Arthritis and Forest Bathing
26th December 2021
Forest Bathing, Forest Therapy or Silvotherapy is a practice of walking slowly and mindfully through a (usually) wooded area, mindfully using all your senses to ‘bathe’ in the forest atmosphere and to consciously connect with nature. It has its origins in the Japanese practice of Shinrin Yoku, which in turn has its roots in Shinto and Buddhist nature-connection practices. A 2019 article in the Environmental Health and Preventative Medicine Journal reported that “Forest bathing has positive effects on human physical and mental health, especially in enhancing immunity, treating chronic diseases, regulating mood, and reducing anxiety and depression”.
Forest Bathing and Nature-Connection
Forest Bathing is often a guided activity where an experienced Forest Bathing Guide supports people to actively connect with nature through offering a sequence of ‘invitations’. These Forest Bathing invitations are nature-connection activities in which participants are invited and encouraged to connect with the natural world around them through their senses (primarily vision, smell, hearing, touch, and taste) and to slow down (both physically and mentally). Forest Bathing walks are generally short in length, with a focus on nature-connection and relaxation rather than reaching a particular destination and are all at a pace and level to match participant’s physical abilities.
Supporting People with Musculoskeletal Conditions Through Nature Connection
Other recent research in the Environmental Health and Preventative Medicine Journal suggests that Forest Bathing can lead to improvements in heart rate and blood pressure. Whilst Forest Bathing isn’t meant to be an aerobic activity, it can still offer these type of benefits for those who struggle with regular physical activity due to musculoskeletal conditions such as Arthritis and Multiple Sclerosis. Beyond this, as NHS England note, a large number of people with musculoskeletal conditions experience co-existing affective disorders such as depression, anxiety and stress. Again, as discussed previously, there is a strong evidence base that nature-connection activities such as Forest Bathing can reduce these symptoms. Stress reduction is especially important for people with musculoskeletal conditions as higher levels of stress hormones such as cortisol in the body can lead to systemic inflammation which can make musculoskeletal conditions more painful. Stress also makes generalised pain less tolerable.
There is also recent research into the anti-inflammatory effects of ‘terpenes’ - volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by trees and plants primarily designed to protect them from herbivores and pathogenic micro-organisms. This research has shown that exposure to these terpenes produced by trees and plants are also effective against various inflammatory diseases including respiratory inflammation, arthritis, and neuroinflammation. Other studies have shown how some VOCs modulate cytokine release, reducing pain and inflammation, as well as improvig mood and sleep quality.
It is reported that seasonality contributes to a great extent, to the onset and exacerbation of autoimmune diseases including multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis, with winter and early spring being the risk factors potentially due to lower vitamin D levels, lower melatonin levels, and the increased incidence of certain infectious diseases.
