An integrative medicine specialist explains the physical and mental benefits of forest bathing and how to get them — even if you live in a city.
Published December 9, 2025
Whether you’re taking a stroll in Central Park, doing a trail run, or simply gazing at a tree from your window, research has shown that any time spent with nature can help boost your mental and physical well-being.
“The data is powerful,” says Dr. Michelle Loy, an integrative health specialist at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. “Increasing exposure to green spaces is associated with significant physical, emotional, and cognitive health benefits. What other ‘pill’ does all this and without side effects?”
One example of a healthy outdoor practice that has grown more trendy is “forest bathing.” Based on the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, forest bathing involves immersing yourself in a natural setting and using each of your senses to engage with the environment around you. While it started in Japan in the 1980s, it has recently gained popularity in the U.S. as people have become more aware of the benefits.
Dr. Michelle Loy
Health Matters spoke with Dr. Loy about the science of forest bathing, the many ways contact with nature has been shown to support physical and mental health, and how to experience the benefits if you live in a city.
What are the health benefits of outdoor mindfulness practices like forest bathing, or shinrin-yoku?
Many studies over the years have shown that spending time in nature is good for your mental and physical health, and forest bathing is a great way to enhance the benefits of being in a green space.
Spending time in nature can lead to lower biomarkers of stress, including cortisol. Another study found that hospital patients had better outcomes when their room had a window view of a green space. Being outside is good for kids too. Studies have found that spending time in natural environments has been shown to improve symptoms of ADHD in school-aged children and boost serotonin and reduce anger in preschoolers.
Exposure to nature have been linked to health benefits that include:
Improved sleep quality
Decreased anxiety
Reduced blood pressure
Lowered risk of heart disease
Lowered risk of certain types of cancer
Better controlled BMI
Improved bone health
Reduced risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease
Healthier gut microbiome
How does forest bathing affect the body?
Researchers are still studying the relationship between the natural environment and our health. But we know being in nature affects us in several ways:
Being surrounded by trees increases the oxygen levels in our brains, which improves alertness and energy, leads to better sleep, and may fight inflammation in the body.
Meditative practices like forest bathing help focus the mind on calming thoughts and reduce anxiety and stress.
Looking at the shades of green found in nature has been shown to reduce heart rate and blood pressure.
How much time do you need to spend in nature to get health benefits?
Even small doses of nature can have a profound impact. People have reported better health and well-being by spending as little as 17 minutes a day in a natural setting. If you live in New York City, you don’t need to travel far to experience forest bathing. Central Park has small forests that are wonderful places to connect with nature, but you can also get many of the same benefits by visiting a leafy neighborhood park close to your home.
How can this practice benefit people with mental health conditions like anxiety or depression?
We’ve all felt our minds clear when we step outside, so anecdotally, the outdoors does have the power to boost our mood. One study found that participants who went on a 90-minute walk through a natural setting had reduced neural activity in the area of the brain linked to rumination, a risk for mental illness, while a similar walk in an urban setting showed no change in neural activity.
For patients with anxiety, depression, or burnout, I view spending time in nature as a helpful way to complement, rather than replace, more traditional therapies like medication or cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Of course, always be sure to follow the guidance of your mental health provider.
Can people with limited mobility or conditions like asthma also gain the benefits of a practice like forest bathing?
Absolutely. People with mobility issues or conditions like asthma may need to take extra precautions, like making sure they have a place to sit or bringing an inhaler. But unlike activities like running or hiking that get your heart rate up, forest bathing is meant to be slow and meditative. You can even practice forest bathing while sitting on a park bench.
Research has shown that regular visits to green spaces can reduce the use of asthma medication for people who live in urban areas, but always follow the advice of your medical provider when starting new activities that may trigger your symptoms.
For people who can’t travel to green spaces, forest bathing leaders can find creative ways to bring nature to them. For example, an indoor exercise can involve holding a natural item, like a plant or a bowl of soil, and engaging with it using each of the senses. Even looking out a window at a tree can boost feelings of wellness.
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