Shinrin Yoku: how nature affects our physical and mental health
It's called 森林浴, it's read shinrin yoku, in Italian it translates to forest bathing, literally tracing the English forest bathing. And if you are wondering, no, it is not a new environmentalist fad. But a Japanese practice that dates back to the early 1980s and indicates the full enjoyment of the benefits of trees. So: go to a forest, put yourself in the right frame of mind for a few hours, stay connected with the trees, walk slowly, breathe deeply in the aromas. The result? An improvement in one's psycho-physical balance.
Despite the fact that this is not a recent invention but something that is now over forty years old, shinrin yoku has been much talked about again recently. The practice has in fact begun to spread (this is true, like a fashion) in the West and also in Italy, with proposals arriving from associations, tourist boards, and organisations concerned with the environment. Which, in addition to the benefits offered by immersing body, mind and soul among the trees, suggest itineraries and maps in which to take refuge for a few hours and come out regenerated.
Forest bathing takes its cue from a branch of medical science that claims that spending more time in nature has some surprising benefits for human health. Sure, it is an opportunity to disconnect from the often hectic pace of everyday life and to rediscover our ancestral connection to the environment, but it is above all a natural therapy with measurable effects.
Which ones? At the top of the list is the reduction of stress, as interaction with natural environments significantly reduces cortisol levels, thereby promoting a state of calm and tranquillity. Walking in the green also increases endorphins, which help improve mood and moodiness, counteracting anxiety and depression. Try measuring your blood pressure after an immersion in the forest: the forest environment lowers it, which is beneficial for the cardiovascular system. The inhalation of the organic molecules emitted by plants allows the immune system to be boosted. From a mental health point of view, as well as being an excellent ally in reducing stress, anxiety and depression, the forest reduces fatigue in our cognitive functions, improving concentration and memory. Added to this is the fact that spending time in green spaces practising a moderate physical activity such as walking among the trees in a forest not only increases one's energy and vitality levels, but also helps mitigate the inflammatory processes that underlie some chronic diseases.
Where to go? Just enter “forest bathing” on any search engine and you will find a long series of suggestions for itineraries, also guided and often combined with moments of meditation, in all areas of our peninsula. Without forgetting to start with a shinrin yoku in the forest near our home.
The same results of the studies supporting the efficacy of forest baths came from those conducted over a decade ago on behalf of our company by the Italian Association of Physicians for the Environment (Isde) to understand the advantages of choosing wood in furnishing one's living spaces. We talked about it here: https://www.itlas.com/en/blog/living-together-with-wood-benefits-human-environment
