Grounded in Nature: A Scientific Look at Forest Bathing in Berlin
The scent of mint, a hint of pepper – it’s definitely ground ivy. Karin, standing in Berlin’s Tiergarten, picks up a small, round leaf, rubs it between her fingers, and holds it to her nose. Inhaling deeply, she confidently identifies the wild shrub. This is the task at hand: Karin and her fellow participants are scattered across the meadow, collecting leaves, grasses, pine cones, and immersing themselves in the surrounding smells. Three women and one man, part of a scientific study, are practicing forest bathing in the heart of Berlin.
This study, running for several months at the Charité’s outpatient clinic for naturopathy, is based at the Immanuel Hospital in Wannsee. Karin’s group is part of the second-to-last session, with the final one scheduled for fall. After eight weeks, they will have completed eight appointments, providing answers to the crucial question: does urban nature help to reduce stress and improve quality of life?
The study is randomized, dividing participants into three groups: forest bathers, walkers in Berlin neighborhoods, and those continuing their usual daily routines. Their stress levels are measured at the beginning and end of the study. “My subjective impression is that forest bathing in the Tiergarten is good for me,” says Karin.
Naturopathy’s importance in modern medicine is growing, becoming increasingly established as a complement to conventional therapies. This practice, which encompasses various methods, plays a vital role in treating conditions such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, heart problems, obesity, high blood pressure, psychological issues, and chronic complaints. Furthermore, naturopathy significantly contributes to disease prevention.
A specific branch within naturopathy, mind-body medicine, focuses on the intricate interplay between the mind and body. Originating in the USA, it encompasses practices like forest bathing. In Japan, where it’s known as Shinrin Yoku – “immerse yourself in the forest atmosphere” – it has been recognized as a means of healthcare since the 1980s. Now, it is gradually gaining traction in Germany, with researchers using scientific means to prove its positive effects and dispel preconceptions.
On this warm summer day, Anny Warncke gathers the group on the meadow, leading the forest bathing session. The psychologist briefly summarizes past sessions, focusing on hearing, seeing, and feeling, then declares, “Today’s focus is on smell.”
Forest bathing is a form of meditation, a practice of mindfulness. Therefore, Warncke begins by asking participants to close their eyes and perceive their surroundings without judgment. The sounds of the day – young people racing on e-scooters, a motorcycle roaring nearby, traffic’s distant hum – permeate the air. Yet, the participants stand silently, breathing evenly.
“Mindfulness is like a muscle you can train,” says Anny Warncke following the first exercise. This is precisely what they are doing: surrendering to open perception, free from disturbing emotions, memories, or fantasies. But like any untrained muscle, mindfulness can weaken. “We are all under a lot of stress in everyday life,” explains Warncke. “We are constantly reachable, constantly confronted with thoughts.” These reminders contribute to the study’s program, reinforcing the learned practices.
Charité doctor Michael Jeitler oversees the scientific studies on the benefits of forest bathing at the Immanuel Hospital. Research indicates that a person experiences around 60,000 thoughts per day, many perceived as negative, even frightening. This triggers the release of neurotransmitters, proteins, and hormones like cortisol, potentially leading to sleep disorders or high blood pressure. This mind-body connection is the cornerstone of mind-body medicine.
Before and following the eight weeks, the study participants undergo cortisol level testing and long-term ECGs to measure heart rate variability. Do their pulses fluctuate, remain too low or too high, or settle at a healthy level? These objective parameters help the Wannsee scientists prove the positive effects of forest bathing.
Karin, who recently moved following a stressful apartment search, is now recovering. She realizes this through standardized questionnaires filled out regularly, enhancing the exercises she practices between weekly meetings. “It’s not that far from my new home to Schlachtensee,” she remarks.
In a different part of the Tiergarten, the group gathers around a pond, reached via a narrow path through dense bushes. Closing their eyes once once more, they form a circle, breathing rhythmically. The ringing of a church bell momentarily breaks the silence, but the participants might actually feel as if they are truly in a forest. Anny Warncke guides them, “Pay attention to the rhythm of your breathing and your heartbeat.” The bell rings six times.
Beyond the realm of forest bathing, science is investigating the potential of breathing techniques as complementary medicine, especially for lung diseases. Yoga and Qigong may even alleviate post-Covid syndrome symptoms.
The air we breathe in a forest is packed with beneficial substances, including phytoncides, secondary plant substances released by trees and flora. Humans absorb these through their lungs, and studies have shown that phytoncides boost the immune system.
A blackbird, hidden in the undergrowth near the pond, sings its familiar song. “The song of birds has a relaxing effect. This is well-documented scientifically,” explains Anny Warncke. A recent randomized online experiment conducted by researchers at the Max Planck Institute and the University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf revealed that birdsong alleviates fear and reduces irrational thoughts. “The rhythm and melody of birdsong have a measurable influence on pulse and blood pressure,” notes Warncke.
Anny Warncke, a psychologist, heads the outpatient clinic at the Immanuel Hospital Berlin-Wannsee, a facility dedicated to mind-body medicine. Groups of up to 14 individuals spend seven hours there each week, learning relaxation and meditation techniques, engaging in walking or Nordic walking exercises, practicing Qigong and yoga, and preparing Mediterranean meals. “On the remaining six days, they can repeat and deepen what they have learned at home,” notes Warncke. Like all nature and forest therapists at the Immanuel Hospital, she holds additional qualifications, declaring herself “an expert in mindfulness.”
The day clinic’s services target patients with a wide range of ailments, including rheumatism, fibromyalgia, ME/CFS, neuropathy, arthrosis, back pain, heart, lung, intestinal, and skin diseases. “Mind-body medicine can be a useful support for many chronic diseases,” asserts Michael Jeitler.
Dr. Jeitler is leading studies on forest bathing, including a second one in the Düppel Forest, focusing on obesity, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and heart and circulatory problems. “Both studies will last one and a half years,” he explains. “By the end, 100 people between the ages of 18 and 70 will have participated.”
The work at the day clinic is also backed by scientific studies. Similar facilities exist in Germany only in Bamberg and Essen. “Mind-body medicine is not yet as widespread in German-speaking countries as it is in the USA, for example,” notes Jeitler. However, Berlin might become a hub for this field. The Charité is investing heavily in research on complementary and integrative medicine methods, including naturopathy. This focus on “evidence-based interventions” is crucial for Jeitler.
The Charité has recognized the importance of preventative healthcare and has incorporated it into its program. A strategy document for the next decade states, “In order to give more emphasis to maintaining health and prevention, we will establish a corresponding research focus. In particular, it is regarding better understanding health-promoting adaptations to the environment.” Michael Jeitler agrees, “Mind-body medicine can make a significant contribution to this.”
Anny Warncke anticipates fascinating results from the forest bathing study in the Tiergarten. “I notice that the group is more relaxed following an appointment,” she observes. At the session’s end, she leads the group to a clearing, where participants spread out, taking in the surroundings one more time. Karin gazes at a tree, standing silently, and somewhere, a woodpecker hammers away.
Forest Bathing in the City: A Scientific Study on the Benefits of Urban Nature
The scent of mint, a hint of pepper. Karin picked up the small, round leaf in Berlin’s Tiergarten, rubbed it between her fingers and held it under her nose. She took a deep breath and said “ground ivy”, the name of the wild shrub. Because that is the task at the moment: Karin and the others are spread out on a meadow surrounded by trees, collecting leaves, grasses, pine cones and taking in the smells. There are three women and one man on this followingnoon. They are taking part in a study. They are practicing forest bathing in the service of science, in the middle of Berlin.
Exploring the Benefits of Forest Bathing in an Urban Setting
The study has been running for several months at the Charité’s outpatient clinic for naturopathy, which is based at the Immanuel Hospital in Wannsee. Karin’s group is part of the second-to-last round, with the last one following in the fall. At the end, they will have completed eight appointments in eight weeks and provided answers to the question of whether urban nature helps to reduce stress and improve quality of life. The study is randomized: one group consists of forest bathers, a second group takes walks through Berlin neighborhoods, and the third group goes regarding their normal daily lives. The stress level is determined at the beginning and at the end of each group. “My subjective impression is that forest bathing in the Tiergarten is good for me,” says Karin.
Naturopathy and Mind-Body Medicine: A Growing Field
Naturopathy is becoming increasingly important in modern medicine. It is becoming more and more established as a supplement to conventional therapies. Complementary medicine uses its methods. For example, they play a role in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus or heart problems, are used once morest obesity and high blood pressure, for psychological problems or for a better quality of life in the case of chronic complaints. Last but not least, naturopathy contributes to the prevention of diseases.
A separate branch has developed from this. It deals with the interactions between mind and body: Mind-body medicine originated in the USA; forest bathing falls under this. In Japan it has been recognized as a means of health care since the 1980s. Shinrin Yoku is what it means there: “immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the forest.” In this country, it is slowly starting to gain a foothold. Researchers are disproving reservations and prejudices bit by bit, proving positive effects using scientific methods. Through studies such as the one for which Karin and her group came to the zoo once more on this warm summer day.
Mindfulness and Sensory Awareness in Forest Bathing
Anny Warncke has gathered them around her on the meadow. She is leading the session. The psychologist briefly summarizes which senses they have concentrated on in the previous sessions – hearing, seeing, feeling. “Today the focus is on smell,” she says. Forest bathing is a form of meditation. It’s regarding mindfulness. That’s why Warncke asks the participants to close their eyes and perceive their surroundings at the beginning.
Young people race along the adjacent path on e-scooters, Dutch by the language, perhaps Belgian, but definitely loud. Behind the trees near the embassy buildings, a motorcycle roars along Tiergartenstrasse. The traffic around the Grosser Stern on the other side of the meadow roars like a distant sea. The test subjects stand there quietly, breathing evenly.
“Mindfulness is like a muscle that you can train,” says Anny Warncke following the first exercise. That is what they are doing right now: they are surrendering to an open perception, without disturbing emotions, memories, fantasies. But like a muscle that is not used, mindfulness can also become weak. “We are all under a lot of stress in everyday life,” says Warncke. “We are constantly reachable, constantly confronted with thoughts.”
The Science Behind Forest Bathing and Stress Reduction
Studies have shown that a person has around 60,000 such thoughts per day. Many are perceived as negative, some even as frightening. The brain then releases neurotransmitters, proteins, hormones, cortisol, for example. Sleep disorders or high blood pressure can be the result. The mind influences the body – this is the starting point of mind-body medicine.
The cortisol content in the hair of the study participants is tested before and following the eight weeks. A long-term ECG determines the so-called heart rate variability. Does the pulse fluctuate, is it too low, too high, does it settle at a good level? These objective parameters also help the scientists from Wannsee to prove the benefits of forest bathing.
“We are all under a lot of stress in our everyday lives. We are constantly reachable, constantly confronted with thoughts.” Anna Warncke
Personal Experiences and the Benefits of Forest Bathing
Karin was stressed and she knew why. She had just moved because she wanted to downsize. To do this, she first had to find a suitable apartment, which was nerve-wracking. She is now recovering from it. Karin can tell this from a standardized questionnaire that she fills out at regular intervals. She then deepens the exercises she has learned between the weekly meetings. “It’s not that far from my new home to Schlachtensee.”
Breathing Techniques and the Impact of Phytoncides
Karin will also repeat the breathing exercises, for which she and the others have now moved to a pond in the Tiergarten. They got there via a narrow path through dense bushes. They have once more formed a circle, their eyes closed. They remain like this for a few minutes, and if the ringing of a church bell had not been heard from somewhere at that moment, they might actually have the feeling of being in a forest. Anny Warncke says: “Pay attention to the rhythm of your breathing and heartbeat.” The bell rings six times.
Science is also looking into the possibilities of using breathing techniques in complementary medicine. For example, in the case of lung diseases, as a supplement to conventional therapy. Yoga or Qigong may even alleviate the symptoms of patients with post-Covid syndrome. It has already been deciphered how forest air affects an organism. It contains valuable substances. Phytoncides, for example, secondary plant substances. Trees and other fauna release them into their environment, and humans absorb them through the lungs. Studies have shown that phytoncides strengthen the immune system.
The Calming Effects of Birdsong
A blackbird has settled in the undergrowth by the pond. You can’t see it, but you can hear this typical sequence of sounds. “The song of birds has a relaxing effect. This is well documented scientifically,” Anny Warncke explains to the three test subjects. Recently, researchers from the Max Planck Institute and the University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf found in a randomized online experiment that birdsong relieves fear and reduces irrational thoughts. “The rhythm and melody of birdsong have a measurable influence on pulse and blood pressure,” says Warncke.
Forest Bathing and the Benefits of Mind-Body Medicine
The psychologist leads the naturopathic day clinic of the Immanuel Hospital Berlin-Wannsee, which works according to the principles of mind-body medicine. Groups of a maximum of 14 people spend seven hours there one day a week. They learn techniques for relaxation and meditation, exercise by walking or Nordic walking, do Qigong and yoga. Mediterranean whole foods are on the program, and the participants cook for themselves. “On the remaining six days, what they have learned can be repeated and deepened at home,” says Warncke, who, like all other nature and forest therapists at the Immanuel Hospital, has acquired additional qualifications. She says: “I am an expert in mindfulness.”
The day clinic’s services are aimed at patients with a wide range of complaints. Do you have rheumatism or Fibromyalgia which occurs, among other things, in ME/CFS following infectious diseases. Others suffer from neuropathy, arthrosis, back pain, diseases of the heart, lungs, intestines, skin: “Mind-body medicine can be a useful support for many chronic diseases,” says Michael Jeitler. The doctor is leading studies on forest bathing, among other things; a second one is being conducted in the Düppel Forest and is focusing on illnesses such as obesity, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and heart and circulatory problems. “Both studies will last one and a half years,” says Jeitler. “At the end, 100 people between the ages of 18 and 70 will have taken part.”
The Future of Mind-Body Medicine and Forest Bathing
The work at the day clinic was also scientifically supported by several studies. There are only other comparable facilities in this country in Bamberg and Essen. “Mind-body medicine is not yet as widespread in German-speaking countries as it is in the USA, for example,” says Jeitler. Important impulses might come from Berlin, however. The Charité is conducting intensive research into complementary and integrative medicine methods as well as naturopathy. It is regarding “evidence-based interventions” – this statement is important to Jeitler.
The Charité has recognized the importance of preventive health care and has made it a program. A strategy paper for the period up to 2030 begins by saying: “In order to give more emphasis to maintaining health and prevention, we will establish a corresponding research focus. In particular, it is regarding better understanding health-promoting adaptations to the environment.” Michael Jeitler says: “Mind-body medicine can make a significant contribution to this.”
In any case, Anny Warncke is expecting interesting results from forest bathing in the zoo. “I notice that the group is more relaxed following an appointment.” At the end, she led the group to a clearing. Again, they were supposed to take in the surroundings. The test subjects spread out. Karin looks at a tree. She stands there quietly. And somewhere a woodpecker is hammering.
