Japanese researchers noted that modern life for many people can elevate stress hormones, due to overwork, family pressures, financial worries, noise levels and light pollution interfering with sleep patterns.
Technological overstimulation, TV, smartphones, ‘scrolling’ also prevent us from fully relaxing.
All these impact on our sympathetic nervous system – fight or flight.
Forest Bathing and being in nature can stimulate the physical senses and the non-sensory ones as well.
The sight of nature, smell of the bark and leaves, sound of wind in the trees, birds singing and feel of the earth or the trees themselves can change neural activities and slow down our mind and our bodies.
The studies from Japan have collated evidence to show that spending time in woodlands has a direct and positive impact on the central nervous system (CNS) and the Automatic Nervous System (ANS).
They also found that Forest Bathing lowers blood pressure and slows the heart rate.