Celebrated on the 21 March every year, the UN's International Day of Forests seeks to remind the global community of the benefits of forests.
Taking a walk in the woods is a great way to combat the stresses of modern urban living. There are also a number of health benefits attached to "forest bathing" – indeed, in Japan it is considered standard preventative medicine.
Dr Saima Latif, a chartered psychologist, says that even looking at pictures can help: "Just viewing a forest scene has been documented to have a very positive effect on psychological healing and recovering from stress."
The psychologist, who consults for Forest Holidays, adds that the benefits come into play, "particularly for individuals, who are from busy cities or urbanised environments.” Any city dweller can see the sense in that; it's why the great city planners of the 19th century ensured that they always strived to include plentiful green space in their designs.
Here are some fine reasons to go for a walk in the woods today:
Improve your psychological health
The forest environment can impact quite positively upon psychological health and well-being; both emotional and cognitive health. It sounds 'new-agey', but Forestry Commission research has borne this out.
Lower your blood pressure, reduce your stress
Forests can help to lower blood pressure by reducing stress and helping to improve mental health. The forest environment lowers your blood pressure and reduces your levels of stress hormones. It can even help children with ADHD, according to latest research.
Help stave off diabetes and heart disease
Being in the forest apparently increases your levels of serum adiponectin (a hormone), which helps prevent obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Once again, this sounds far-fetched: but the research comes from the Japanese government.
Improve your energy and focus
Connecting with the environment makes use more relaxed as human beings, more energised and more focused on those things in life that are more important to us.
Appreciate the things you take for granted
Connecting with nature, will make us appreciate humanity more, particularly those who mean something to us and whom we may have neglected or taken for granted in the past.
Exercise
Well, obviously. Unless you insist on merely driving a car through the woods rather than walking through them.
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