The Benefits of Nature Immersion

As well as calming and regulating your nervous system, spending time in nature has a deep ability to bring you back to a centred, grounded state. It’s also great for mental health.

A New Zealand study found that living closer to green space and in a greener neighbourhood was associated with better mental health and may support positive mood and reduce stress and anxiety.[1]

Research confirms that at least 2 hours a week in nature is ideal for good health and wellbeing,[2] but longer is even better. A weekend of forest bathing enhanced immunity (increasing activity and numbers of natural killer cells), with benefits lasting more than 7 days.[3]

[1] Nutsford D et al. An ecological study investigating the association between access to urban green space and mental health. Public Health. 2013 Nov;127(11):1005-11. doi: 10.1016/j.puhe.2013.08.016.

[2] White MP et al. Spending at least 120 minutes a week in nature is associated with good health and wellbeing. Sci Rep. 2019 Jun 13;9(1):7730. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-44097-3.

[3] Li Q, Morimoto K, Kobayashi M, et al. Visiting a forest, but not a city, increases human natural killer activity and expression of anti-cancer proteins. Int J Immunopathol Pharmacol. 2008 Jan-Mar;21(1):117-27. doi: 10.1177/039463200802100113.