The health benefits of Swedish nature
It’s well known that spending time in nature has numerous health benefits. Sweden, with its vast and accessible landscapes, offers the ideal conditions for boosting your wellbeing.
Last updated 16 September 2025
The Swedish forest
Unplug and recharge among towering spruces and soft moss. Sweden’s forests offer the perfect setting for forest bathing – or ‘skogsbad’ as it’s known here.
Photo credit: Gösta Reiland/imagebank.sweden.se
In Sweden, nature is always close by. With some 100,000 lakes and over 5,000 nature reserves, you’re never far away from a blue space or a green area – even in the cities. And there’s no need for prior experience of spending time in the forest; Sweden’s nature is accessible and welcoming. Below are five ways in which Swedish nature can help you feel better.
5 activities in Swedish nature that can boost your health
Golden hour
Photo: Alexander Hall/imagebank.sweden.se
Forest bathing
Immerse yourself in the Swedish forest and engage all your senses for a rejuvenating experience. Listen to birdsong. Smell the scent of moss. Run your hand over the bark of a tree and watch the sunlight filter through the branches. Taste a berry or two. Sit back and just be. Forest bathing can reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and improve focus.
Picking mushroom
There are plenty of delicious berries and mushroom in Sweden in the autumn, which you are free to pick. The right of public access, Allemansrätten, allows anyone to roam freely in Swedish nature, as long as you cause no harm or disturbance.
Photo: Alexander Hall/imagebank.sweden.se
Foraging
There’s something special about walking into the forest to harvest your own food. In late summer and early autumn, Swedish nature becomes a pantry brimming with berries and mushrooms. Thanks to the Right of Public Access, ‘Allemansrätten’, everyone is welcome to join the feast. Foraging supports mental restoration, and bilberries and lingonberries are excellent sources of antioxidants.
Biking along Göta Canal
Experience the beautiful surroundings along Göta Canal by bike. The path is Sweden’s seventh national cycle route.
Photo: Niclas Albinsson/Göta Kanal
Cycling
With its growing network of well-marked and well-maintained national cycling routes, Sweden is an ideal cycling destination. Choose between coastal tracks, lush countryside trails, or ride along Göta Canal – recently named Europe’s best cycling route. Physical activity while travelling promotes wellbeing, and regular cycling is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
Midnight Sun in Rikgränsen
Enjoying the Midnight Sun in Riksgränsen, Swedish Lapland.
Photo: Markus Alatalo/Swedish Lapland
Sky watching
Forget binge-watching TV into the late night. Swedish nature offers a far more captivating spectacle. In addition to excellent stargazing, you’ll find two seasonal natural phenomena. In summer, the golden light lingers around the clock in the northern parts of the country. In winter, the Northern Lights put on what is often called the greatest light show on earth. Viewing the night sky is linked to reduced stress and increased emotional wellbeing.
Relaxing
Reconnecting with nature by camping in the forest. Two-thirds of Sweden is in fact covered of forest meaning that nature is always close by.
Photo: Maskot/Folio/imagebank.sweden.se
Sleeping
Natural darkness. Clean and cool air. Silence. Swedish nature provides all the right conditions for restorative sleep. For a truly peaceful experience, spend a few nights in a secluded forest cabin, far from light pollution and modern distractions. Spending time away from artificial light can help reset your body’s circadian rhythm, while clean air supports respiratory health and mental clarity. Swede dreams!
Whether you’re looking to unwind, boost your health or reconnect with nature, Sweden offers a breath of fresh air in every sense of the word.
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