Shinrin Yoku - Forest bathing also helps with high blood pressure
That is exactly what was recommended to the Japanese population as a preventive health measure. From this recommendation a respected field of research developed, studying how the forest affects our health. The positive effects of forest bathing could thus be demonstrated.
Immersing yourself in the forest environment lowers cortisol levels. This reduces stress and lowers heart rate and blood pressure. At the same time, it stimulates release of the hormone DHEA, which protects our cardiovascular system. In one study, participants were sent for a few hours to walk either in the forest or in the city. Those who walked in the forest later showed lower blood pressure than the participants in the city group.
A walk in the forest, away from stress and pressure to perform, not only benefits the cardiovascular system. It also strengthens the immune system. Responsible for this are plant-derived signaling substances that are present in high concentrations in forest air. They boost our immune system, increase the number of natural killer cells in our blood that fight viruses and also cancer cells, and they even help lower blood sugar levels.
Shinrin Yoku bathing in the forest or simply taking a walk in the woods is therefore good for us in several ways. The forest environment affects the body as much as the physical activity. In this case the movement itself isnt the main point. Rather, you should open yourself to the forest, wander through it and take your time to notice the smells, the play of colors, the plants and animals and so on. Stop to listen, breathe in the scent of conifers, or put your hand to a tree and feel it. Whether you try this alone or prefer to do it with guidance is up to you.
Enjoy your next walk through a bright grove or a dark fir wood. The forest is beautiful in every season even in the rain. And its free and open all year round.
Fun fact: A research team from the Max Planck Institute for Human Development (MPIB) and the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) have shown: forest bathing can work, in limited ways, virtually. Real nature and a real forest cant be fully replaced, of course. Still, participants in a study experienced certain stress-relieving effects when they "bathed" in a virtual forest using a VR headset combined with forest sounds and scents. The more senses were engaged (sight, hearing, smell), the more participants emotional well-being improved.
Fun fact: A research team from the Max Planck Institute for Human Development (MPIB) and the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) have shown: forest bathing can work, in limited ways, virtually. Real nature and a real forest cant be fully replaced, of course. Still, participants in a study experienced certain stress-relieving effects when they "bathed" in a virtual forest using a VR headset combined with forest sounds and scents. The more senses were engaged (sight, hearing, smell), the more participants emotional well-being improved.
Sources:
This article comes from BloodPressureDB – the leading app since 2011 that helps hundreds of thousands monitor their blood pressure every day.
Our content is based on carefully researched, evidence-based data and is continuously updated (as of 12/2025).
Author Sabine Croci is a qualified medical assistant with many years of experience in internal medicine and cardiology practices as well as in outpatient care, and has led BloodPressureDB's specialist editorial team since 2015. Thanks to her extensive additional qualifications as a paramedic, first responder and in various therapy and emergency areas, she provides solid, practical and reliably reviewed information.
Author Sabine Croci is a qualified medical assistant with many years of experience in internal medicine and cardiology practices as well as in outpatient care, and has led BloodPressureDB's specialist editorial team since 2015. Thanks to her extensive additional qualifications as a paramedic, first responder and in various therapy and emergency areas, she provides solid, practical and reliably reviewed information.
