Get Out in Nature and Forest Bathe!

As a child, the freedom of being in nature felt glorious, even if it was simply roaming the raw lots in our Florida neighborhood that ringed natural lakes and were crowned with ancient oaks.  Camping was another world, full of adventure and creativity.  A day of water skiing meant the best sleep ever.  Being in nature had an impact. 

Since Richard Louv published Last Child in the Woods, Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder in 2005, I have been fascinated by the link between our well-being and our connection with nature.  I have also been concerned about the dwindling relationship with nature that children may be having today. 

Louv wrote, “Yet, at the very moment that the bond is breaking between the young and the natural world, a growing body of research links our mental, physical, and spiritual health directly to our association with nature – in positive ways.  As one scientist puts it, we can now assume that just as children need good nutrition and adequate sleep, they may very well need contact with nature”. 

Even before Louv published his landmark book, the value of being in nature was being studied in Japan.  Shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing, has become a vital part of preventative healthcare as well as a part of the culture.  In tourist guides, it is suggested as an activity to enjoy while visiting, and it was even established as a public health initiative by the Japanese government in 1982. 

According to Pub Med Central, a public library of scientific literature run by the U.S. National Institutes of Health's National Library of Medicine, “Shinrin-yoku means bathing in the forest atmosphere or taking in the forest through our senses. This is not exercise, or hiking, or jogging. It is simply being in nature, connecting with it through our sense of sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch. Shinrin-yoku is like a bridge. By opening our senses, it bridges the gap between us and the natural world”.  The official Travel Japan guide advises “Japanese studies have shown that forest bathing improves sleep quality, mood, ability to focus, and stress levels”. 

Being in nature positively impacts our nervous system.  A walk or even simply looking outside, particularly to the horizon, is often suggested for easing stress or anxiety.  Dr. Stacy Denise Moore, surgeon and physician, wrote, “If you’ve ever stepped outside and felt your shoulders drop, tears surface, or emotions untangle, you’ve experienced polyvagal recalibration – the body’s quiet return to safety without language”. She says, “Your body recognizes these as somatic safety signals – long before your mind catches up”.  These signals include predictable patterns (leaves), gentle movement (water or wind in the trees), scents (earth, flowers), and non-judgemental presence (trees).   

Supporting nature’s cues to shift into a physiological state of safety, the Pub Med Central study reported that “Shinrin-yoku increases the activity of parasympathetic nerves and reduces the activity of sympathetic nerves to stabilize the balance of the autonomic nervous system”.  This assists you and your children in staying steady, self-regulating, and returning to a state of safety. 

Forest bathing is now in the United States, and we are fortunate to have trained nature guides here in our area and across the state.  In fact, September 19th has been deemed “Forest Bathing Day, New Mexico” during which guides will lead you on a free 90-minute forest bathing experience.  Please check www.ForestBathingSantaFe.com for details.   

I am going to participate in the tour being led by my neighbor, friend, and certified nature and forest therapy guide, Roxanne Darling.  It will take place in the San Marcos area off Highway 14 beginning at 9:30 in the morning.  Groups are limited to ten people, and anyone over 16 is welcome.  Please register at https://naturewalkswithrox.com.  Let’s meet up!  This is one bath that your children may jump at the opportunity to take!