I often talk about the benefits of exercise, but where you do it can be just as important as what you do.
When I’m feeling as if life’s getting on top of me, nothing quite hits the spot like a bit of tree bathing. I didn’t know it was a thing until a couple of years ago, when I read an article about how the Japanese have a special term for getting out in the forest: shinrin-yoku (Japanese for "forest bath").
Tree bathing offers a range of benefits for both your mind and body. It's more than just a walk in the woods; it's a chance to immerse yourself in nature and reap the rewards.
Here's the cool part: trees are like little stress-fighting factories. They release oils called phytoncides. When we inhale these, studies show a decrease in the stress hormone cortisol. This can lead to lower blood pressure, and lead to improved mood, and better sleep. There is even evidence that the phytoncides and improve your ability to fight off infections and illness.
Plus, forests are like natural air purifiers. They pump out tons of fresh oxygen, which gets your brain firing on all cylinders and boosts your energy levels. You can think more clearly and creativity – basically, you'll start to feel like you’ve given your head a spring clean.
A study by researchers in Japan found that for a group of urban office workers, the physiological and psychological relaxation benefits lasted three to five days after forest therapy
It’s no coincidence that Kev and I have our best chats about life in general when we’re out for a walk with Eddie. We’ve been for some great walks over the bank holiday, and on Sunday in particular, I was feeling a bit scratchy and scatty before heading out for a walk - I’d spent a bit too long on my phone on Whatsapp and in social media land, and it had fried my brain, so much so that I even had trouble deciding where to go for a walk, but somehow Kev and I accidentally happened upon a beautiful forest that was thick with bluebells:
It didn’t take long for me to feel the effects - marching out in the morning air, breathing deeply, and listening to the birds chirping resulted in my thoughts starting to form some kind of order again, and I started happily chatting away about our future rather than spinning out about what felt like problems when I was at home, but were in fact nothing more than a collection of other people’s challenges that had colonised my head.
So, if you’re back at work after the bank holiday and not feeling very rested, maybe you've spent too much time indoors or in built up areas, and your head is crying out for a tree bath!
Like most things that come for free, we tend to undervalue them - so make sure you write it down as a goal somewhere to make the most of your local woods.