THEME: “Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change” set by the World Federation for Mental Health

This Saturday, 10 October, is World Mental Health Day. This year’s theme from the World Federation for Mental Health is “Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change.” Since it falls on a weekend, when our offices are closed, we’d like to suggest a way to spend it: switch off, step outside, and tune in to the natural world. 

What is forest bathing? 

Forest bathing comes from the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, which dates back to the 1980s. Despite the name, there’s no water and no hiking target. You simply spend unhurried time in a wooded place and pay attention to it: the smell of damp earth, the light through the leaves, the feel of bark under your hand. 

Why nature helps 

Research on time in nature is encouraging. Studies have linked time in green and “blue” spaces (those with water) with lower stress, better mood, and a greater sense of calm. The effects are generally modest, not miraculous, but they’re real, and they cost nothing. Part of the benefit is likely the break itself: stepping away from screens, notifications and to-do lists gives your attention a chance to rest.

You don’t need an ancient forest. A local park, a common, a tree-lined street or a stretch of coast can all work.

Listen: the sounds of the outdoors 

Most of our days are filled with the pinging, buzzing and humming of devices and traffic. Natural sounds tend to be gentler and less demanding, and they invite you to listen without needing to respond. Here are a few to seek out:

• The beach. Sit above the waterline and listen to the rhythm of waves arriving and retreating, the rattle of shingle, the cry of gulls. The steady, repeating pattern is easy to settle into.
• The wind. Find a hillside, a field edge or a spot among trees and listen to how the wind changes: a rustle in the leaves, a low sweep across the grass, a gust that builds and fades.
• The rain. Don’t let a wet forecast put you off. Wrap up, grab a waterproof, and listen to the patter on leaves, the drip from branches, the hush that settles over a wet landscape. Autumn rain smells wonderful too.
• A stream or river. Moving water is a classic for good reason. Sit beside a brook and notice the layers of sound: the deeper gurgle, the trickle over stones, the small splashes.
• Birdsong and silence. Even in a city park, listen for birds, and for the gaps between sounds.

A simple way to try it this Saturday

• Leave the phone behind, or put it on silent. Resist the urge to record or photograph everything.
• Pick a spot and slow down. Aim for 20 to 30 minutes with no destination.
• Close your eyes for a minute. Count how many different sounds you can pick out, from the nearest to the furthest away.
• Use your other senses too. Notice what you can see, smell and feel: salt air, wet earth, cool wind on your face.
• Sit for a while. Find a bench, a log or a patch of grass and just be there.
• Notice how you feel when you head home, without judging it.

A few sensible precautions: check tide times and stay well back from the edge on beaches and cliffs, keep clear of fast or swollen water after heavy rain, and tell someone where you’re going if you’re heading somewhere remote.

No time to get out? A few houseplants on your desk or an open window to listen to the rain can offer a small dose of the same thing.

Hearing real voices

The theme this year is about listening, and nature can be a good place to practise it, because it gives us the space to hear our own thoughts. It also helps to talk. If something has been weighing on you, tell a friend, a colleague or someone you trust.

Time outdoors is a gentle support, not a substitute for professional help. If you’re struggling, please reach out to your GP or a mental health service. In the UK, Samaritans are available any time on 116 123.