Benefits
To humans
The secret to mindful travel? A walk in the woods
2019
Whether you call it a fitness trend or a mindfulness practice (or a bit of both), what exactly is forest bathing? The term emerged in Japan in the 1980s as a physiological and psychological exercise called shinrin-yoku ("forest bathing" or "taking in the forest atmosphere"). The purpose was twofold: to offer an eco-antidote to tech-boom burnout and to inspire residents to reconnect with and protect the country's forests.
Emotional, Restorative and Vitalizing Effects of Forest and Urban Environments at Four Sites in Japan
2014
National Library Of Medicine https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4113871/
4. Conclusions
In this study, we investigated the emotional, restorative and revitalizing effects of short-term walking and viewing in forest and downtown areas.
Forest bathing improved mood; Forest bathing heightened positive affect; Forest bathing induced a feeling of subjective restoration; Forest bathing induced a feeling of subjective vitality.