The Joy Of Lazing

Don’t feel guilty for being lazy this holiday – research shows slowing down is good for your soul. Go on, give one of these soothing activities a try

- Mary Comber

1. Slow to a stroll

Always in a hurry? While nothing beats exercising in the green gym, sometimes it’s good to slow the pace and absorb your surroundings. ‘Nature has an incredible ability to seep inside us, providing calm, comfort and serenity,’ says Sian Tucker, author of forest – Being, Doing & Making in Nature (Kyle Books, £20). ‘So take a moment to slow down. Go for a walk in a park. Listen to the birds. Cycle along a river or go to the sea. ‘Being outside can boost your energy, it unclutters the mind and helps you re-connect to yourself. ‘When you sit by a stream, listen to the water gliding over mossy boulders; when you walk through a sea of grass, listen to the bees buzzing, watch a buzzard swooping,’ says Tucker. For the ultimate slow pleasure, try the Japanese art of shinrin-yoku (‘nourished by nature’). Known as forest bathing, it’s proven to enhance physical and mental well being. ‘It means to bathe all your senses in the beauty and the nature of the woods,’ says Tucker. Here’s how to do it.

TRY THIS

Take a gentle walk in the woods, slowing down to tune into all your senses.

Stand and feel the ground beneath you. Walk slowly, breathe calmly and deeply, listen to the silence.

Smell the earth, notice the rustle of the leaves above, the light glimmering and twinkling, shadows dancing on the bark.

2. Raise your gaze