Article: How Forest Therapy gets to the Roots of Modern Health Problems

The connection between the increasing digitisation of society, and diminishing wellbeing, has been described by multiple disciplines. Originating in the 1980s,  a seemingly instinctive drive by humans to seek more time in natural environments as a response to the demands of modern life converged in the growing popularity of nature-based wellbeing approaches such as shinrin yoku, forest bathing, forest therapy, and nature connectedness.

This article will first set out some of the key 21st century health challenges, before going on to describe how Forest Therapy provides a meaningful response, with some reflections from my developing practice.

The modern world is increasingly dominated by technology and the requirement, or at least temptation, to be constantly connected to digital devices, with the result that people consistently share that they feel overwhelmed, overstimulated and “frazzled”. These stressors take a toll on our physical and emotional wellbeing, meaning that taking the time to unplug and unwind in nature has never been more important.  Commentators have associated increasing digitisation, and the sedentary lifestyle which invariably follows, with obesity, diabetes, and cardiac and circulatory problems, as if the functions of our physical bodies are becoming sluggish and ineffective through under use. Perhaps in response to this stress, the drive for humans to conserve the natural world and spend time in unspoilt surroundings has been described as innate, spontaneous and widespread, if not universal.

Alongside these physical symptoms, emotional and mental health are also impacted by the increased use of digital devices. There are concerns associated with the internet and social media takeover, where bullying, image dysmorphia and radicalisation are a frequent if not continuous threat. Studies suggest that anxiety, depression, low mood and low self-esteem are associated with increased use of digital devices.

With this in mind, it is not surprising that as technology became more prevalent from the 1980s through to the present day, humans naturally became preoccupied with the conservation of the natural world, and sought ways to spend more time in it. Camping, cycling and hiking seem to have shown a resurgence in popularity, and would certainly be beneficial for some of the physical repercussions to modern life, but alongside these pursuits emerged a new approach. Where relaxation and recuperation in a natural environment would have been a ready part of the walk home from work or school, or an aspect of the working day in times past, the desk-based present, often with an urban commute followed by an evening consumed by more screens did not deliver the same antidote to daily stresses. Blood pressures increased, heart rates soared, depression and anxiety took hold.

Considered in the most basic way, I would suggest there would be general agreement that spending time in nature can help us to relax and become more present and mindful, turning down the inner chatter in our minds brought on by constant stimulation of multiple screens and devices.

However, as forest therapy / bathing movements have grown in number, the hypothesis that the positive impacts on health were greater than could be attributed simply to “chilling out” in an aesthetically pleasing environment, or getting “fresh air” has grown weight.

Subsequently, credible health research projects were set up, to determine whether the impact of the forest therapy approach provided benefits above those which could be accounted for by a period of rest and relaxation in a peaceful environment. Some interesting results are summarised below.

Blood Pressure and Cardiovascular Disease

There have been a handful of small scale studies looking at the effects of forest therapy on cardiovascular symptoms, however Ka-Yin Lau & Yuen Loke (2020) completed a literature review of over 50 studies of forest bathing type approaches. They concluded that practicing forest bathing was found to lower blood pressure and heart rates, stating that four hours of a forest therapy program had physiologically and psychologically relaxing effects on middle-aged adults with elevated blood pressure.

Emotional Wellbeing

Ka-Yin Lau & Yuen Loke also found that forest bathing induces a positive mood and reduces anxiety levels. Although we may expect the tranquil surroundings of the forest or wood to be beneficial to our wellbeing mentally, this impact would appear to be more profound than just a period of peace and quiet. I myself was astonished at how quickly symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder calmed during the Solo Immersion activity, giving sought after relief from a pathologically unquiet mind.

Emphasis on the black-and-white, detail and solution-driven view that technology has brought, seems to trigger an imbalance in the way the two hemispheres of the brain are stimulated. Psychiatrist & Neuroscientist Iain McGilchrist has hypothesized that this might be due to the fact that the aesthetically pleasing provides stimulation of the now underused right side of the brain, restoring a sense of balance and perspective to life’s stressors. This is in contrast to the over-utilised left side of the brain, which is under almost constant demand in the modern, technological environment.

Immune System

Chae et al, (2021) conducted a systematic review of 13 studies of forest therapy approaches on the immune systems of the participants by measuring the activity of natural killer cells and / or cytotoxic effector molecules in the blood. They concluded that forest therapy may indeed contribute to immune function and recommended that further studies be carried out in future. They also commented that stress diminishes the immune system, so that the relaxing qualities of forest therapy would improve immunity even further.

Physical Inactivity

Increasing digitisation is an underlying causes of a key health concern of modern life: physical inactivity. It is said that many adults in the UK spend around 9 hours a day sitting, whether at a computer, studying, driving, or other seated activities. This diminishes the amount of time spent in ambulatory motion, in comparison with the demands of life prior to digitisation, and the human body has not evolved to cope with this transition, leading to an increase in some health concerns.

A sedentary lifestyle has been linked to high body mass index and obesity, type 2 diabetes, some types of cancer, and early death. (Why we should sit less - NHS) This is because sitting for long periods slows the metabolism, impacting the body's ability to regulate blood sugar, blood pressure and break down body fat.  

It is suggested that forest therapy approaches may offer an antidote to physical inactivity. Baker et al (2022) looked at forest therapy in conjunction with nutrition for rehabilitating people who had experienced a period of physical inactivity, whether due to trauma, surgery or cancer, ageing or a sedentary lifestyle. They found that natural environments such as woodlands and rivers provide ideal locations in which to perform physical activity, but that the benefit of the exercise is then multiplied by factors such as the benefits of exposure to biogenic volatile organic compounds. These phytoncides are oils expelled by the tree as protection and communication to each other and Inhaling them is understood to contribute to the mechanism which causes immunity to increase.

The determined benefits reach much further than those described here, as a brief internet search will verify. Further advantages of a forest therapy approach is that, with a few accessibility concerns addressed, it is open to all and requires no expensive equipment. The key resource, green open space, is readily accessible in the UK, free of charge, even in built up environments. The opportunity to train as a practitioner and facilitator in this field as research begins to bear fruit is a privilege, and I will go on to seek opportunities to be an ambassador for the discipline and to support research into further benefits I feel confident forest therapy will provide.