“Are you already forest bathing”?

I am recently back from the annual BusinessMind summer break.

It was too short as always. 🙂 But a break is a break.

No matter how short it may be. We all need it at regular intervals. As moderators and trainers, project managers and coaches, assistants, experts and department heads. Fathers and mothers.

“Forest bathing”. The new buzzphrase?

So the new buzzphrase is “forest bathing”. One or another of you may smirk now and ask themselves: “What is THAT again? But the ones who follow this blog, perhaps already have an idea what it could be about (as only very recently there was a whole blog series about the topic “nature coaching“ – you can read this here: Part 1 – mindfulness, part 2 – resilience, part 3 – nature coaching.

“Forest bathing”, thus de facto an attentive walk in a forest, often shows us the way back to our roots – like a counter model to the loud consumer screams in full cities.

Forests with sometimes centuries-old trees, seem to be unshakeable against the civilization disease we call stress. After all, it is much easier to breathe away stress in the cool shade of the thicket of leaves than in hot, dusty streets.

Current state of research

Now to all the skeptics who have read this far: there are actually research results on this. And really, it’s not surprising. Essential oils, released from the wood of the trees, fresh air, natural light, the comprehensive stimulation of the senses and, finally, physical movement: it’s obvious that this can do you good.

According to the current issue of the Gehirn & Geist magazine (only available in German) our blood pressure and pulse rate drop, and also the concentration of stress hormones in the blood and saliva, blood sugar levels and physical tension decrease as the mood rises. A stay in the forest also increases our immune system and balances the vegetative nervous system.

Of course, a walk in the forest alone does not cure cancer – but studies at Paik Hospital in Seoul, for example, have shown that patients who took part in forest therapy recovered three times as quickly in the same period as in the comparison group, which was only cared for indoors.

And since I very well know the hectic everyday life of many of my clients, I can only recommend, (take it as a farewell to the summer break): just go and bath in the forest for a few hours! ?

With this in mind, I wish you a few wonderful, sunny late summer weeks!

See you soon, Birgit