Forest bathing, or Shinrin-yoku, is considered good for you primarily because it helps ground you in the present moment, reducing mental clutter and worry.
The core benefit, as explained by clinical psychologist Susan Albers, PsyD, is its ability to deeply connect individuals with their present-moment experience. By engaging your senses in the forest environment, your mind is drawn away from overthinking about the past or future.
Connecting with the Present
According to Dr. Albers, "The intent of forest bathing is to put people in touch with present-moment experience in a very deep way."
How does it achieve this? The natural environment provides a rich sensory experience:
- Sights: Observing the colours of leaves, sunlight filtering through branches, textures of bark.
- Sounds: Listening to rustling leaves, birdsong, the flow of water.
- Smells: Breathing in the scent of pine needles, damp earth, forest flowers.
These sensory inputs act as anchors, bringing your awareness to the here and now.
Quieting the Busy Mind
This sensory engagement has a direct impact on mental activity. As Dr. Albers notes, the sights, sounds, and smells of the forest "take us right into that moment, so our brains stop anticipating, recalling, ruminating and worrying."
By shifting focus from internal thought loops to external sensory input, forest bathing offers a break from the mental processes that often contribute to stress, anxiety, and overthinking. This quietening of the mind is a significant reason why spending time mindfully in nature is beneficial for mental well-being.
In essence, forest bathing is good for you because it is a practice designed to reduce mental noise and enhance mindfulness, allowing you to feel more calm and centred.
