Research-backed benefits of forest bathing
For many of us who enjoy spending time in nature, learning that science has confirmed the benefits of forest bathing isn’t surprising! Here are 6 benefits of forest therapy backed by research:
1. Reduced Stress and Lower Cortisol Levels Forest bathing has been shown to meaningfully reduce stress hormones, including cortisol, adrenaline, and noradrenaline. It also shifts the body toward parasympathetic nervous system dominance, essentially moving you out of "fight or flight" and into "rest and recover."
📄 Source: Li, Q. (2022). Effects of forest environment (Shinrin-yoku/Forest bathing) on health promotion and disease prevention — the Establishment of "Forest Medicine." National Institutes of Health (NIH/PubMed). Available at: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36328581
2. Improved Immune Function Time in the forest has been linked to increased natural killer (NK) cell activity, which is a key component of the immune system's ability to fight illness. A review published on NIH found that forest bathing is associated with enhanced natural killer cell activity, modulation of inflammatory markers, and reductions in cortisol, supporting its role as a low-risk strategy for immune resilience.
📄 Source: G.N. Roviello (2026). Forest Bathing (Shinrin-yoku) and Preventive Medicine: Immune Modulation, Stress Regulation, Neurocognitive Resilience, and Neurological Health. Available at: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12921901
3. Better Mental Health through Less Anxiety and Depression Forest bathing has shown measurable improvements in mood, with reductions in anxiety, depression, anger, and fatigue — and increases in overall sense of vigor and well-being.
📄 Source: A systematic review and meta-analysis published in the International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction (Springer Nature, 2020) found that shinrin-yoku can be effective in reducing mental health symptoms in the short term, particularly anxiety. Available at: link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11469-020-00363-4
4. Lower Blood Pressure and Improved Cardiovascular Health Regular forest bathing has been associated with reductions in both blood pressure and heart rate, suggesting a protective effect against hypertension and heart disease.
📄 Source: A systematic review published in Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine (via NIH) found that forest bathing activities remarkably improved cardiovascular function and hemodynamic indexes. Available at: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6886167
5. Enhanced Mood and Emotional Well-Being Beyond reducing negative emotions, forest bathing actively improves how people feel, increasing positive affect, sense of calm, and connection to the present moment.
📄 Source: The Association of Nature & Forest Therapy (ANFT) maintains a curated research library citing multiple peer-reviewed studies showing that nature exposure reduces stress, boosts mood, and improves cognitive function. Available at: anft.earth/research
6. Improved Sleep Quality and Morning Refreshment Research found that a single forest bathing session is reported to improve sleep temporarily, and that frequent forest walks were associated with a lower prevalence of insomnia symptoms among participants. A separate study examining forest bathing's effects on serotonin and depressive symptoms in middle-aged males found that the forest bathing program improved sleepiness on rising and feeling refreshed upon waking, suggesting recovery from fatigue.
📄 Source: NIH/PubMed — ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10970638 and ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9665960
For a collection of up-to-date research on the benefits of forest bathing (forest therapy), visit https://anft.earth/research/.