The Science Behind Forest Bathing and Nature Connection
by Kathleen McIntyre, LCSWA
Why Forest Bathing Matters in Today’s World
In our fast-paced, screen-filled lives, more and more people are turning to forest bathing, or shinrin-yoku, as a way to find calm, restore balance, and reconnect with what matters most. But this isn’t just a passing trend. The science behind forest bathing and nature connection is strong, and it confirms what many of us have always known intuitively: spending time in nature is essential for our health and well-being.
Research across neuroscience, psychology, and medicine demonstrates that mindful time in nature reduces stress, improves mental health, strengthens the immune system, and enhances cognitive function. When we step into a natural environment with intention, we allow our nervous system to relax, our body to heal, and our mind to clear.
This is the science of forest bathing and also its magic.
The Origins of Shinrin-yoku: Science Meets Ancient Wisdom
Forest bathing, or shinrin-yoku, originated in Japan in the 1980s, when the Japanese government began encouraging citizens to spend time in forests for health benefits. Soon after, researchers began quantifying its effects, launching the field of forest medicine.
Dr. Qing Li, a leading researcher and president of the Japanese Society of Forest Medicine, found that forest bathing reduces stress hormones like cortisol, lowers blood pressure, and strengthens immune function. One fascinating discovery was the role of phytoncides which are natural oils released by trees, particularly evergreens. These aromatic compounds not only defend trees from pests but also boost human “natural killer” cells, which help our immune system fight disease.
It turns out that when we breathe deeply in a forest, we’re not just inhaling fresh air. We're inhaling nature’s own medicine.
The Physiology of Nature Connection
Something extraordinary happens when we allow ourselves to truly settle into nature. The forest doesn’t just soothe our spirit, it reaches into the very physiology of our bodies. With every breath of pine-scented air, every moment our eyes rest on green, our systems begin to recalibrate. Science is now able to measure what we feel instinctively: nature touches every cell, every heartbeat, every thought.
Stress melts away: Cortisol levels drop, heart rate slows, and blood pressure decreases.
Nervous system resets: The parasympathetic nervous system (“rest and digest”) is activated, allowing deep restoration.
Mood improves: Anxiety and depression symptoms lessen, while feelings of joy and well-being rise.
Immune function strengthens: Natural killer cells increase, helping the body resist illness.
Cognition sharpens: Attention span, memory, and creativity all improve after time outdoors.
Connection deepens: Studies show greater self-esteem and body positivity in those who regularly connect with nature.
This wide range of benefits is why many doctors worldwide now prescribe time outdoors as a complementary treatment for stress-related illness, anxiety, and depression.
My First Lesson in Forest Bathing
I first experienced forest bathing long before I knew the term existed. As a young researcher in the Panamanian rainforest, I was so focused on collecting data that I missed the rainforest herself. Locals spoke of tapirs, anteaters, and coatis, but my hurried pace left me blind.
Then a Panamanian elder guided me. He slowed me down, teaching me to walk softly, to listen, to watch with curiosity. For hours, we barely spoke. Yet in that silence, the rainforest revealed herself: hidden animals, subtle sounds, vibrant patterns I had rushed past before.
The greatest shift wasn’t in what I saw, but in how I felt. Calmness seeped into my nervous system, lingering for days. That was my initiation into forest bathing: slowing down, opening the senses, and receiving the forest as a teacher.
Forest Bathing Is More Than a Walk
Unlike a hike, forest bathing has no destination. It’s not about how far you go, but how deeply you arrive in the present moment. The practice usually lasts two or more hours, with slow movement, pauses for observation, and opportunities to engage all the senses.
When you step into a forest with this kind of presence, you begin to notice the subtle details: the intricate pattern of lichen on a rock, the sound of wind in the branches, the coolness of the air across your skin. Each is an invitation into deeper connection, reminding you that you are not separate from nature—you are part of nature.
How to Begin Your Own Practice
The beauty of this work is that it can take many forms, all of them beneficial. Shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing, is a guided or self-led practice that typically lasts two or more hours. It is intentionally slow and immersive, designed to open the senses and bring you into deep relationship with the forest. Over time, regular shinrin-yoku experiences provide profound support for stress reduction, nervous system regulation, emotional healing, and overall well-being.
But nature connection doesn’t always require hours. It can also be found in a brief, intentional pause—five minutes of noticing the sky outside your window, sipping your morning coffee outdoors, or resting your hand on the bark of a tree. These smaller moments may seem simple, yet they create powerful resets for the body and mind when woven into daily life.
Both forms of practice—the spaciousness of shinrin-yoku and the shorter pauses of everyday nature connection—work together to restore balance and cultivate resilience. One offers depth, the other consistency, and both are deeply supportive when integrated into a lifestyle.
Here are a few ways to begin exploring both:
Schedule a two-hour shinrin-yoku experience with a certified forest therapy guide. Move slowly, with no destination, and allow yourself to be guided.
Pause for daily nature connection. Take your tea outside, notice birdsong, or walk barefoot on the grass.
Engage your senses. Whether for hours or moments, tune into what you see, hear, smell, feel, and taste.
Practice gratitude. End with a quiet thank you to the land that has held you.
As you cultivate this relationship, you may feel called to go deeper. At Heartwood School of Forest Therapy, we support individuals in strengthening their personal practice and also train those who wish to become certified forest therapy guides and guide others into the healing experience of forest bathing. Wherever you begin—whether with a two-hour immersion or a mindful pause at your doorstep—you are stepping into a practice that can transform your health, your spirit, and your connection to the living world.
The Invitation of Forest Bathing
Science tells us why forest bathing is good for us. But the heart of the practice is an invitation: to slow down, to notice, and to reconnect with the more-than-human world.
In doing so, we don’t just improve our health, we remember our belonging. And that remembrance is both healing and transformative.
So the next time you step outside, pause. Breathe. Let the forest, or whatever patch of nature you find, work its quiet medicine.