From forest bathing to belly laughing, cultures from around the world have cultivated well-being and self-care practices in many fascinating ways—and science agrees that they’re effective!
- Danish “hygge”
I love the cold. I love coming in after a walk feeling like an ice cube and then being welcomed (and defrosted) by my warm kitchen. And I love being able to curl up with a book on long winter nights.
But I know that there are many who definitely don’t share my love of freezing weather.
In 2016, Denmark ranked as the happiest nation in the world in the World Happiness Report. Then, Finland became number one for the next three years, with Norway and Sweden never far behind. Did you ever wonder at the fact that the five happiest countries in the world are almost always cold, Nordic countries. How do they do it?
Of course, there are likely many factors involved. These countries often have less income inequality, greater oil wealth, and breathtaking natural landscapes. But I wondered if there were any specific Nordic secrets to happiness and wellness—even during winter.
The Danish believe in hygge (pronounced “hoo-gah”), which loosely translates to “coziness” and sounds to me a lot like ‘hug’! The word originated from an Old Norwegian word meaning “well-being,” and it captures all that is cozy, warm, and enjoyable. Curling up under a soft blanket while holding a warm mug of cocoa is hygge. Chatting with friends and family around a fire (ohhh I wish that that were possible at the moment….) is hygge. And simply enjoying the glow of a candle is hygge.
This concept of hygge not only gives practical inspiration for how to enjoy life—oversized scarves and hot drinks —but it also offers a philosophy for how to be with one’s environment instead of fighting against it. No wonder the Danes are happy in winter!
- Japanese forest bathing
On the subject of being with the environment, we’ll ‘travel’ now eastwards to Japan, to take a dip in the woods. Not an actual swim, but rather, an immersion in nature called “shinrin-yoku,” loosely translated to “forest bathing.”
Forest bathing is exactly what it sounds like—being immersed in nature. Importantly, it’s not about going camping, hiking, or doing any hardcore exercise in a forest. In fact, it’s not a goal-oriented activity at all. It’s simply being with nature, with your senses open and your body as your guide.
Health researcher Dr. Qing Li and his colleagues have found that forest bathing enhances the immune system and encourages the expression of anti-cancer proteins. They also found that it decreases depression, fatigue, anxiety, and unsurprisingly, heart rate.
To take a forest bath yourself, you don’t need to seek out special destinations. You can simply find a spot of nature, even if it’s just a group of trees or a garden, and walk through the area slowly and aimlessly. Turn off your mobile phone and simply let the forest in through your five senses.
- Indian laughter yoga
Who doesn’t enjoy a good belly laugh? But have you ever done it on purpose? The idea of (Indian) laughter yoga is that we don’t have to wait for something funny to happen in order to laugh. Instead, laughter can and should be practiced for its own sake.
Laughter yoga is often practiced in groups, where real playfulness and interaction between people can turn practiced laughs into real guffaws. And there seem to be real health benefits, even if the laughter is “fake.”
A recent meta-analysis found that simulated laughter may be even more effective than spontaneous, humorous laughter for improving mood. So why not give it a try—do a belly laugh like no one is watching. Or better yet, get together (online, probably nowadays) with others and laugh with them!
Whether it’s through the quietness of forest bathing, or the exuberance of laughter yoga, so many wellness practices and philosophies from around the world get back to the basics—feeling connected to our bodies, our minds, and one another. None of the ideas require you to buy a single thing. All of them invite us to be mindful and connected.
REFERENCES:
*World Happiness Report. https://worldhappiness.report
* Li, Q et al. Forest bathing enhances human natural killer activity and expression of anti-cancer proteins. Int J Immunopathol Pharmacol, Apr-Jun 2007; 20(2 Suppl 2): pages 3-8.
* Li, Q et al. Effects of Forest Bathing on Cardiovascular and Metabolic Parameters in Middle-Aged Males. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2016; 2016: 2587381
* Li, Q. Forest Bathing Is Great for Your Health. Here’s How To Do It. https://time.com/5259602/japanese-forest-bathing/
See also Dr Li’s book ‘Forest Bathing: How Trees Can Help You Find Health and Happiness’. Viking (Penguin Publishing Group), 2018.
* van der Wal, N.C and Kok, R.N. Laughter-inducing therapies: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Social Science & Medicine Volume 232, July 2019, Pages 473-488.