A walk in the woods as a remedy for stress. In Canada, doctors now prescribe free entry to national parks to help people with anxiety.
We already knew the benefits of sylvotherapy, this wellness practice consisting of taking forest baths. Scientific studies have shown that it has positive effects on stress. There was also a decrease in nervous tension, but also an improvement in concentration and attention.
It is therefore not surprising that a country such as Canada, which has no fewer than 48 national parks, authorizes doctors to prescribe free entrance tickets. The initiative was launched in British Columbia in 2020 and is now expanding to other Canadian states.
Of course, the point is not to see the recipe as a panacea for anxiety disorders or depression, but to support patients in their fight against stress. According to Radio Canada, which makes the information public, the recommendations refer to a walk of at least 20 to 30 minutes, the time that the stress hormone, cortisol, goes down.
Forest baths are beneficial in more ways than one: not only do they recharge the batteries by breathing cleaner air, but after almost two years of the pandemic, they also boost local tourism!
(ETX Daily Up)