{"id":135684,"date":"2020-01-17T10:04:16","date_gmt":"2020-01-17T18:04:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/?p=135684"},"modified":"2020-04-02T13:00:19","modified_gmt":"2020-04-02T20:00:19","slug":"if-a-phone-is-used-in-the-forest-does-it-disrupt-the-benefits-of-forest-bathing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/news\/if-a-phone-is-used-in-the-forest-does-it-disrupt-the-benefits-of-forest-bathing","title":{"rendered":"Can Technology and Forest Bathing Go Hand in Hand?"},"content":{"rendered":"

On a gray December afternoon, Stacie Foster walked her dogs Bowie and Archie along the leaf-studded trails of Seattle\u2019s Discovery Park, holding tight to their leashes as the dogs padded along the matted, brown path. The stroll is a daily routine for the threesome. Each weekday, Foster pops in her earbuds, turns on an audio book and leashes up the pups.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt gets me out of the house,\u201d Foster says, looking down at an eager Archie. \u201cWe live so close to Discovery Park. It seems like a shame not to come out here.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Because 61-year-old Foster rows every morning before the sun peeks over the horizon, she uses these afternoon jaunts with her dogs to enjoy the final hour of winter daylight. To make the most of her time, she brings her smartphone and turns on a book or the day\u2019s news<\/span>\u2014<\/span>something she can\u2019t easily do when her arms are cranking paddles in the morning.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf I\u2019m going to be out here walking for two hours, I like to listen while I walk,\u201d she says.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Foster isn\u2019t unique in her decision to take technology to the trail. These days, recreationists use their phones to do everything from snapping photos of red-orange sunsets to mapping their trail mileage or tuning in to a podcast. Though many use outdoor time to unplug from social media and email, some like to use their phones as a camera, a map or a portable library, finding these purposes different from the others.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A few even bring a device when <\/span>forest bathing<\/span><\/a>, a Japanese practice of connecting with nature through the senses that\u2019s traditionally tech-free<\/span>. <\/span>Foster says she doesn\u2019t consider her trail time forest bathing, but, like those who do, she finds her walks rejuvenating, even with her phone.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Still, she has her limits. She won\u2019t text on the trail (she says she can\u2019t text and walk, and doesn\u2019t find it relaxing), but she\u2019s OK with listening to an audiobook. \u201cI think everybody gets to make their own choices,\u201d she says.<\/span><\/p>\n

Combining technology with recreation is something of a modern-day paradox. While spending time outside is linked to reduced stress levels and <\/span>even decreased nearsightedness in children<\/span><\/a>, smartphone use (or rather, overuse) is often credited with the opposite: <\/span>It can increase anxiety, stress and depression<\/span><\/a>. But is there a certain amount of device-use<\/span>\u2014<\/span>like, say, using a phone as a map<\/span>\u2014<\/span>that still allows for that mental post-hike high?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

According to the experts: It all depends on the person and the technology.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Does technology disrupt the benefits of forest bathing?<\/b><\/h4>\n

For Samantha Porter, tech is part of navigating the trails safely: The 28-year-old used a popular hiking app to help her navigate a 1,200-mile trek from the Mexican border toward northern California in 2014. She\u2019s used it several times since then while hiking stretches of trail back home in Washington state.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But she takes a more traditional approach to forest bathing, typically leaving her phone at home. She thinks of forest bathing as distinct from a casual forest stroll, even if the intent is to unwind and de-stress.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think some folks have heard bits and pieces of what forest bathing is, and they think if they\u2019re going out and meandering a bit of trail … they think that\u2019s forest bathing,\u201d she says. \u201cIt [isn\u2019t] just going up and touching a tree. There [are] processes behind it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Porter supports using tech as a tool outdoors, but she thinks it can interfere with the mental benefits of forest bathing.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cForest bathing doesn\u2019t lend well to technology unless it\u2019s an app that walks through the meditation process,\u201d she says. \u201cOtherwise, it deters from that experience.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

A fairly recent Japanese tradition dating back to the 1980s<\/span><\/a>, forest bathing focuses on interacting with nature using all five senses. It differs from a daily walk or hike in that it\u2019s not meant to be an exercise, but rather a slow, meditative stroll through nature.<\/span><\/p>\n

Research suggests the practice can reduce stress, increase energy, improve sleep and stimulate the activity of certain cells that defend against bacteria, viruses and tumors, says Dr. Qing Li, president of the Japanese Society of Forest Medicine and one of Japan\u2019s leading forest bathing researchers.<\/span> His book <\/span>Forest Bathing: How Trees Can Help You Find Health and Happiness<\/span><\/i> <\/a>was translated into English and published in the U.K. and North America in 2018.<\/span><\/p>\n

Forest bathing can also ease \u201ctechnostress,\u201d a term coined in the 1980s to describe the unhealthy behavior of overusing new technology, Li says. This form of stress has been shown to contribute to <\/span>anxiety, headaches, insomnia and depression<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite this, Li says there is a gray area to technology use in nature. People don\u2019t have to be forest bathing purists to reap the rewards of time outside. While he doesn\u2019t have specific data to support it, he says limiting smartphone use to snapping a photo won\u2019t decrease the mental benefits of an outdoor reprieve. However, people should avoid using a phone to text, call or scroll through social media<\/span>\u2014<\/span>all things that can detract from the experience.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen it comes to [enjoying] forest bathing, there is no one-size-fits-all solution,\u201d he says. \u201cIt differs from person to person.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

But using a phone as a camera comes with a caveat: The person needs to understand their own tech limits and usage habits. For some, even the presence of a phone can increase levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, and dopamine, a feel-good chemical that plays a part in motivating people to check their phones, regardless of how (or if) the device is being used, says Dimitri Christakis, director of the Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development at Seattle Children\u2019s Research Institute and professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

So whether someone is forest bathing in the traditional sense or simply retreating to nature to relax, Christakis says it\u2019s OK to bring a phone to use as a camera. The key is knowing yourself. Some people can hike with a phone in their pack and not feel an urge to check notifications. Others will crave it, which shifts their focus from the trail to their device.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ultimately, a person\u2019s attachment to technology is a major factor in determining whether a device will disrupt their outdoor escape. Phone addiction is not entirely uncommon in the U.S., with between 5 and 10 percent of American adolescents and adults addicted to their smart devices, Christakis says. Compulsive behavior (think checking your phone habitually even when you haven\u2019t been notified) is more common, but there aren\u2019t statistics to say how much.<\/span><\/p>\n

The average user spends about two hours per day on social media and related messaging services, notes Cal Newport, a computer science professor at Georgetown University, in his book, <\/span>Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World<\/span><\/i><\/a>. The apps, Newport writes, are designed to encourage behavioral addiction by providing intermittent positive reinforcement (think likes on Instagram and photo tags on Facebook) and the drive for social approval.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Beyond a degree of self-awareness, it\u2019s a good idea to keep your outdoor partners in mind when using technology outside. Even if your cellphone isn\u2019t bothering you, the noise of your music or phone calls could disrupt another\u2019s experience, says Judy Beaudette, a forest bathing guide at <\/span>Friends of North Creek Forest<\/span><\/a> in Bothell, Wash.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Beaudette began forest bathing about four years ago after reading about it in a book. Intrigued, she began practicing on her own before eventually deciding to lead trips. \u201cI\u2019m someone who doesn\u2019t need the research [on forest bathing] to prove it works,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s so obvious to me.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Like Li, she supports taking photos if the intent is to simply document. Beaudette occasionally takes photos when forest bathing herself. But she refrains from snapping images when she\u2019s with others because she wants to respect their experience. And when she\u2019s alone, she draws the line at photography. This includes listening to music.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou want to have all of your senses connecting with what\u2019s out there,\u201d she says. If you\u2019re listening to a pop song, for example, \u201cyou\u2019re not going to hear the rain falling on the leaf \u2026 If you have something in your ears, you\u2019re not going to experience that magic.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Michael Stein-Ross, owner of and forest bathing guide at\u00a0<\/span>Cascadia Forest Therapy<\/span><\/a> in Burien, Wash., compares time in nature to forming a relationship with a new friend. \u201cFor some people, they don\u2019t have a relationship with nature yet.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

As a guide, he asks people to leave their phones in the car, but he\u2019s also aware that he needs to meet some people where they\u2019re at. In those cases, that means allowing them to bring a phone in their pocket or pack.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think people necessarily understand how [technology] gets in the way, which is why we need a guide for this type of work,\u201d he says about forest bathing.<\/span><\/p>\n

But like others, Stein-Ross acknowledges the gray area. If someone more easily relaxes in nature when listening to a guided meditation, for instance, he doesn\u2019t think it\u2019s wrong.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ultimately, people have to understand themselves, their relationship with technology and their goals for time outside<\/span> when deciding whether or not to pack a phone.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not a black-and-white issue,\u201d he says.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/span>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On a gray December afternoon, Stacie Foster walked her dogs Bowie and Archie along the leaf-studded trails of Seattle\u2019s Discovery Park, holding tight to their leashes as the dogs padded along the matted, brown path. The stroll is a daily routine for the threesome. Each weekday, Foster pops in her earbuds, turns on an audio […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16975,"featured_media":151945,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[685],"tags":[1622,1996,727,1714],"internal-tag":[],"class_list":["post-135684","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-forest-bathing","tag-iphone","tag-latest-posts","tag-technology"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/rei.com\/blog\/news\/if-a-phone-is-used-in-the-forest-does-it-disrupt-the-benefits-of-forest-bathing","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Can Technology and Forest Bathing Go Hand in Hand?","url":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/news\/if-a-phone-is-used-in-the-forest-does-it-disrupt-the-benefits-of-forest-bathing","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/news\/if-a-phone-is-used-in-the-forest-does-it-disrupt-the-benefits-of-forest-bathing"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/01\/antonio-grosz-unsplash.jpg?resize=150%2C150","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/01\/antonio-grosz-unsplash.jpg?fit=2800%2C1200"},"articleSection":"News","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"jaypurcell"}],"creator":["jaypurcell"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Uncommon Path \u2013 An REI Co-op Publication","logo":""},"keywords":["forest bathing","iphone","latest posts","technology"],"dateCreated":"2020-01-17T18:04:16Z","datePublished":"2020-01-17T18:04:16Z","dateModified":"2020-04-02T20:00:19Z"},"rendered":"