8d • Tools That Help
Walking
A key factor in my recovery was walking - daily walks around a nearby lake with my mother. It got me off the sofa, breaking the cycle of being stuck, ruled by the empty rhythm of daytime TV ads.
The Japanese have a practice called Shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing, which involves immersing yourself in nature to improve mental well-being. Studies show that spending time in green spaces reduces stress hormones like cortisol, lowers blood pressure, and improves mood. Walking in nature helps you gain perspective - it reminds you that life moves at its own pace. There’s no rush in nature, yet everything reaches its goal in time. Seeing mountains and forests, knowing they were here long before you and will be here long after, can help put your problems into perspective.
Aim for 20 minutes a day. Track your time, track your steps. Research suggests that 7,000 to 10,000 steps per day is best for physical and mental health but start small and build up. Even a short walk can make a difference.
I’m lucky enough to live in the valleys of South Wales near Bannau Brycheniog so I can be on a dirt track in a 10-minute walk from my house. If your mindful, it can feel like a bathing experience. The air is somehow different in a forest, thicker, cleaner, and even cleansing. Take in the air in greedy inhales. Focus on the permanence and constant flux or nature. Listen to the sounds. It refreshing to realise that your problems as big as they seem mean nothing in the forest. It will be here after your gone and was here way before you were born.
Why Nature Heals the Mind
Scientific research backs up what ancient cultures have always known: spending time in nature has profound effects on mental health.
Lowers stress and anxiety – exposure to forests reduces cortisol, the stress hormone, helping to ease feelings of overwhelm.
Boosts mood and reduces depression – nature has been shown to increase serotonin and dopamine levels; the brain chemicals linked to happiness and motivation.
Slows down overthinking – being in the forest takes you out of your head and into the present moment.
Enhances focus and creativity – time in nature reduces cognitive overload, making it easier to concentrate.
Strengthens the immune system - Trees release phytoncides, natural compounds that boost immunity and fight inflammation, which is often linked to depression.
How to Practise Forest Bathing
You don’t need a remote wilderness to receive help from Shinrin-yoku. Any green space—a local park, a wooded path, or even a garden—can offer relief. Here’s how to do it:
1. Go somewhere quiet with trees – A forest is ideal, but even a small park works.
2. Leave distractions behind – No phones, no music, no conversations—just you and the trees.
3. Move slowly – Walk at a relaxed pace with no destination in mind.
4. Engage your senses –
Look at the shades of green and the way the light filters through the leaves.
Listen to the rustling leaves, chirping birds, or the sound of a distant stream.
Breathe deeply, taking in the natural scents of earth, wood, and fresh air.
Touch tree bark, run your fingers through the grass, or feel the cool breeze on your skin.
5. Sit and absorb – Find a bench or a spot on the ground, close your eyes, and just be.
6. Breathe deeply – Take slow, deep breaths, letting your body relax with each exhale.
Forest Bathing as a Tool for Depression
Depression often makes you feel disconnected—from yourself, from others, and from life. Shinrin-yoku gently reconnects you with something bigger—the steady, grounding presence of nature. Unlike people, nature doesn’t disappoint you. Trees don’t judge, the wind doesn’t expect anything, and the forest is always there, just existing—a reminder that you can, too.
If you ever feel lost in your mind, try stepping into nature. Let the trees remind you: you don’t have to do anything. Just breathe.
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