You’ve done it before, probably as a child: wrapped your arms around a tree trunk, pressed your cheek to the bark, and held on. Maybe you were playing hide-and-seek, or pretending that the tree could hear you. What you didn’t know then is that the tree was hugging you back, in a sense, flooding your body with the same calming chemistry triggered by human touch.
Studies suggest that tree hugging offers real-world health benefits, from lowering stress hormones to boosting immune function.
What Is Tree Hugging?
Tree hugging, as the name suggests, is the practice of hugging or touching a tree for a period of time. You can maintain contact with the bark with your palms, lean against the trunk, or wrap your arms around it. Tree hugging is also a component of forest bathing, a practice proven to improve mental and physiological health.
Rachel Ann T. Melegrito
Author
Rachel Melegrito worked as an occupational therapist, specializing in neurological cases. Melegrito also taught university courses in basic sciences and professional occupational therapy. She earned a master's degree in childhood development and education in 2019. Since 2020, Melegrito has written extensively on health topics for various publications and brands.
