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Forest bathing in the summer?

Pretty darn amazing. Effortless even.

 

Forest bathing in the winter?

Blech. Why bother.

 

It’s frigid…

The trees are in hibernation…

The trek requires much more preparation and gear by way of boots, jacket, hat, gloves, etc.

The air is plain old hostile sometimes…

…at least to me.

Especially when it’s 25 below zero. Your eyelids practically freeze shut.

 

But I do make an effort to get outside whenever it’s above freezing, at least for a little while.

I’m trying to make a more concerted effort to get outside in the winter, despite all my self-inflicted limitations.

I would challenge you to do the same. Even for just a few minutes.

 

I’m also trying to incorporate the forest into my indoor life.

So, that’s what made me think about what winter forest bathing looks like. (Plus, it’s snowing outside my window as I write this).

I want to show you a few ways that you can experience the benefits of forest bathing into the winter.

 

4 Ways to Forest Bathe in the Winter

 

#1 Nature Micro-Dosing

I refer to nature micro-dosing above when I talk about getting outside in the winter, at least for a few minutes. I also explain the concept of micro-dosing in this video.

Essentially, you should still make an effort to get outside and take in nature or sit in a sunny window to give yourself micro doses of nature in winter. The forest is still accessible to you, you just have to make the effort.

 

#2 Massage Your Senses

Even when you can’t physically get outside, you can still expose your senses to the sights, sounds, and smells of the forest. You can still put all the concepts of mindfulness to practice indoors.

Sight

To find the sights of nature, you need look no further than YouTube. You can check out my forest bathing playlist or watch other videos of the forest. You can also take a few minutes to peruse forest images on photography websites. Studies show just looking at green imagery benefits your life.

{Related reading: check out this compilation of studies about the benefits of forest bathing}

Sound

To expose yourself to forest sounds, check out mynoise.net. I use this audio website all the time. I love listening to forest sounds to take me there in my imagination. Check out the Fairy Pond and Rainforest, Primeval Forest, and Japanese Garden audio streams, in particular.

Smell

The smells of the forest are always available to you in essential oil form. I recently grabbed some Hinoki Oil and a Deep Forest essential oil blend from Amazon. They basically smell like a pine forest (because that’s what they are!).

Hinoki essential oil, derived from cypress trees, was used in several studies to demonstrate how pine forests increase immune function and induce relaxation. Diffuse these pine-scented, straight-from-the-forest oils in your living room or make my essential-oil infused Forest Bath to experience the same benefits for yourself.

 

#3 Nature Visualization Therapy

You can also practice nature visualization to forest bathe in your imagination. Fun fact: Your mind doesn’t know the difference between visualization and real life. Even if you’re forest bathing in your head, your mind thinks you’re forest bathing for real.

Try a guided meditation, like this one to shift your mind into forest bathing mode. If you’re prone to anxiety like me, you might find this exercise really helpful in taming your nervous system.

 

#4 Try a Winter Forest Bathing Exercise

This winter forest bathing exercise helps you appreciate the processes that happen during the winter season. Make sure to bundle up enough to enjoy the outdoors or wait for a day when the temperatures are above freezing.

 

#5 Bring the Forest Indoors

No, I’m not advising you to plant a forest inside your house. I’m just suggesting you bring some of that living greenery indoors to infuse your living spaces with life. Bonsai trees, plants, terrariums, and other indoor foliage give you some measure of exposure to green when there’s no green outside.

Ever heard of Breathing Rooms? I just came across this concept while doing some research. I love this idea of dedicating a room in your house to cultivating fresh air. Gather some plants in your solarium and visit that room whenever you need to clear your lungs or take a break from worldly technology.

 

{Via}

I hope this article gives you some inspiration to continue to forest bathe in the winter, even when the snow and cold invade your favorite forest area.

Even though the winter isn’t the most inviting time to go forest bathing, there are still benefits from doing so. It’s a great way to experience the forest in all its different stages.

Try it!

 

How about you?

Do you make intentional efforts to forest bathe in the winter? What are your favorite ways to bring nature indoors?