The Joy of Forest Bathing: It’s Not Just for Pixies

It is called a fitness trend and a mindfulness practice.

What is “it?”

“It” is forest bathing. The Japanese coined the term in the 80s to mean that it is both a psychological and a physiological exercise. The purpose is to inspire you to reconnect with the forests while enjoying an antidote to high-tech, modern world burnout.

This form of eco-therapy spread quickly. Researchers soon began documenting the benefits of forest bathing, which gave us scientific evidence of what we already innately know: spending time immersed in nature is healthy.

While the term “forest bathing” is new, the practice of intentionally spending time out in nature has been around for thousands of years.