Forest Therapy Is A Preventive Medicine
Inhaling forest air is scientifically proven to benefit your immune system
I remember gazing up in awe at the canopy of the giant redwoods in Founders Grove in Northern California. There is a grandeur and elegance to these trees: their lifespans often exceed 2000 years.
In 2016, I was in the midst of a stressful period in my startup’s young life. Being in the presence of these giants had an instant calming effect on me. You may know the feeling of wandering through a forest, and feeling rejuvenated.
Little did I know that ‘forest therapy’ was a thing, until a friend mentioned it to me. The Japanese even have a word for it, Shinrin-yoku. It means “taking in the forest atmosphere” or “forest bathing”.
Walking in forests lowers blood pressure, reduces stress, and improves mood.
Japanese medicine has recommended forest bathing since the 1980’s. Japanese officials have spent $4 million studying the health effects of forest bathing.
Qing Li is a professor at the Nippon Medical School in Tokyo. Her research found that after a forest visit, her subjects had stronger immune systems for a week. These subjects benefitted for up to a month after a weekend visit to the woods.
One Japanese study found that gazing at a forest for 20 minutes reduced cortisol levels by 13.4 percent. What is the explanation for this? Why do forests have a calming and restorative effect on the human body?
The answer lies in chemical signals that are being emitted from plants around us all the time.
Peter Wohlleben is a German forester and author of The Hidden Life of Trees. He explains that phytoncide is an essential oil found in wood, plants, and some fruits and vegetables.
Plants emit phytoncide to protect themselves from attackers. For example, if an insect attacks an African acacia, the tree releases chemicals into the air. This signals that a threat is at hand. In response, the tree sends out a chemical signal that attracts predators to feed on that insect.
These chemical signals get picked up by other trees, and humans too.
A Korean study tracked older women as they walked through forests and urban areas. When the women walked in the forest, their blood pressure and lung capacity improved. A walk through town showed none of these changes. Inhaling phytoncide improved the immune system function for these Korean ladies. The study found that forest air feels fresher and better too.
In 2017, the German Ministry of Agriculture in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania got together to hold the first international congress for forest therapy. Public health officials, government representatives, and forestry experts gathered to share research findings. They concluded that forest therapy (Waldtherapie in German) provides “essential health benefits”. Taking it one step further, they recommend forest therapy as a “preventive medicine”.
So step away from your desk and go bathe in a forest for a while, as a matter of preventive medicine. Breathe in deep and you’ll feel amazing too.
