Forest Bathing – Connecting to Nature to Improve Health

Abstract

The term forest bathing first emerged through an initiative by the Forest Agency of Japan to promote exercise and improve the health of Japanese citizens (Marcus and Sachs, 2013). While it can take many forms, essentially, forest bathing involves immersing oneself in a forested or natural environment where all five senses receive input from the surrounding environment (Zheng and Yang, 2013). For some, this may involve taking a brief hike or stringing a hammock between two trees for an afternoon nap. Forest bathing has been shown to have beneficial impacts on human health, and can be easily done by most people whether they live in an urban or rural environment. The purpose of this publication is to present the benefits of forest bathing and how the practice can be incorporated into a healthy lifestyle.