Nature's therapy

You don’t have to climb a mountain to reap the green goodness of the outdoors – your back garden is the perfect starting point

- Claudia Robinson

We’ve all become used to the new normal of social distancing and now that lockdowns rules are being relaxed, the outdoors is coming into its own for the importance of our wellbeing.

Timely then to immerse yourself in some forest bathing, a Japanese practice of relaxation, which Liz Dawes, aka The Forest Guru, brings to Yorkshire.

Known in Japan as shinriyoku, forest bathing is essentially about being calm and quiet in nature, connecting through your senses to all that surrounds you, helping you to de-stress and improve your mental and physical wellbeing.

As Liz says: ‘Stress and anxiety weaken our immune system, leaving us more vulnerable to viral infections. Many studies have found that being in nature stimulates our parasympathetic nervous system, which allows our bodies to relax and repair.’

‘Spending time around trees supports our immune system. In addition, there are many studies that show that simply viewing images of nature, especially in 3D, helps reduce stress and aid sleep.’

She goes on: ‘When we breathe in phytoncides, the essential oils that trees emit as a natural defense mechanism, there is increased activity of our ‘natural killer cells’, which can help eliminate tumors, viruses, and bacteria in our bodies. Also, the lingering of viruses doesn’t happen outside in the same way as it does in buildings. So, in these uncertain times, if we are well and observing the social distancing rules, there are many reasons to spend time in nature.’