Stressed Out? Try "Forest Bathing"

forest-438432_1920.jpg

I have this habit of spending the vast majority of my time indoors. I even semi-jokingly refer to myself as “indoorsy,” preferring to spend my free time inside rather than out in nature. But often, I find myself feeling stressed, anxious, and tired. A high-stress life of modern society can leave one feeling frazzled and depleted. When we get caught up in our daily lives hustling from one task to the next, not only does our nervous system get tired, but we can experience a sort of “tunnel vision” that has us only half experiencing life.

Here in Eugene, I feel so fortunate to live somewhere with such abundant greenspace. Just being able to sit by the Willamette and soak in the sights and sounds of nature is a little magical.  And as the weather slowly warms up and the sun peeks through the clouds, spending time outside in Oregon becomes even more enjoyable. Even my “indoorsy” self has something to enjoy outside here: the Japanese concept of Shinrin-Yoku, or “forest bathing.”

“Forest Bathing” is the idea that spending time in the forest (or whatever natural setting you might find yourself near) can positively influence your health. Proponents of Shinrin-yoku claim that the connection with our natural surroundings promotes mental and physical well-being.  Through mindfulness, observation, and sensory exploration, forest bathing can help lower stress and bring mental clarity. In studies, test subjects who took a 40-minute slow walk in a forest showed lower levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) than those who did the same physical activity in a lab setting. Pretty neat, huh?

Shinrin-yoku, at its core, does not only provide benefit to the individual, but also to the forest. The Association of Nature and Forest Therapy (ANFT) describes Forest Therapy as:

“...not an extractive process, where we treat forests as a "resource" from which we extract well being for humans. Instead, it is a deeply relational practice, characterized by a sense of loving and tender connection.”

“...not an extractive process, where we treat forests as a "resource" from which we extract well being for humans. Instead, it is a deeply relational practice, characterized by a sense of loving and tender connection.”

Now, I’m not usually one to feed into pseudoscience, but this makes some sense. It comes down to compassion for your surroundings-- when you benefit from your surroundings in a meaningful way, you tend to take care of it more. Regular Forest bathing walks provide you with a firsthand account of the health and welfare of your surroundings.  Is there trash everywhere? Can you hear birds and other wildlife? Having a mindful experience in nature opens you to small details you might otherwise miss, and gives you the opportunity to take action to take care of the environment which you find yourself in. You win, the forest wins, the birds win-- everyone wins!

The next time you find yourself depleted or stressed, take time to find nature and experience Shinrin-yoku for yourself.  Interested in learning more about Shinrin-yoku? Visit the link below for articles and lots more information from the ANFT.

https://www.natureandforesttherapy.org/

Featured
Holiday Gift Guide 2024
Holiday Gift Guide 2024

Is it me or is that time just ticking away? How’d it turn into Friday? I swear I was just shaking my fist at the Monday morning sky whispering, “Not you again!” Do you ever feel like you have just enough time in a week to do what the company wants, what the kids want, what the community wants? Then your to-do list becomes a to-doom scroll? If it’s rolling under the car, it’s probably too long. What if we could help you think about one less thing and help you make some feel-good choices this season?

Easy Habits to Improve Your Immune System
Easy Habits to Improve Your Immune System

As those hot summer days transition into beautiful fall days, we all know that there is the potential to come in contact with seasonal colds and the flu. Add a global pandemic on top and it because apparent that health and wellness are of utmost importance this time of year. As I lean into my own season of wisdom and deeper self care, I have found there are ways to better support my body and immune system with the shift in weather and potential contact with unwell coworkers, kids, and community.

When the Pollen Comes 'A Callin'!
When the Pollen Comes 'A Callin'!

Managing allergy difficulties is especially rough during the spring and summer months in the Pacific Northwest. I love the magnificent majesty that is Oregon. As the season changes, so do the allergens in the air, triggering symptoms such as sneezing, itching, and congestion for many of us; sometimes I have to go inside to breathe better or stop clawing at my face, despite wanting to enjoy a picnic or walk about on a sunny afternoon.

The Power of Traditions: Uniting Past & Present
The Power of Traditions: Uniting Past & Present

Introduction

Traditions are the timeless threads that weave through the fabric of our lives, connecting us to our roots and shaping our sense of identity. While many of us associate traditions with holiday rituals and celebrations, their significance extends far beyond these festive occasions.

In this blog post, we will embark on a journey through the rich history of traditions, exploring their evolution and why they continue to play a pivotal role in our lives, both during the holidays and year-round.

The Art Of Healthy Boundaries
The Art Of Healthy Boundaries

During these shorter days and cold, long nights, many of us are spending our evenings getting cozied up in our sweaters or blankets and possibly thinking about the upcoming holidays. While some of that might give you the warm fuzzies, thinking about the holidays can also stir feelings of stress and anxiety. Whether dinner parties, company events, or family dinners with not-often-seen family members, these opportunities can be a great time to connect and feel the holiday spirit. Annddd they can also open us up to difficult people and difficult situations that can cause us to feel overwhelmed or even lead to emotional shutdown at a time of year we might like to otherwise enjoy.

Relaxation Delivered, A New Model for Care
Relaxation Delivered, A New Model for Care

Self-Care Check-In: Not Feeling So Hot?

How does your self-care look these days?

Do you have all the time you need to fit in exercise, eating well, and taking care of your mental health? Does your work day stay within its tidy bounds? Or does your to-do list affect your interactions with your family, your children, your partner? Does everything just go totally smooth and as expected every day? If you’re a busy professional (or just a living human), I’m guessing you’re balancing a lot and can probably answer NO to most or at least some of those questions

Prioritizing You—Self-care Through Spa Membership
Prioritizing You—Self-care Through Spa Membership

You're not alone. Life can get hectic, and it's easy to put ourselves last on the list of priorities. If you’re like me you think, “Oh yeah, I’ll schedule that massage when I get home. “ Nope! No I will not. I will get caught up making dinner, helping the kiddo with homework, answering texts from three days ago, and trying to remember to sit down. I often say, “I need an adult!” Cause let’s be real—we could all use the help of another adult from time to time. And even this adult struggles to prioritize self-care, despite being surrounded by a team of people at The Pearl believe that self-care is essential for overall well-being and happiness.

Do I Really Need You?
Do I Really Need You?

HUMAN CONNECTION IS ESSENTIAL FOR OUR WELL-BEING.

Do you ever find yourself caught in between feeling both lonely and overwhelmed by social interactions? In a world where we are constantly surrounded by people, yet feel disconnected and isolated, it's easy to fall into the trap of comparing our lives to others through social media—feeling left out, questioning why we aren't receiving invitations or participating in the same activities as our peers. This critical voice inside our heads fuels self-doubt, pushing us to measure our worth based on what others are doing. The more we delve into this cycle, the more overwhelmed we become, until human connection itself feels like just another burden on our never-ending to-do list. And these hard feelings can be detrimental to our health…increased cortisol (stress hormones), lack of sleep, and can negatively affect our mental health. While we may jokingly throw around the phrase “compare and despair,” there’s a lot of truth to it. Never before in human history have the highlight reels of nearly everyone we know been constantly visible to us 24 hours a day.

The Power of Positive Touch: Nurturing the Queer Community
The Power of Positive Touch: Nurturing the Queer Community

As a queer person who has worked in a touch-centric industry for decades at this point, I can assuredly say that my relationship with touch was not always a simple or positive one.

The challenges faced by the queer community, which often go unnoticed by a heteronormative society, deserve attention and understanding. The narratives presented in stories, movies, advertisements, religious teachings, friendships, literature, and societal norms perpetuate the notion that there is a singular correct and acceptable storyline for people's lives, dismissing any other experiences as deviations to be concealed or left unspoken. Without counterbalancing messages to combat these pervasive feelings of exclusion, many of us have grown up with an inherent sense that our very essence as individuals is fundamentally flawed.

The Mental Weight of Motherhood - And 10 Ways You Can Help
The Mental Weight of Motherhood - And 10 Ways You Can Help

Being a mom is fucking hard. No matter how amazing a person is, this is an inescapable truth. And when you can tell it’s hard from a distance, you know it’s exponentially harder firsthand. Stereotypes aside and progress included, there is still an undeniable societal expectation that mothers bear the brunt of the mental load when it comes to caring for the family. From planning meals to organizing schedules to managing budgets, to maintaining a career, the to-do list for moms appears never-ending. Add to that the mental labor of keeping the family together, managing everyone’s emotions, and often being expected to be the primary caregiver for children, and it’s no wonder that so many mothers feel overwhelmed and exhausted.

Mental Wellness, Healthy LivingGuest UserWellness, Mindfulness, mental health, Forest BathingComment