiet amongst the trees, observing nature around you while you breathe deeply.
Why forest bathe? Nature is good for our health
Our lives are busier than ever with jobs, school, and family life. Constantly checking our phones and feeling like we need to be continually connected to our devices also creates stress which can cause a number of issues like anxiety, headaches, depression, mental fatigue, eye and neck strain to insomnia, frustration, irritability and even short tempers. Trying to focus on many activities or even a single thing for long periods of time can mentally drain us resulting in attention fatigue, which causes an inability to pay attention and control unhealthy impulses.
Spending time in nature, looking at plants, water, birds and other aspects of nature gives the cognitive part of our brain a break, allowing us to focus better and renew our ability to be present and patient. Forest bathing can reduce blood pressure as well as the stress-related hormones cortisol and adrenaline, which in turn helps reduce anxiety, depression, and attention fatigue, all of which supports a stronger immune system.
How to forest bathe: Use your 5 senses
Immersing yourself in the forest means using all five senses to ground yourself in the present moment. Sight, smell, sound, touch and taste all connect nature to sensory inputs in our brains.
- Sight: Take in all the colors around you: greens, yellows, and reds, the forest landscape, how the trees sway in the wind, the dappled light filtering through the trees, and more.
- Smell: Breathe deeply taking in the fragrance from trees and flowers, the smell of earth and water. Pinch leaves and smell them.
- Hearing: Listen to the forest sounds like the breeze rustling in the leaves of the trees, birds singing, water running.
- Touch: Touch the trees, feel the softness of the ferns against your hand. If you’re in a grassy area, take your shoes off and feel the ground beneath your feet.
- Taste: Taste the fresh air. Eat foods and fruits from forests* or gardens.
- *Forage safely. Do your research and be familiar with wild foods before eating them.
Can’t get to the forest? Go virtual!
Sometimes getting out into nature can be challenging with work, family obligations, and even our health. You can still experience some of the benefits of forest bathing through virtual images and videos, like those found on Forestry England or Unsplash
Another great way to capture the outdoors and bring those relaxing moments indoors is to take videos and photos when you’re out in nature and save them to look at later. I love to rewatch my videos of the rivers flowing or the ocean at sunset, and it brings back happy memories of those moments further boosting my mood.
No matter how you enjoy Alaska this summer, I wish you the best of the season!
If you’re in Alaska and looking for personalized support navigating life’s changes, I offer therapy services focused on helping individuals navigate these journeys with evidence-based approaches. Feel free to contact me for a consultation.
You’re not alone in this. Hope and resilience are within your reach.
