Walking in nature provides both physical and mental health benefits. Physically, walking helps maintain a healthy weight, prevents osteoporosis, improves cardiovascular health by lowering blood pressure. Mentally, being in nature reduces stress through the senses of sight, sound, smell, touch and taste. A practice called "forest bathing" was developed in Japan where experiencing nature with full sensory awareness is used as a stress relief therapy.
2. What are
the
physical
benefits of
a walk?
Walking is a popular way to help maintain
a healthy bodyweight
It helps to prevent osteoporosis and
strengthens your bones
Walking at a brisk pace will improve
cardiovascular health by training your
heart and lungs to work more efficiently
When you walk regularly, you can reduce
blood pressure
Walking will improve your energy level and
can help to reduce fatigue
3. What are the newly discovered
mental health benefits of a walk
in nature?
4. • A new stress reduction therapy, largely
developed by Japanese researchers, is known
as Shinrin-Yoku,. In English, we call it Forest
Bathing. It began in the 1980s when an
ancient forest, traditionally used by the locals
as a place of rest, was being looked at for
development
• Researchers began finding the proof that
nature brings us stress relief
5. So What is Forest Bathing?
• Forest therapists have found that experiencing
nature using the five senses is most effective
6. Sight:
• Looking at nature relaxes our brains
• Nature provides us with views that bring us
tranquility
7. Sound:
• Trees often muffle sounds of our busy world
full of traffic sounds, machinery, and crowds
which can cause us stress
• The soft sounds of water, wildlife such as birds
and insects buzzing about soothe us
8. Smell:
• Plant oil vapor can increase your brain’s
production of chemicals that calm us –
evergreen trees (Christmas trees) are
particularly effective
• Plants can also remove air pollutants which
have negative effects on people such as
anxiety, depression, aggression and fatigue
9. Touch:
• Touching plants, soil, and animals reconnects
us with nature
• While walking, we touch the ground with our
feet – natural surfaces can be more
comfortable and less stressful than concrete.
10. Taste:
• Highly processed foods, common in fast food
diets, can affect your mood in a negative way
• While whole foods, can affect your mood in a
positive way
• Taste and appreciate natural foods if you get
hungry during or after your walk! Pick up an
apple instead of a bag of chips …
11. Be Mindful of your Surroundings
• Japanese therapists have shown that Forest
Bathing is most effective when participants
use their five senses and think about those
experiences
• When you walk, take time to appreciate what
you …
13. Are you ready to start walking?
• Take a washroom break first
• Grab some weather appropriate clothing,
shoes and a water bottle if needed
• Get ready to give your brain a rest, boost your
happiness and get some exercise while you
enjoy the natural world at the park
• And please leave your headphones at home –
the park has music of its own!
