Many scientific studies emphasize the importance of contact with nature for proper human development and well-being. An analysis conducted by researchers from the University of Exeter in 2019, involving nearly 20,000 people, showed that spending at least 120 minutes a week in nature significantly improves overall health and well-being. While such studies are important for understanding the benefits of being in nature, personal experiences – memories of walks in the park or forest – can be equally significant. What can you do to gain even more benefits from a visit to the forest?
Forest bathing, also known as shinrin-yoku, is a health-promoting practice of contact with nature involving conscious and mindful time spent in the forest. However, these baths have nothing to do with water. The idea is to immerse oneself in the atmosphere of the forest and establish a deeper connection with nature. This practice teaches observation, listening, and feeling the forest with all senses. Focusing on the green of the trees and the birdsong, thoughts escape everyday life, problems, and rush.
Forest bathing was officially recognized in Japan in the 1980s as a method for improving health and well-being. Of course, one can debate whether it is entirely a Japanese invention. However, nowhere else on such a scale were forest walks so appreciated before. Shinrin literally means forest, yoku – bath. The term was first used by the Japanese Minister of Agriculture and author of numerous scientific publications, Tomohide Akiyama. His concept quickly gained popularity worldwide.
Every visit to the forest positively affects the immune, nervous, and circulatory systems, as well as well-being. From an article published in the International Journal of Immunopathology and Pharmacology, we know that compounds produced by plants, called phytoncides, significantly increase the activity of cells involved in the body's defense functions. Elevated activity of these cells increases after just a few hours of forest bathing. After two days spent in the forest, their high level remains for another 30 days!
Spending time in the forest also reduces cortisol levels. Forest bathing also helps lower blood pressure and heart rate, which is beneficial for cardiovascular health.
When it comes to mental health, being in the forest positively affects vitality, concentration, creativity, and relaxation. Anger, fatigue, anxiety, and depression decrease. It can definitely be said that contact with nature helps divert attention from daily problems and worries.
So what exactly do these beneficial forest baths for humans involve and how do they differ from a regular walk? In short, by attitude and awareness. For many practitioners, it is a form of meditation in motion. When going to the forest, you should silence your phone and preferably hide it deep in your backpack to reduce the temptation to check notifications. Walking slowly, stopping every now and then, looking at the dew on the leaves or at tall trees, listening to the sounds of nature, and inhaling the scent of the forest – this is the true art of forest bathing. You can touch the bark or hug trees. You can also take off your shoes and walk barefoot for a while, thus practicing the popular grounding technique.
Observation and mindfulness towards oneself are also important. Which form of contact with nature brings more relaxation? The key is to find your own rhythm and allow yourself to be here and now. How long should a single forest stay last? There is no rule. It may last a few minutes or even several hours. What matters is not rushing during this practice and allowing yourself to fully experience your surroundings. While in the forest, you can also practice yoga or tai chi. Forest bathing can be done alone or in a group. Interestingly, there are even people who specialize in being guides for forest bathing and can lead you through the process.
Bolimowski Landscape Park, located near Warsaw, is an ideal place to practice forest bathing. During such practices, it is important to surround yourself with dense greenery. The park’s diverse landscape, with its meandering Rawka River, lush forests, and richness of fauna and flora, creates an ideal environment for mental and physical regeneration amid nature. Walking through the forest, you will encounter numerous pine forests mixed with birch, aspen, and oak. With a bit of luck, you might spot roe deer or even badgers.
Bolimowski Landscape Park is also an attractive place for people living in Warsaw and Łódź. It can be reached quite quickly via the A2 route.
Completing the forest bathing experience in Bolimowski Landscape Park can be a stay at Santa Natura Resort & Spa. This luxurious facility is an ideal place for relaxation and rejuvenation.
The hotel offers not only comfortable accommodation and high-quality services but also access to a wide range of spa and wellness treatments that perfectly complement the benefits of forest bathing.
An additional attraction for guests will surely be a natural swimming pool integrated into a pond. Right next to the pond, guests will find an Estonian sauna. Inside the hotel, there is a vitality pool as well as Finnish and wet saunas. It’s worth enhancing your hotel visit with beauty treatments or a massage. And in the evenings, you can go out to the open terrace on the hotel’s upper floor and admire the beautiful starry night sky.
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