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, however, the movement itself is not the main point. Rather, you should open yourself to the forest, wander through it, and take your time to notice the scents, interplay of colors, plants, animals, and the like. Stop to listen, breathe in the scent of conifers, or feel a tree. 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. It is also 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) has shown that forest bathing can also work virtually to a limited extent. Of course, nature and a real forest cannot be fully replaced. Still, participants in a study experienced certain stress-relieving effects when they bathed in a virtual forest using a VR headset, forest sounds and forest scents. The more senses were engaged (sight, hearing, smell), the more the 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) has shown that forest bathing can also work virtually to a limited extent. Of course, nature and a real forest cannot be fully replaced. Still, participants in a study experienced certain stress-relieving effects when they bathed in a virtual forest using a VR headset, forest sounds and forest scents. The more senses were engaged (sight, hearing, smell), the more the participants' emotional well-being improved.
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This article is from Tensana – the leading app since 2011, helping hundreds of thousands of people 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 outpatient care, and has headed the specialist editorial team at Tensana since 2015. Thanks to her extensive additional qualifications as an emergency medical technician, first responder, and in various areas of therapy and emergency care, she provides well-founded, practical, and reliably verified information.
Author Sabine Croci is a qualified medical assistant with many years of experience in internal medicine and cardiology practices as well as outpatient care, and has headed the specialist editorial team at Tensana since 2015. Thanks to her extensive additional qualifications as an emergency medical technician, first responder, and in various areas of therapy and emergency care, she provides well-founded, practical, and reliably verified information.
