Forest Bathing for Beginners: A Slow, Sensory Way to Unwind, According to Forestry England

Forest bathing sounds like an activity involving water, but it is simply a slow, quiet way of spending time among trees. It has become a popular relaxation practice, and Forestry England, which manages public forests in England, publishes a beginner’s guide. This article summarises that guidance for readers who want a low-cost way to unwind outdoors. It reflects what Forestry England says, as an organisation that manages forests and promotes visits to them, and it is general wellbeing information, not medical advice.

What forest bathing is

Forestry England describes forest bathing as a Japanese practice of relaxation, known in Japan as shinrin yoku. It says the simple method of being calm and quiet among the trees, observing nature and breathing deeply can help adults and children de-stress and boost health and wellbeing in a natural way (Forestry England, “Your guide to forest bathing”). Our guide to mindful walking covers a related, more active practice.

Forestry England’s beginner tips

• Turn off your devices: this gives the best chance of relaxing, being mindful and enjoying a sensory experience.
• Slow down: move through the forest slowly so that you can see, hear and feel more.
• Breathe deeply: take long breaths deep into the abdomen. Forestry England says extending the exhalation to twice the length of the inhalation sends a message to the body that it can relax. Our guide to breathing techniques explains more about slow breathing.
• Use your nose: stop, stand or sit and notice what you can smell.

Ways to connect with the surroundings

The same page suggests taking in surroundings with all the senses and being observant of nature’s small details. It suggests sitting quietly and using mindful observation while trying not to think about a to-do list or daily-life issues, and adds that this can reveal how many wild forest inhabitants are around. It recommends keeping the eyes open, saying studies have shown that people relax best while seeing greens and blues. To make the visit a habit, it suggests recording experiences to reflect on later, and offers a free forest wellbeing journal (Forestry England, “Your guide to forest bathing”).

A structured version of the senses exercise appears in Forestry England’s guide for schools. It asks people to notice five things they can see, four they can hear, three they can touch, two they can smell and one they can taste, and then one emotion or feeling they are aware of. If the mind wanders, the guidance says to bring the focus gently back to the surroundings. Our guide to the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique describes the same idea (Forestry England, “Forest bathing for all ages and settings”).

How long to stay

Forestry England advises staying as long as possible: start with a comfortable time limit and build up to the recommended two hours for a complete forest bathing experience. It also recommends visiting outside peak hours for optimum quiet, for example early on a weekend morning or on a weekday afternoon while children are at school.

Where to try it

Forestry England says thousands of forest locations are available across the country, that some offer guided forest bathing sessions and wellbeing trails, and that anyone can head to the closest site and begin alone. Its “Relax in the forest” page also lists wellbeing trails with panel guides for a mindful walk, accessible sensory walks and a downloadable wellbeing journal (Forestry England, “Relax in the forest”). Forestry England manages forests in England, so readers elsewhere in the UK should look to their own forestry bodies or local woods.

Forests are not the only setting. Forestry England’s school guidance says forest bathing is also suitable for outdoor spaces such as gardens, parks and school playgrounds. Our guides to nature and mental wellbeing and gardening for relaxation look at other ways to spend time outdoors.

Forest bathing at home, and with children

For people who cannot get to a forest, Forestry England offers a virtual forest bathing gallery and says research shows that just looking at pictures of the forest makes people feel more relaxed. On children, it says forest bathing can be great fun for adults and children alike, useful in teaching concentration and mindfulness, and advises starting with short periods, with adult supervision and a watch for brambles and stinging nettles in woodland.

How to read the wellbeing claims

Statements such as “sends a message to the body that it can relax” or “studies have shown that people relax best while seeing greens and blues” are Forestry England’s own descriptions, presented without the underlying research being named. Forest bathing is best treated as a pleasant, low-cost relaxation habit rather than a treatment for any condition. Anyone whose low mood or stress is affecting everyday life should speak to a GP.

A simple first visit

• choose a quiet time and a nearby wood or park;
• switch off or silence the phone;
• walk slowly for a few minutes, then sit or stand still;
• breathe slowly, lengthening each out-breath;
• notice sights, sounds and smells, and gently return to them when the mind wanders;
• stay for as long as feels comfortable.

The bottom line

Forestry England describes forest bathing as slow, quiet time among trees, using the senses and deep breathing, with no devices, and recommends building up to about two hours. It can be tried in forests, parks or gardens, and free trails, guides and a wellbeing journal are available. The wellbeing benefits described are the organisation’s own claims, so it is best seen as a pleasant relaxation habit, with a GP the right contact if stress or low mood is persistent.

Sources

• Forestry England, “Your guide to forest bathing”
• Forestry England, “Forest bathing for all ages and settings”
• Forestry England, “Relax in the forest”