Skogluft: the new Scandi wellness trend

Thousands of years ago. People used to live in the caves. Not cool, huh?

We call them cavemen. But how true is that? Were they the cavemen, because they just slept in the caves? Or are we the modern “cavemen” living in our boxes (aka houses and offices) most of our time?

We are not meant to spend most of our time indoors. This is a fact. And human biology. In Japan, they have “forest bathing”. In Norway, they have skogluft. What’s that? It means forest air and is actually a new wellness trend, that can help you live better in the modern day “caves”.

Nowadays, more and more people complain about getting sick too often. Or that their mood is bad. They even get depressed. No wonder why! We spend most of our time in the (not so great) indoors. And no matter how fancy we make them, they are still not our natural environment. Norwegian author Jørn Viumdal has recently published a book about how skogluft or else, bringing the forest air into our homes can have amazing effects on our body and mind.

But what exactly is the concept of skogluft? And how can we benefit from it? Read on!

What is skogluft all about?

It is about creating plant walls in your home and workplace. Or wherever else you spend the most amount of time indoors.

OK, so all you have to do is to buy some plants and scatter them around the house or office? Well, not exactly. You see the secret behind the success of this system is that it is simple to make and maintain.

After more than 3 decades of experiments and research, author Viumdal found out which one is the best type of plant to use for the plant walls. And that’s after taking into account all the factors that influence how a plant grows, how humans feel better and how this system can be maintained.

Voila! Let us introduce you to “golden pothos” or as it is also called “Devil’s ivy”. The author strongly suggests that you use this specific plant. It is known for its easy maintenance and the little care it needs (watering needed only once every 2 weeks). Plus, it can grow sustainably in an indoor space, like a house or office. And it also gives you the most benefits. What else to ask for? Hail golden pothos!

So, all you have to do is to buy around 20 of them, put them in small pots and then these pots into larger flower boxes. Then hang them onto a frame on the wall or put them on the shelves of a bookshelf.

Ready to go!

What’s in it for you?

Norwegians love being outdoors, in nature. This is why they also have another concept, called friluftsliv. It means living in the open air. It is about the joy and benefits you can get from spending much time outside, in the forest, by the sea or on a mountain. But skogluft is a hack for those who do not find it that easy to have friluftsliv. It’s a hack to bring nature into the house or workplace. Author Viumdal analysed the benefits of skogluft for humans, over a long period of time.

Still unsure why to do it? Read on!

Skogluft can
– boost your immune system

– lower your stress and anxiety levels

– improve your overall health

– make your day, as it improves your mood

– make you happier, because you are in an environment much closer to the one humans were made to live in

– upgrade your aesthetics at home, plants are always beautiful

– improve your concentration and energy levels

All in all, it will significantly improve your overall wellbeing. And it is easy and inexpensive to do and maintain.

All in one! No excuses! Think about it, huh?