A trend towards embracing nature as an antidote is developing within high-end wellness today. Also known as Shinrin-Yoku (Japanese Forest Bathing) or Silvotherapy, a forest vacation is not just about relaxation and fun. Entering an ancient forest puts you inside a bioactive environment where the air is filled with volatile organic compounds, negatively charged ions, and fractal geometry. It engages your biological system and triggers changes on a physiological level that counteract the degeneration caused by city life. The following are 8 surprising health benefits of a forest vacation.
Significant Increase in the Number and Activity of Natural Killer (NK) Cells
Forest vacations trigger a remarkable increase in NK cell count and their activities within the human body. The trees secrete chemicals called phytonutrients into the air as aerosols, which act as pesticides. These phytoncides have a positive effect on human bodies- they induce the production of anti-tumor proteins.
Speeding Up Physical Healing
The natural environment facilitates wound healing. With high concentrations of pure oxygen in the air, little ambient noise, and no artificial chemicals, overall oxidation processes in one’s body decline. As a result, cells can allocate more energy to metabolism and tissue regeneration rather than to building immune defenses.
Breathing in Anti-Inflammatory Forest Soil Microorganisms
While walking in the forest, you breathe in small amounts of Mycobacterium vaccae, a benign soil bacterium that is extremely abundant in wet forest soils. It was discovered that exposure to this particular bacterium enhances the activity of serotonin-producing neurons in one’s prefrontal cortex and serves as an immunomodulator.
Reduced Sympathetic Constriction of Peripheral Blood Vessels
Chronic auditory stressors resulting from the constant noise in cities create slight micro-constriction in blood vessels by causing low-level production of adrenaline. The total absence of auditory stress, thanks to low-frequency noises in forests, helps increase peripheral blood vessel dilation, which positively affects general blood circulation.
Reduced Level of Blood Glucose in Diabetic Individuals
Perhaps surprisingly, walking through the woods is proven and published in the International Journal of Biometeorology to help people with diabetes reduce their blood glucose level faster than the same physical activity in indoor gyms, especially for patients with type 2 diabetes.
Optimizing the Functioning of the Gut-Brain Connection
Increased stress impacts gut motility and the mucosa and negatively impacts the balance of bacteria in the intestines. Changing the state of the body to an intense parasympathetic one causes proper blood circulation in the intestine and nutrient absorption without IBS symptoms.
Reduction of Pain Due to Endorphin Production
Due to stimulation caused by the activity of different senses on a forest vacation, such as breathing in fresh air, walking on smooth ground, and enjoying scenery, more endorphins and dopamine are produced. The natural pain relief chemicals change the way the brain perceives the chronic pain from various health conditions.
Increase in Creative Thinking and Cognitive Skills
By turning off all electronic gadgets for a few days, you can experience the so-called “Four-Day Effect,” which means that you allow your brain’s DMN (default mode network) to relax. Thus, you get a tremendous improvement in creativity and problem-solving capabilities once you return.
