Ecotherapy is inspired by the Japanese wellbeing practice of relaxing under the canopy of trees. The simple act of being calm and quiet among the trees, observing nature and breathing deeply naturally promotes relaxation and boosts health and wellbeing.
Ecotherapy, also known as Shinrin-yoku, forest bathing or forest therapy, is a practice of therapeutic relaxation where one spends time in a forest or natural atmosphere, focusing on sensory engagement to connect with nature.
Dr Qing Li, author of the book Forest Bathing, How Trees Can Help You Find Health and Happiness, has been at the forefront of Japanese research into forest-bathing. Studies by his team at the Nippon Medical School have shown that 50% of the beneficial health effects of Forest Bathing come from the chemistry of forest air. The health benefits can be attributed to the higher oxygen content of forest air, and the chemicals that the trees expel to help them fight off diseases, which can boost our immune system.
Shinrin-yoku can have numerous health benefits:
The practice does not require hiking, running or mountain-climbing, but rather a sensory experience consisting of taking a moment to appreciate your surroundings and listen to the forest sounds; twittering birds, rustling bush, trickling streams, breathing in clean, fragrant air and soaking in the sights of the textured ground and the shapes of the leaves in the sky, touching the soft, green moss carpeting the shaded stones, or the rough bark on the trees.
One 2007 study showed that forest therapy reduces cortisol, a stress hormone. Research conducted in 2010 found that people who walked in the forest twice a day for two hours had greater levels of cancer-killing proteins and immune cells.
In 2011, yet another study found that forest therapy was beneficial. It reported that shinrin-yoku had a positive impact on blood pressure and adiponectin, a protein that helps regulate blood sugar levels. But a more recent study casts doubt on some of those findings. It found that forest bathing didn’t necessarily have an impact on blood pressure, but it did reduce depression in a significant way.
Forest therapy can have a positive impact on the oxygen levels in your brain because you’re surrounded by trees and vegetation that engage in photosynthesis. Plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen into the air. As you breathe in the fresh air within a forest, you’re inhaling oxygen-rich air, which can support proper oxygenation of your blood and subsequently benefit your brain function.
Shinrin-yoku was developed as a response to the increasing urbanisation and technological advancements in Japan and was put forth to inspire the Japanese public to reconnect with nature within Japan and as a means to protect the forests.
The term shinrin-yoku was coined in 1982 by Tomohide Akiyama, who was the director of the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. After several studies were conducted in Japan during the 1980s, forest bathing was seen to be an effective therapy method. Akiyama knew of these studies along with the findings that showed the beneficial health effects of the compounds, such as phytoncides, and of the essential oils that certain trees and plants emitted. He officially put forward shinrin-yoku as a recognised practice, promoting its benefits to the Japanese public and establishing guidelines for its implementation.
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Sessions cost around £30-£60 although lower rates can be available via charity events.
Listen to the Yes to Life Radio Shows Featuring This Therapy:
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