Forest bathing: how shinrin-yoku improves focus and lowers stress, according to experts

Forest bathing, known in Japanese as shinrin-yoku, is a mindfulness activity that involves spending uninterrupted time in nature while engaging the senses. Research indicates that the practice can help lower stress and improve focus.

Mark Ellison, a certified forest therapy guide and founder of Pinnacle Forest Therapy, describes forest bathing as “slowing down… connecting to nature with all your senses… being in a natural setting and being present.” He recommends choosing a quiet location, noticing surrounding details, and disconnecting from technology when possible.

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Ellison co-founded the first certified forest therapy trail in North Carolina at Pinnacle Park. Sessions typically last 90 minutes, include minimal talking, and focus on observation, reflection, and meditation. Some participants use forest bathing as a way to process grief or honor the memory of a loved one who valued nature.

Benefits of forest bathing and tips for practice

Ellison states that forest bathing supports mental health by reducing stress and restoring attention span. This aligns with “attention restoration theory,” introduced by University of Michigan researchers Stephen and Rachel Kaplan, which proposes that time in nature allows daily-use attention capacities to recover.

“We’re always in a hurry, and we’re always connected to technology… [forest bathing is] disconnecting from that,” Ellison says. He encourages participants to turn off or silence phones and resist the urge to take photos, instead engaging fully with the environment.

While 90-minute sessions are common, Ellison notes that forest bathing can be practiced in shorter intervals. “You could just go out in your backyard… for 15 minutes. And then… continue on with longer periods of time out in nature,” he says. Keeping a journal to record observations may help reinforce the experience.

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Forest bathing does not require remote locations. It can be done in local parks, gardens, or backyards. For those without easy access to green spaces, Ellison suggests integrating nature into indoor environments by adding plants, displaying landscape images, or listening to natural soundscapes such as ocean waves.