If your brain feels like its got 37 tabs open, the answer might not be a long bath, but rather a long forest walk. Forest bathing, or shinrin-yoku in Japan, is the practice of immersing yourself in woodland to reap the benefits of nature. It’s not like going on a hike - it’s spending time surrounded by the forest to calm your nervous system, improve mood and even support immunity. The practice has since been studied extensively in Japan and beyond, and might just be the strongest form of nature to boost wellbeing.
The Benefits of Forest Bathing (and the science)
The benefits of spending time in nature is extensive, as are the studies that support it. But spending time in forests is the strongest form of green medicine. The sheer density of forests, along with their clear separation from urban life, makes them a more effective space to properly unwind compared to city parks or gardens.
Forest Bathing Reduces Stress and Lowers Blood Pressure
Spending time in woodland reduces your body’s stress response. Field experiments in 24 forests across Japan found participants had lower cortisol (stress hormone), heart rate, and blood pressure compared to city settings. When stress hormones drop, your body shifts into rest-and-repair mode and calms your bodies “alarm system”.
It Supports Your Immune System
Trees release essential oils called phytoncides (like α-pinene) that may boost your body’s defences. A study lead by Dr Qing Li’s team found that a weekend of forest bathing increased cell activity of immune cells that fight viruses - for up to 30 days afterwards.
It Boosts Your Mood
Even short woodland visits can improve mental wellbeing, consistently showing reductions in anxiety, stress and low mood after shinrin-yoku. The improvement in mood can last up to 24 hours after the walk and studies have shown that forest walks have a stronger positive impact on our mood and stress response than a park.
The Benefits Are So Good, That Japanese Doctors Prescribe It
In Japan, shinrin-yoku is part of preventive healthcare. The government first introduced forest bathing in the 1980s to help tackle stress and lifestyle-related illnesses, and today there are official “therapy forests” where guided walks are run with medical backing.
Some Japanese doctors, particularly those practising integrative medicine, even recommend forest bathing as part of a patient’s treatment plan for things like high blood pressure, anxiety, or burnout. It’s a great reminder that this isn’t just a feel-good nature walk, in Japan, it’s a science-backed, doctor-endorsed prescription for better health.
How to Try Forest Bathing
You don’t need hours, just regular doses. Research has found that the sweet spot is ~120 minutes of nature a week, whether taken in one go or in smaller visits.
- Go slow Pick a 20–40 minute loop and walk at a pace where you can notice details.
- Five-senses scan Look at shades of green, listen for the farthest sound, breathe in forest scents, touch bark or moss, and taste the freshness of the air.
- Micro-pauses Stop often, soften your gaze, take 10 slow breaths.
- Take a sit down Find a quiet place to sit and simply be.
- No tech No phones allowed - the benfits of forest bathing won’t work if your brain is looking at a screen rather than your surroundings.
Our Top Woodland Cabins for Forest Bathing
Tap into the benefits of forest bathing at one of our many woodland cabins, or cabins near to dense woodland.
All in the middle of private woodland, you can soak in the energy from the trees.
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