Walk & Unwind
When we spend so much of our day at the computer, in class, reading and thinking, we can forget about the natural gifts all around us. Our Mindful University Project Walk & Unwind Events are experiences to help participants to unwind and take in all the sights, sounds, smells, and textures of autumn on our campus.
Your guide, Gaelen McCormick, trained at the Kripalu School for Mindful Outdoor Leadership and uses a series of short activities and breathing exercises to help us awaken our senses and ease into the present moment. This will not be a long-distance walk, instead we will meander the campus and riverfront areas nearby. Comfy shoes and an appropriate outdoor coat for the weather are all you need.
These events are held several times per semester. Sign up for our newsletter to be the first to know when our Spring Walk & Unwind Events are released!
Benefits of Nature-Based Mindfulness
- Reduces Stress & Cortisol Levels
Nature exposure lowers cortisol, heart rate, and sympathetic nervous system activity (Park et al., 2010; Hunter et al., 2019; Lee et al., 2011; Nisbet et al., 2019).
- Supports Academic & Job-Seeking Stress Reduction
Forest therapy reduces academic exhaustion and job-search burnout among college students (Seo et al., 2020).
- Improves Cognitive Function & Attention
Natural environments restore attention and improve working memory and focus (Berman et al., 2008; Meredith et al., 2020).
- Strengthens Mood & Emotional Regulation
Forest bathing improves anxiety, depression, and emotional balance (Furuyashiki et al., 2019; Lee et al., 2011; Nisbet et al., 2019).
- Enhances Well-being, Connection & Creativity
Nature increases creativity, sense of meaning, and connection to something larger (Atchley et al., 2012; Mayer & Frantz, 2004).
- Boosts Immune Function & Physiological Health
Forest bathing increases immune markers and lowers inflammation (Li, 2010).
- Reduces Burnout for Faculty & Staff
Regular nature exposure supports resilience, workplace presence, and well-being (Razani et al., 2020).
Resources at the University of Rochester:
Books available at the Rush Rhees Library:
Mindful Outdoor Spaces
- River Campus:
References
Park, B.-J., Tsunetsugu, Y., Kasetani, T., Kagawa, T., & Miyazaki, Y. (2010). The physiological effects of Shinrin-yoku: Evidence from field experiments in 24 forests across Japan. Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine, 15(1), 18–26.
Hunter, M. R., Gillespie, B. W., & Chen, S. Y.-P. (2019). Urban nature experiences reduce stress in the context of daily life based on salivary biomarkers. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 722.
Lee, J., Park, B.-J., Tsunetsugu, Y., Ohira, T., Kagawa, T., & Miyazaki, Y. (2011). Effect of forest bathing on physiological and psychological responses in young Japanese male subjects. Public Health, 125(2), 93–100.
Li, Q. (2010). Effect of forest bathing trips on human immune function. Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine, 15(1), 9–17.
Seo, H., Kim, H., & Kim, J. (2020). Effects of a forest therapy program on stress levels and coping in university students preparing for employment. Journal of People, Plants, and Environment, 23(5), 551–560.
Berman, M. G., Jonides, J., & Kaplan, S. (2008). The cognitive benefits of interacting with nature. Psychological Science, 19(12), 1207–1212.
Meredith, G., Other, G., et al. (2020). Minimum time dose in nature for improved mental health in college students. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 3007.
Furuyashiki, A., Tabuchi, K., Norikoshi, K., et al. (2019). A forest bathing trip increases parasympathetic nervous activity and improves mood states. Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine, 24, 43.
Nisbet, E. K., Zelenski, J. M., & Grandpierre, Z. (2019). Mindfulness in nature enhances connectedness and mood. Ecopsychology, 11(2), 81-91.
Atchley, R. A., Strayer, D. L., & Atchley, P. (2012). Creativity in the wild: Improving creative reasoning through immersion in natural settings. PLOS ONE, 7(12), e51474.
Mayer, F. S., & Frantz, C. M. (2004). The connectedness to nature scale: A measure of individuals’ feeling in community with nature. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 24(4), 503–515.
Razani, N., et al. (2020). Nature-based interventions improve health outcomes for staff in high-stress professions. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 2864.