How ‘Forest Bathing’ Can Heal

For hundreds of years, people in China, Japan, Korea and other parts of Asia have recognized that wood is not only a critical building material, but that forests provide a number of other benefits. Asian physicians have long recommended walking or being in nature as an important way for people to maintain their health and prevent disease. What does modern research tell us about getting healthier by being in the forest?

The World Health Organization considers health to be a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing. This places responsibility for health on a wider range of institutions and people than simply the medical establishment.

A large and rapidly growing body of evidence suggests that people benefit in many ways from being exposed to trees and forests. This research, largely done in East Asia, Europe and Australia, concludes that being in forests, particularly walking and exercising, reduces stress, boosts immunity and calms aggression. Being in forests also produces positive effects on a range of disorders including obesity, mental health imbalances, social isolation, diabetes, violent behaviour, substance abuse and even suicide.

Known as “salim yok” in Korean, or forest bathing, doctors have recognized the numerous health-boosting effects of being in nature. In contemporary times, The Korean Forest Research Institute has found that chemicals from conifers (specifically Torreya nucifera), phytoncides, are associated with positive health effects. Packaging and proliferating phytonicides in workplaces and elsewhere have been shown to increase productivity. This complements research conducted in Finland, which found that when people spent time in nature it decreased sick days from work and increased productivity.