Forest Immersion improves mental health.  It reduces anxiety, depression, anger and rumination.   Breathing the air and touching things in an intact ecosystem exposes our bodies to a richer diversity of microbiota, stimulating neurotransmitter precursors which help our brain work better, increase feelings of pleasure and improve our mood.

 

It also reduces stress.  Even sitting and looking at trees reduces the stress-related hormones cortisol and adrenaline, and increases serotonin.  Being immersed in nature has a positive effect on heart rhythm; it supports greater heart rate variability, shifting us out of the fight/flight mode of our nervous system and into the calm/cool/content response.