The Concept of Forest Bathing - Alese Cowardin

 It is so strange to me that simply spending time around trees would help someone recover faster from an illness or even help their mental wellbeing, and yet studies have shown that this is true. I suppose that I have even seen this effect in my own life through my grandfather, who lives off of the Chesapeake Bay. Every time that he becomes ill and has to spend time in the hospital, all he thinks about is getting back home to his view from the sunroom, and when he finally is released and allowed to go back to his view he ends up recovering faster. While this is not exactly the same as forest bathing, it is related to the idea that nature helps us recover. It also reminds me of the fact that a lot of people are affected by seasonal depression or are predisposed to feel much happier when the sun is out and shining compared to when it is raining or cloudy. When we cannot connect with nature like we are meant to, both our minds and our bodies suffer as a result.

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