Stressed? Try Showering in a Forest

NATURE | WELLNESS | MINDFULNESS

Forest Bathing: Nature's Answer to Urban Stress

The demands of modern life can be quite stressful. From an evolutionary standpoint, humans have gone from living within nature to living in cities, oftentimes cut off from the natural world, all within a relatively short amount of time.

Nature might be just what we all need in today’s world.

Enter the Japanese art of forest bathing, known as ‘shinrin-yoku,’ which involves walking in a forest while soaking in all the senses: sight, sound, smell, touch, taste, and the sense of space.

Before we go deeper about the specifics, just know there are some real benefits to forest bathing.

While the practice was popularized in Japan in the 1980s in order to counteract some of the negative effects of urban life, numerous studies have proved forest bathing’s many powerful benefits¹ including:

• Lowering stress

• Strengthening the immune system

• Reducing blood pressure

• Improving mental health

• Aiding sleep

With all those benefits, it’s like we were meant to be in nature!

I personally remember the last time I returned to Hawaii after being in the city for so long, I had the chance to visit a beautifully lush botanical garden - I was bestowed with a sense of calm and peace that’s hard to get elsewhere.

Hopefully, you’re now convinced of forest bathing’s benefits - here are some tips to get you started:

1. Take it slowly - it’s not meant to be a vigorous activity like hiking or jogging. You’re purposely walking slowly and without a set path.

2. You don’t have to be in a ‘forest’ - you can do it in almost any natural setting, preferably with trees, including a park or even your own backyard.

3. Implement some mindfulness - you’re doing it right as long as you are staying in the present moment and soaking everything in with your senses. Try to take some deep breaths and avoid distractions (e.g. your phone)

About that last point, we’ll talk more about mindfulness and meditation in a future edition.

If you’re not close to a forest, try watching videos that immerse you in nature including this YouTube channel. If you are close to a place with trees, then off you go!

LANGUAGE | SPELLING

Commonly misspelled words

Now that we've taken a deep dive into the forest, let's shift gears and tackle another challenge that many of us face daily - spelling.

Ever felt a pang of embarassment when you definately knew a word but spelled it akwardly?

Well, there were three misspelled words in the sentence above, in case you didn’t notice. They’re part of 10 of the most misspelled English words, listed below for your reference.

As we wrap up today's issue, remember that the forest is more than just a collection of trees. It's a sanctuary where you can rejuvenate your senses and find peace, so go out and forest bathe!

Thanks for reading! Send us your thoughts and suggestions at [email protected] - we’re all ears!

See you tomorrow!

- Kevin and the Idle Impact Team

Dive Deeper with recommended reads:

• Forest bathing

  • Here’s a list of studies espousing all of the benefits of forest bathing

  • A beautiful video documentary about shinrin yoku or forest bathing

Footnotes

1. https://globalwellnessinstitute.org/wellnessevidence/forest-bathing/forest-bathing-spotlight/ and https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27493670