How many thoughts do you have in your mind, right this moment? 

It’s kind of hard to tell, isn’t it? 

But I’ll bet it’s a lot. Potentially more than you’d like.

Screens—from TVs to laptops to smartphones—give our brains an incredible amount of data to process, but because of that constant flow of information, it can be hard to slow down and actually process your thoughts. 

The ability to pay full attention to your thoughts in the moment (with no judgment or planning) is called mindfulness. 

Mindfulness has a slew of benefits for your mental health, but it’s a skill you must practice and learn. Because of the perceived ‘hard work’ of being mindful, you might put it off or make it your next New Year’s resolution. 

But what if you had an easy way to tap into mindfulness? 

This is where forest bathing comes into play.

What is forest bathing?

Forest bathing, also known as Shinrin-yoku in Japanese, is the practice of spending time in a forest or natural wooded area to enhance your health, wellness, and happiness. 

This practice involves immersing yourself in the forest environment, engaging all five senses to absorb the surroundings fully.

The practice does not mandate specific exercises or activities, such as hiking or jogging. Instead, forest bathing emphasizes simply being in nature and engaging in mindful observation of the natural world. 

The concept of forest bathing was developed in Japan during the 1980s as a response to the increasing stress and health issues faced by the population due to rapid urbanization and technological advances.

8 Benefits of Forest Bathing

If you’re on the fence about leaving your phone behind for a walk in the woods, consider these 8 benefits:

1. Reduced stress: Being in a forest environment can significantly lower cortisol levels, a stress hormone, thereby reducing stress and promoting relaxation.

2. Improved mood: Forest bathing has been shown to decrease symptoms of depression and anxiety, leading to improvements in mood and overall emotional well-being.

4. Improved concentration and cognitive function: Forests’ natural settings can enhance mental function and concentration by offering a restorative environment that contrasts with the overstimulating urban environments many people experience daily.

5. Enhanced immune function: Exposure to forests boosts the production of natural killer (NK) cells, a type of white blood cell that helps fight off infections by destroying infected cells.

6. Increased energy: Individuals often report feeling more energetic after spending time in nature, which can be attributed to the therapeutic effects of being in a natural setting.

7. Improved sleep: Regular engagement in forest bathing has been associated with improvements in sleep quality, likely due to its stress-reducing effects.

8. Connection with nature: Forest bathing fosters a deeper connection with the natural world, which can enhance feelings of happiness and elicit a sense of belonging to the larger ecosystem.

9. Enhanced creativity: Forest environments can help rejuvenate the mind and improve creativity by reducing mental fatigue and stress.

You can almost hear the birds chirping and wind rustling in the leaves now…

And there’s another way you can put your forest bathing experience over the top. 

Supercharging your forest bathing experience

To practice mindfulness, you need a certain level of control over your brain, which can be somewhat difficult, especially if you haven’t practiced it before or are unprepared. 

Getting into nature is a great way to ‘cleanse the palette’ of your mind, but mushrooms can nourish your brain with powerful nootropics to support your brain’s journey into mindfulness. 

Dynamic Mushrooms™ uses a sophisticated nootropic formulation designed to help support healthy cognitive function while also helping to support healthy stress response to daily challenges.*

Our unique blend of mushrooms, including Lion’s Mane, Reishi, Chaga, Shiitake, and Maitake, is the perfect complement to forest bathing and is ideal for daily healthy cognitive function.

Discover the magical world of mushrooms on your journey to a life of mindfulness, presence, and peace.