04/16/2020
I find myself slowly adjusting to the new social rules. Hugging others as a greeting or salutation was a tough habit to break.
As we know, hugging releases endorphins which make us feel good, and oxytocin which enhances our social bonding. While many online articles claim that the same internal chemical cascade occurs when hugging a tree as hugging a human, I have found no scientific research to support this idea. What I HAVE found is evidence that non-human embraces do produce some of the same emotional benefits as well as very interesting health benefits from natural environments and proximity to plants!
Carney et al. 2010, propose that simply striking a pose can produce positive effects. A powerful, open, and expansive posture elicits an increase in testosterone (an indicator of confidence) and large reductions of cortisol (an indicator of stress). In another study, by Sumioka et al. 2013, participants hugged an inanimate object after a phone conversation and also saw a significant reduction in cortisol levels. So regardless if the recipient is animate or inanimate, giving a hug has been shown to reduce stress and promote a positive emotional state.
Now, that is assuming trees are inanimate. Which they are not. We may not experience the same social bonding while hugging a tree as we do when hugging a person but that doesn't mean we don't benefit from the experience. There is a TON of research out there relating to forest bathing. Just being around trees and other plants can improve our health. Phytoncides are compounds released by plants, used by the plant to defend itself from would-be attacking organisms (Jung, 1964). When we absorb these compounds from being near plants, we gain a myriad of health benefits. Li et al. 2009 describe benefits to the immune system through enhanced human natural killer cell activity in response to the presence of phytoncides. That's some good news during a pandemic with no vaccine 👍 Park et al. 2009 found among 280 participants, forest environments promoted lower blood pressure and pulse rate, relating to positive heart health in comparison to urban environments. Both Gueguen and Stefan 2014 as well as Piff et al. 2015 found exposure to natural environments promoted altruistic behaviour. Hugging a tree may not only supplement a missing emotional comfort during this time, but also support immune response, heart health, and positive social behaviour. I didn't look into this side of the literature but I really hope the tree likes it too.
I hope you can get outside, and find the right tree for you. When you do, remember a powerful expansive posture and follow the guidance of the Icelandic forest ranger.
🤗🌲🌳🌴🤗
The Icelandic Forestry Service is encouraging people to hug trees while social distancing measures prevent them from hugging other people, RÚV reports. Forest rangers in the Hallormsstaður National Forest in East Iceland have been diligently clearing snow-covered paths to ensure that locals can en...
