“I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in tune once more.” ~John Burroughs
My recent trips to Yosemite and Yellowstone National Parks reinforced that it was time to write about the benefits of spending time in nature. And yet, as remarkable as these special areas are—renown documentarian Ken Burns has described U.S. national parks as “America’s best idea”—such benefits are more easily accessible and much closer to home, wherever you may live.
The therapeutic value of being in natural environments (including parks and arboretums in urban areas) is, in some circles, even considered to be a new field of medicine. The Japanese have a specific term for the generally calming and health-enhancing experience of immersion in nature: Shinrin-yoku which translates to "forest bathing." Shinrin-yoku can be defined as making conscious contact with and taking in the atmosphere of the forest. Forest bathing can have significant positive mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual effects that include reducing stress, lowering blood pressure, improving mood as well as sleep, and enhancing immune system functioning.[1]
While the understanding that being in nature can be beneficial is relatively ancient wisdom, research began documenting its specific health benefits only in the last two decades. A meta-analysis of 20 clinical trials found that forest bathing can reduce blood pressure—in some cases with........