Archive · 5 Aug 2026
Zoho Founder Sridhar Vembu Says Urban Lifestyle Exhausting
Living in a big city can make you feel very tired.
A businessman named Sridhar Vembu, who started a company called Zoho, says city life is exhausting.
He talked about a science study from Japan about 'forest bathing.'
Forest bathing doesn't mean getting wet — it means taking a calm, slow walk in the woods.
In the study, 12 men spent three days in a forest.
After the trip, their blood showed more 'natural killer' cells, which help our bodies fight germs.
Those strong cells lasted for almost a whole month.
Trees like pine, cedar, and cypress let out tiny scents called phytoncides that may help our immune system.
The scientist who did the study thinks one forest walk a month could keep us healthy all year.
So spending time with trees might be really good medicine!
Zoho co-founder Sridhar Vembu posted on X that urban city living is exhausting and comes at the cost of physical wellbeing.
Vembu cited a 2008 Japanese study on 'Shinrinyoku' (forest bathing) and its health benefits, after a friend told him living in Chennai was exhausting.
The study, led by Qing Li of Nippon Medical School in Tokyo, had 12 men spend three days in a forest while a control group stayed in the city.
Participants' blood tests showed increased activity of 'natural killer' cells, a key part of the body's innate immune system, lasting nearly 30 days.
Rowan Cheung, founder of AI newsletter The Rundown, also shared the study, explaining that phytoncides from pine, cedar, and cypress trees boost immune cells; researcher Li estimates one forest walk per month may keep cells elevated all year.
- Who
- Sridhar Vembu (Zoho co-founder), Rowan Cheung (founder of AI newsletter The Rundown), and researcher Qing Li of Nippon Medical School
- What
- A 2008 Japanese study on 'forest bathing' (Shinrinyoku) was highlighted, showing time in forests boosts immune cell activity and that urban living is exhausting
- When
- The study was published in 2008; the recent X posts highlighting it carry no specific date in the articles
- Where
- New Delhi (report dateline), Chennai (the exhausting city mentioned), and Tokyo, Japan (where the study was conducted)
- Why
- To highlight the health benefits of spending time in nature and argue that urban living comes at the cost of physical wellbeing
- Subject
- Health benefits of 'forest bathing' (Shinrinyoku)
- Proponent
- Sridhar Vembu, Zoho co-founder
- Study author
- Qing Li, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo
- Study year
- 2008
- Study design
- Three-day forest trip with 12 men; control group stayed in the city
- Key finding
- Increased 'natural killer' cell activity lasting nearly 30 days
- Mechanism
- Phytoncides released by pine, cedar, and cypress trees
- Suggested dose
- One forest walk per month may keep immune cells elevated all year