Research: Have you had your forest bath yet?

Happy 50th, Earth Day. Since we can’t throw parties, how about a forest bath?

But first, a little history.

In its early days, the environmental protection movement wasn’t so partisan. Dumping raw sewage and toxic waste was relatively common. Leaded gas and industrial smoke darkened city skies, pungently adding what was called “the smell of prosperity.”

So when 20 million Americans demonstrated on April 22, 1970, for a more sustainable environment, Congress responded. Led by Earth Day-initiator and Wisconsin Sen. Gaylord Nelson, the goal was a balanced approach. Believing industry could still grow while polluting less (and with initial support from big industry, unions, farmers and tycoons alike), Congress created the EPA and environmental law framework we have today. Necessity soon bred cleaner invention, “green” investment, and reduced pollution.

Politics aside, 2020 may be the greenest Earth Day yet. Since this global slowdown began, smoggy skies are blue again. Animals roam more freely and exotic animal trafficking has all but stopped. Some endangered species benefit from man’s muted presence.

Of course it won’t last. But the reminder of how we impact nature, and how it impacts us, could.

Japanese culture has a beautiful concept called forest bathing. As walking in the forest remains among the few permissible outdoor options, it’s a perfect time to cement the habit.

According to a May 2018 Time magazine article by Tokyo medical doctor Qing Li, the practice of shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing, is a simple way to restore health, energy, and happiness.

“We all know how good being in nature can make us feel. We have known it for centuries,” he wrote. “The sounds of the forest, the scent of the trees, the sunlight playing through the leaves, the fresh, clean air — these things give us a sense of comfort. They ease our stress and worry, help us to relax and to think more clearly.”

When Dr. Li investigated the science behind that feeling he found a connection with the senses. Likening the sights, smells, sounds and feel of a forest to a bridge, opening our senses this way closes the gap we feel between self and the rest of the natural world — a gap created when man drifted away from rural life and become more urban.

A forest bath is an easy way to unplug and slow down while restoring the natural connection we instinctively crave.

Li conducted numerous studies linking health benefits to forest baths. One 2016 study concluded regular Saturday walks of just over an hour significantly reduced pulse rate and decreased depression, fatigue, anxiety, and confusion in middle aged men. Walking also has metabolic benefits, apparently more so while in the forest.

So how does one go about forest bathing?

“First, find a spot,” Li writes. “Make sure you have left your phone and camera behind. You are going to be walking aimlessly and slowly. Let your body be your guide. Listen to where it wants to take you.

“And take your time … You are savoring the sounds, smells and sights of nature and letting the forest in.

“The key to unlocking the power of the forest is in the five senses. Let nature enter through your ears, eyes, nose, mouth, hands and feet. Listen to the birds singing and the breeze rustling in the leaves of the trees. Look at the different greens of the trees and the sunlight filtering through the branches. Smell the fragrance of the forest and breathe in the natural aromatherapy of phytoncides (antimicrobial substances emitted by plants and trees).

“Taste the freshness of the air as you take deep breaths. Place your hands on the trunk of a tree. Dip your fingers or toes in a stream. Drink in the flavor of the forest and release your sense of joy and calm.”

Somehow, the common experience of peace in such natural settings supports Li’s belief that this feeling is a sixth sense, a state of mind. Reconnecting with nature, then, is to restore the whole of ourselves.

And that must be a bridge to happiness.

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Sholeh Patrick is a columnist for the Hagadone News Network, grateful to live where forest trails abound. Contact her at Sholeh@cdapress.com.