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The physiological effects of Shinrin-Yoku (taking in the forest atmosphere or forest bathing): Evidence from field experiments in 24 forests across Japan

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This paper reviews previous research on the physiological effects of Shinrin-yoku (taking in the forest atmosphere or forest bathing), and presents new results from field experiments conducted in 24 forests across Japan. The term Shinrin-yoku was coined by the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries in 1982, and can be defined as making contact with and taking in the atmosphere of the forest. In order to clarify the physiological effects of Shinrin-yoku, we conducted field experiments in 24 forests across Japan. In each experiment, 12 subjects (280 total; ages 21.7 +/- 1.5 year) walked in and viewed a forest or city area. On the first day, six subjects were sent to a forest area, and the others to a city area. On the second day, each group was sent to the other area as a cross-check. Salivary cortisol, blood pressure, pulse rate, and heart rate variability were used as indices. These indices were measured in the morning at the accommodation facility before breakfast and also both before and after the walking (for 16 +/- 5 min) and viewing (for 14 +/- 2 min). The R-R interval was also measured during the walking and viewing periods. The results show that forest environments promote lower concentrations of cortisol, lower pulse rate, lower blood pressure, greater parasympathetic nerve activity, and lower sympathetic nerve activity than do city environments. These results will contribute to the development of a research field dedicated to forest medicine, which may be used as a strategy for preventive medicine.
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SPECIAL FEATURE The Trends on the Research of Forest Bathing in Japan,
Korea and in the World
The physiological effects of Shinrin-yoku (taking in the forest
atmosphere or forest bathing): evidence from field experiments
in 24 forests across Japan
Bum Jin Park ÆYuko Tsunetsugu ÆTamami Kasetani Æ
Takahide Kagawa ÆYoshifumi Miyazaki
Received: 18 July 2008 / Accepted: 6 April 2009 / Published online: 2 May 2009
ÓThe Japanese Society for Hygiene 2009
Abstract This paper reviews previous research on the
physiological effects of Shinrin-yoku (taking in the forest
atmosphere or forest bathing), and presents new results from
field experiments conducted in 24 forests across Japan. The
term Shinrin-yoku was coined by the Japanese Ministry of
Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries in 1982, and can be
defined as making contact with and taking in the atmosphere
of the forest. In order to clarify the physiological effects of
Shinrin-yoku, we conducted field experiments in 24 forests
across Japan. In each experiment, 12 subjects (280 total; ages
21.7 ±1.5 year) walked in and viewed a forest or city area.
On the first day, six subjects were sent to a forest area, and the
others to a city area. On the second day, each group was sent
to the other area as a cross-check. Salivary cortisol, blood
pressure, pulse rate, and heart rate variability were used as
indices. These indices were measured in the morning at the
accommodation facility before breakfast and also both
before and after the walking (for 16 ±5 min) and viewing
(for 14 ±2 min). The R–R interval was also measured
during the walking and viewing periods. The results show
that forest environments promote lower concentrations of
cortisol, lower pulse rate, lower blood pressure, greater
parasympathetic nerve activity, and lower sympathetic nerve
activity than do city environments. These results will con-
tribute to the development of a research field dedicated to
forest medicine, which may be used as a strategy for pre-
ventive medicine.
Keywords Therapeutic effects of forest Heart rate
variability Salivary cortisol Blood pressure Pulse rate
Introduction
The growing interest in environmental stress has been
accompanied by a rapid accumulation of evidence indi-
cating that environment can elicit substantial stress in
people living in urban environments [1]. Furthermore, it is
broadly conceived that the natural environment can
enhance human health [2]. There have been several ques-
tionnaire studies on the psychological effects of forest
environments. A previous study found an enhancement
of positive emotions among subjects who were shown
pictures of natural environments [36]. Moreover, other
studies have also found that forest environments improve
the psychological wellbeing of people [712].
The term Shinrin-yoku (taking in the forest atmosphere
or forest bathing) was coined by the Japanese Ministry of
Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries in 1982. It can be
defined as making contact with and taking in the atmo-
sphere of the forest: a process intended to improve an
individual’s state of mental and physical relaxation [13].
Shinrin-yoku is considered to be the most widespread
activity associated with forest and human health.
Nowadays, there is considerable interest in stress control
and relaxation. Further, the field of medical science has
always favored evidence-based medicine (EBM); this
B. J. Park (&)Y. Miyazaki
Center for Environment, Health and Field Sciences,
Chiba University, Kashiwa-no-ha 6-2-1,
Kashiwa, Chiba 277-0882, Japan
e-mail: bjpark@faculty.chiba-u.jp
Y. Tsunetsugu T. Kagawa
Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute,
1 Matsunosato, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8687, Japan
T. Kasetani
Chiba Prefectural Agriculture and Forestry
Research Center Forestry Research Institute,
1887-1 Haniya, Sammu, Chiba 289-1223, Japan
123
Environ Health Prev Med (2010) 15:18–26
DOI 10.1007/s12199-009-0086-9
emphasizes the importance of scientific evidence in med-
ical practice. With improved measurement techniques, the
relaxation effect induced by forest settings can be clarified
in a field test by measuring the changes induced in physi-
ological parameters such as salivary cortisol, pulse rate,
blood pressure, and heart rate variability (HRV).
With this social background, the Association of Thera-
peutic Effects of Forests was established in Japan in 2004,
with the purpose of conducting a Therapeutic Effects of
Forests project in Japan. At the European level, similar
efforts were made through COST Action E39 on forest and
human health from 2004 to 2008 [14], and on the global level,
the International Union of Forest Research Organizations
(IUFRO) launched a new taskforce on forests and human
health in Finland in 2007 with the purpose of fostering cross-
disciplinary dialogue between the different researchers in
this field, especially forestry and health professionals.
As part of this effort, the Japanese Society of Forest
Medicine was established in 2007 under the Japanese
Society for Hygiene, with the purpose of promoting
research in the field of forest medicine, including the
effects of forest bathing trips and the therapeutic effects of
forests on human health. At the same time, several field
studies on the physiological effects of the natural envi-
ronment were carried out [13,1519].
In this paper, we review selected field studies performed
on the physiological effects of Shinrin-yoku and a study
dealing with the relationship between its psychological
effects and physical environmental factors. In addition, we
report new results from field experiments conducted in 24
forests across Japan.
Field methods
Subjects and study sites
We conducted physiological experiments in 24 areas from
2005 to 2006 in Japan. In each experiment, 12 normal male
university students (280 in total; ages 21.7 ±1.5 years)
participated as subjects; none reported a history of physical
or psychiatric disorders. The study was performed under
the regulations of the Institutional Ethical Committee of the
Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute in Japan.
On the day before the experiments, subjects were fully
informed of the aims and procedures of the experiment and
their informed consent was obtained.
Physiological measurements
Seven physiological parameters were analyzed in the
present study (Table 1). For the measurement of salivary
cortisol concentration, saliva was collected by holding two
pieces of absorbent cotton in the mouth for 2 min and using
a saliva collection tube (no. 51.1534, Sarstedt, Numbrecht,
Germany). On collection, the tube was sealed with tape and
immediately stored, refrigerated, and frozen; it was later
analyzed for cortisol concentration (SRL, Inc., Japan).
Heart rate variability (HRV) was analyzed for the periods
between consecutive R waves in the electrocardiogram (R–
R intervals) measured by a portable electrocardiograph
(AC-301A, GMS Corporation). The power levels of the
high-frequency (HF; 0.15–0.4 Hz) and low-frequency
components (LF; 0.04–0.15 Hz) were calculated [20] every
minute by the maximum-entropy method (Mem-Calc,
GMS Ltd. [21]). The HF power is considered to reflect
parasympathetic nervous activity [22]. Furthermore, the
power ratios HF/LF and LF/(LF ?HF) were determined to
reflect the sympathetic nervous activity [23]. Systolic blood
pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and pulse rate were
measured by a digital blood pressure monitor using oscil-
lometric methods (HEM1000, Omron, Japan) on the right
upper arm.
Psychological measurements
The Profile of Mood States (POMS) was used to gauge
the psychological response [24]. The POMS consists of
30 adjectives rated on a 0–4 scale that can be consolidated
into the following six effective dimensions: T–A (tension
and anxiety), D (depression and dejection), A–H (anger
and hostility), F (fatigue), C (confusion), and V (vigor).
Because of its responsiveness, the POMS have been widely
used in the assessment of mood changes resulting from a
variety of interventions. For the Japanese subjects, the
Japanese edition of the POMS was used.
Physical environmental factors
In the physical experiment, the temperature and relative
humidity, radiant heat, wind speed, predicted mean vote
(PMV), and predicted percentage dissatisfied (PPD) were
measured using a portable amenity meter (AM-101, Kyoto
Electronics Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Japan) at each study
site. In addition, atmospheric pressure (Kestrel 4000,
Nielsen-Kellerman, Japan) was also measured at some
locations. Relative illumination was calculated from photos
of the sky captured by a digital camera (Coolpix 4500,
Nikon, Japan) equipped with a fisheye lens (FC-E8, Nikon,
Japan).
Experimental design
After being given an orientation to the experiment on the
day before the first day of experimentation, the subjects
visited and previewed the forest and city study sites. Next,
Environ Health Prev Med (2010) 15:18–26 19
123
test measurements of all the physiological indexes and
subjective feelings were conducted at the accommodation
facility. In order to control the background environmental
conditions, identical, separate rooms were prepared as
lodgings for each subject and identical meals were served
during the experiments.
The subjects were randomly divided into two groups. On
the first day of the experiments, six subjects were sent to a
forest site, and the other six subjects to a city site. On the
second day, the subjects were sent to the other type of site as
a cross-check. The first measurement was taken in the early
morning at the accommodations before breakfast. After the
first measurement, subjects were sent to either a forest or
city site. It took almost the same amount of time to reach
both the forest and city sites from the accommodations. As
shown in Fig. 1, upon arrival at the given site, the subjects
were seated on chairs and viewed the landscape (for
14 ±2 min). They also walked around the given site (for
16 ±5 min). The second and third measurements were
taken before and after this walking. The fourth and fifth
measurements were taken before and after the viewing.
These measurements were taken for one person at a time. In
addition to these five measurements, the R–R interval was
measured continuously during the walking and viewing
exercises at the given site. The HRV was calculated once a
minute using the R–R interval data. The exercise loads
during the walking exercise in the forest and city sites were
estimated with an activity monitor (AC-301A, GMS,
Japan); there was no difference in exercise load between
walking in a forest site and walking in a city site.
The consumption of alcohol and tobacco was prohibited
and caffeine consumption was controlled.
Review of field studies performed on the physiological
effects of Shinrin-yoku in Japan
We searched the major journals on medical science,
physiological anthropology, and environmental science for
reports on field studies on the physiological effects of
Shinrin-yoku in Japan. Only articles presenting evidence of
the relaxing effects related to Shinrin-yoku have been
reviewed in this paper. Table 2presents a summary of the
reviewed papers.
An early study by Ohtsuka et al. [25] showed that blood
glucose levels in diabetic patients decrease when they walk
in a forest for 3 or 6 km, depending on their individual
physical ability. By the middle of the decade in which the
above-mentioned study was performed, research on the
physiological effects of Shinrin-yoku began in earnest,
using improved technologies for measuring physiological
indicators. These studies used a wide range of physiolog-
ical indices such as salivary cortisol, pulse rate, blood
pressure, and HRV. Moreover, the experiments were
designed with full consideration for cross-checks and
control stimuli. The studies showed that viewing forest
landscapes and walking in forest settings leads to lower
concentrations of cortisol, lower pulse rate, lower blood
pressure, enhanced HF component of the HRV, and lower
LF/HF [or LF/(LF ?HF)]. In particular, Park et al. [13]
showed that forest environments can lower the absolute
value of the total hemoglobin concentration (t-Hb), an
index of cerebral activity, in the left prefrontal area of the
brain. The absolute value of hemoglobin concentration had
never previously been measured in the field.
Table 1 Measured physiological parameters and subjective
evaluation
Autonomic nervous
activity
Pulse rate, systolic blood pressure, diastolic
blood pressure
Heart rate variability (HRV)
HF component (parasympathetic nervous
activity)
LF/HF or LF/(LF ?HF) (sympathetic
nervous activity)
Endocrine system
activity
Salivary cortisol concentration
Immune system
activity
Salivary immunoglobulin A concentration
Fig. 1 Forest viewing and
walking
20 Environ Health Prev Med (2010) 15:18–26
123
Though these studies focused on short-span exposures to
stimuli (approximately 15 min of viewing and approxi-
mately 15 min of walking), the results strongly supported
that participating in Shinrin-yoku activity could effectively
relax the human body.
Results of a physiological experiment
in 24 forests across Japan
Figure 2shows the average cortisol concentration in the
saliva. Salivary cortisol was significantly lower in the
forest area (13.4% decrease after the viewing; 15.8%
decrease after the walking). Moreover, the average pulse
rate was significantly lower (Fig. 3) in the forest area
(6.0% decrease after viewing; 3.9% decrease after walk-
ing). Figure 4shows that the average systolic blood pres-
sure was significantly lower in the forest setting (1.7%
decrease after viewing; 1.9% decrease after walking).
Figure 5shows similar results for the average diastolic
blood pressure (1.6% decrease after viewing; 2.1%
decrease after walking). The average power of the HF
components of the HRV, which is related to parasympa-
thetic nervous activity, increases when we feel relaxed.
This value was significantly enhanced in the forest settings
(56.1% enhancement after viewing; 102.0% enhancement
after walking; Fig. 6). The average LF/HF ratio of the
HRV, which is related to sympathetic nervous activity,
increases when we feel stress. This value decreased when
the subjects were walking in or viewing a forest (18.0%
Table 2 Findings from the literature review of physiological effects of Shinrin-yoku
Authors Stimuli versus control Results of Shinrin-yoku
Park et al. (2008) [17] FV versus UV Decreased PR and SC
Enhanced HF
Tsunetsugu et al. (2007) [19] FW versus UW or FV versus UV Decreased PR, SBP, DBP, SC, and LF/(LF ?HF)
Enhanced HF
Park et al. (2007) [13] FW versus UW or FV versus UV Decreased SC and TH
Furuhashi et al. (2007) [40] FW versus UW or FV versus UV Decreased PR, SBP, DBP, SC, and LF/(LF ?HF)
Enhanced HF
Tsunetsugu et al. (2006) [18] FW versus UW or FV versus UV Decreased SC and IgA
Park et al. (2006a) [15] FW versus UW or FV versus UV Decreased LF/(LF ?HF)
Enhanced HF
Park et al. (2006b) [16] FW versus UW or FV versus UV Decreased SC and IgA
Yamaguchi et al. (2006) [41] FV versus UV or FV versus UV Decreased SAA
Ohtsuka et al. (1998) [25] FW versus Non FW Decreased BG
HF, HF of HRV; LF/(LF ?HF), LF/(LF ?HF) of HRV; LF/HF, LF/HF of HRV
PR pulse rate, SBP systolic blood pressure, DBP diastolic blood pressure, SC salivary cortisol, IgA salivary immunoglobulin A concentration,
SAA salivary amylase activity, BG blood glucose, TH total hemoglobin concentration in prefrontal areas, FW forest walking group, FV forest
viewing group, UW urban walking group, UV urban viewing group
Salivary cortisol concentration (µg/dl)
0.0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6 Forest area
City area
**
Salivary cortisol concentration (µg/dl)
0.0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6 Forest area
City area
**
Walking, N=74
Viewing, N=260
Fig. 2 Change in salivary
cortisol concentration after
forest viewing and walking.
Mean ±standard deviation
(SD); ** p\0.01; p-value
by ttest
Environ Health Prev Med (2010) 15:18–26 21
123
decrease after viewing; 19.4% decrease after walking;
Fig. 7).
Overall, the results show that viewing forest landscapes
leads to lower concentrations of cortisol, lower pulse rate,
lower blood pressure, enhanced HF components of HRV,
and lower LF/HF. These results strongly support the
findings of indoor research using heart rate and blood
pressure on the effects of viewing a forest scene on
recovery from stress [1,2628]. The effect of walking in a
forest setting is the same as that of viewing a forest setting.
This result corroborates Hartig et al.’s finding [27] that
walking in a nature reserve initially fosters blood pressure
Pulse rate (beat/min.)
50
60
70
80
90 Forest area
City area
**
Pulse rate (beat/min.)
50
60
70
80
90
Forest are
a
City area
**
57=N ,
g
niklaW862=N ,
g
niweiV
Fig. 3 Change in pulse rate
after forest viewing and
walking. Mean ±SD;
** p\0.01; pvalue by ttest
Systolic blood pressure (mmHg)
80
90
100
110
120
130
140
150
160 Forest area
City area
**
Systolic blood pressure (mmHg)
80
90
100
110
120
130
140
150
160 Forest area
City area
*
57=N ,
g
niklaW862=N ,
g
niweiV
Fig. 4 Change in systolic blood
pressure after forest viewing
and walking. Mean ±SD;
** p\0.01; * p\0.05;
pvalue by ttest
Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg)
40
50
60
70
80
90 Forest area
City area
*
Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg)
40
50
60
70
80
90 Forest area
City area
*
57=N ,
g
niklaW862=N ,
g
niweiV
Fig. 5 Change in diastolic
blood pressure after forest
viewing and walking.
Mean ±SD; * p\0.05;
pvalue by ttest
22 Environ Health Prev Med (2010) 15:18–26
123
changes that indicate greater stress reduction than that
afforded by walking in city surroundings.
From the perspective of physiological anthropology,
human beings have lived in the natural environment for
most of the 5 million years of their existence. Therefore,
their physiological functions are most suited to natural
settings [29]. This is the reason why the natural environ-
ment can enhance relaxation. The results of the physio-
logical experiments conducted in this study yield
convincing answers explaining the relationship between
the natural environment and the relaxation effects in a
human being (e.g., decrease in blood pressure and pulse
rates, inhibition of sympathetic nervous activity, enhance-
ment of parasympathetic nervous activity, and decrease in
cortisol concentration levels in human beings).
The endocrine stress system comprises two broad
components with considerable central anatomic intercon-
nection, namely, the sympathetic adrenal-medullary (SAM)
axis and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis
[30]. The SAM axis is involved in immediate sympathetic
activation preparing an individual to deal with a stressor,
resulting in changes such as increased heart rate (HR) and
blood pressure (BP) [31]. Cortisol is released by the HPA
axis in response to stress [32]. While subjects viewed forest
landscapes or walked around forest environments, their
pulse rate, blood pressure, and cortisol concentration
decreased. This suggests that both the main components of
the endocrine stress system reacted in response to Shinrin-
yoku.
In particular, high cortisol levels can correspond to a
low value of natural killer (NK) activity [33]. Further,
cortisol concentration also holds great significance in terms
of human immunological activity. Furthermore, the study
of Li et al. [3436] reported that forest surroundings could
aid in the recovery of the human immune system, as
determined from the perspective of NK activity.
For this reason, it can be suggested that not only forest
environments but also other natural settings such as wat-
ersides or grasslands could promote relaxation in human
beings. No evidence from field experiments conducted
on other natural environments are available; however,
Laumann et al. [28] have reported that, when subjects
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800 Forest area
City area
*
HF power of HRV (msec2)
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800 Forest area
City area
**
HF power of HRV (msec2)
27=N ,
g
niklaW462=N ,
g
niweiV
Fig. 6 Change in HF power
of HRV upon forest viewing
and walking. Mean ±SE;
** p\0.01; * p\0.05;
pvalue by ttest
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18 Forest are
a
City area
Forest area
City area
*
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
**
LF/HF of HRV
LF/HF of HRV
27=N ,
g
niklaW462=N ,
g
niweiV
Fig. 7 Change in LF/HF
of HRV upon forest viewing
and walking. Mean ±SE;
** p\0.01; * p\0.05;
pvalue by ttest
Environ Health Prev Med (2010) 15:18–26 23
123
viewed natural environment through videos, including
those of waterside scenes, they had a longer cardiac int-
erbeat interval and lower heart rate, measured as the dif-
ference from the baseline, compared with subjects who
viewed urban environment through videos.
All the indices were generally in excellent agreement
with each other, implying that the forest environment
possessed relaxing and stress-relieving effects. Our results
also corroborate widely held beliefs that forest surround-
ings aid the physical relaxation of urban dwellers. In
addition, these results suggest that physiological respon-
ses—pulse rate, blood pressure, salivary cortisol concen-
tration, and HRV—can reflect the relaxing effects of forest
environments.
Psychological effects and relationship between
psychological effects and physical environmental
factors in ten forests across Japan
The changes in the average POMS subscale scores after the
viewing are presented in Fig. 8. Significant differences are
seen between the changes resulting from viewing a forest
landscape and those from viewing a city landscape. When
subjects viewed a forest landscape, the POMS tension sub-
scale score changed by –1.1 points, which is significantly
lower than the change (3.5 points) after viewing a city
landscape. The change in the POMS depression subscale
score (–0.3 points) on viewing a forest landscape is also
significantly lower than the score (0.1 points) on viewing a
city landscape. There is a significant difference in the change
in the POMS anger subscale score between viewing forest
(–0.2 points) and city landscapes (1.0 points). The change
in the POMS fatigue subscale score (–3.1 points) on viewing
a forest landscape is significantly lower than the score
(1.8 points) on viewing a city landscape. The change in the
POMS confusion subscale score (–1.0 points) on viewing a
forest landscape is also significantly lower than that
(1.8 points) on viewing a city landscape. However, the
change in the POMS vigor subscale score (1.9 points) on
viewing a forest landscape is significantly higher than that
(–1.9 points) on viewing a city landscape.
The changes in the average POMS subscale scores after
walking are shown in Fig. 9. The results are the same
as those for viewing. When walking, the changes in the
average POMS subscales of tension (forest:–1.1 points,
city: 3.2 points), depression (forest: –0.2 points, city: 0.8
points), anger (forest: –0.2 points, city: 0.8 points), fatigue
(forest: –2.1 points, city: 1.3 points), and confusion (forest:
–1.1 points, city: 1.1 points) are significantly different in
the forest and city areas. And the change in the POMS
vigor subscale score (4.2 points) on walking in forest
settings is significantly higher than that (–0.2 points) on
walking in city settings.
The POMS measurements show that forest environ-
ments can relieve human psychological tension, depres-
sion, anger, fatigue, and confusion, and moreover, that they
can enhance human psychological vigor. Furthermore,
from the viewpoint of attention restorative theory (ART)
[37], these results strongly support that the forest is a good
restorative environment for human beings.
Kasetani et al. [38] reported that a relationship exists
between the POMS score and the physical environmental
factors (Fig. 10). The POMS anger subscale score and
relative illumination had a significant correlation coeffi-
cient (R=0.66) in the forest areas. Moreover, the POMS
fatigue subscale score and relative humidity had a signifi-
cant correlation coefficient (R=0.70). Finally, the POMS
Change of POMS score (points)
T-A D A-H FCV
** ** ** ** **
*
-12
-10
-8
-6
-4
-2
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Forest area
City area
Fig. 8 Change in average POMS scores upon forest viewing.
Mean ±SD; n=116; ** p\0.01; * p\0.05; pvalue by Wilco-
xon signed-rank test. T–A tension and anxiety, Ddepression and
dejection, A–H anger and hostility, Ffatigue, Cconfusion, Vvigor
Change of POMS score (points)
T-A D A-H F C V
** ** ** ** ***
-12
-10
-8
-6
-4
-2
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Forest area
City area
Fig. 9 Change in average POMS scores upon forest walking.
Mean ±SD; n=78; ** p\0.01; pvalue by Wilcoxon signed-rank
test. T–A tension and anxiety, Ddepression and dejection, A–H anger
and hostility, Ffatigue, Cconfusion, and Vvigor
24 Environ Health Prev Med (2010) 15:18–26
123
depression subscale score and atmospheric pressure had a
significant correlation coefficient (R=0.63).
When viewing a forest landscape, the low relative illu-
mination reduces anger, and the low relative humidity
lowers fatigue. Forests located at high elevations with low
atmospheric pressure can reduce depression. We hope that
these results can be used as basic guidelines in the design
of therapeutic forest environments [39].
Conclusion
The results of studies performed on the physiological
effects of Shinrin-yoku show that forest environments
could lower concentrations of cortisol, lower pulse rate,
lower blood pressure, increase parasympathetic nerve
activity, and lower sympathetic nerve activity compared
with city settings. The results of the physiological mea-
surements suggest that Shinrin-yoku can aid in effectively
relaxing the human body, and the psychological effects of
forest areas have been correlated with the various physical
environmental factors of forest. The studies of Shinrin-
yoku provide valuable insights into the relationship
between forests and human health.
These results of Shinrin-yoku studies will contribute to
support the development of a research field dedicated to
forest medicine, which may be used to develop new
strategies in preventive medicine. The results of the field
experiments also provide a platform for interested enter-
prises, universities, and local governments to promote the
effective use of forest resources in stress management,
health promotion, rehabilitation, and the prevention of
disease.
Acknowledgments This study was partly supported by a Grant-in-
Aid for Scientific Research (S: 16107007) from The Ministry of
Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT).
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Relative illumination (lux) Relative humidity (%)Atmospheric prssure (hPa)
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26 Environ Health Prev Med (2010) 15:18–26
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... fight and flight) branches of the autonomic nervous system (Laborde et al., 2017). Previous FB studies have shown increases in HRV following FB activities (Lee et al., 2014;Park et al., 2010), indicating improved cardiovascular function and low arousal (i.e. relaxation). ...
... The lack of statistically significant HRV results could be due to small effect sizes. When compared with previous Asian FB literature, our heart rate and HRV findings are contrary to most previous findings which have shown increases in HRV after FB (Lee et al., 2014;Park et al., 2010). These previous studies used the standard urban walk (without mindfulness and sensory activities) as a non-active control and had larger sample sizes (i.e. ...
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In Thailand, cardiovascular disease and mental health cause a large health and economic burden, with 10% of Thai adults and 32% of adolescents reporting depression. Forest bathing (FB) (mindful nature walking) is growing in popularity globally as a preventative health intervention. Most FB research compares FB with a non‐active control of unguided urban walking, finding improved health and well‐being in FB but not the urban condition. This controlled trial offers a unique and robust comparison of guided FB with an active control of guided mindful urban walking. This is also the first study testing the acceptability and effectiveness of guided FB in Thailand. In a crossover design, heart rate, heart rate variability, blood pressure, and mood in 30 participants were compared before and after 1 h of guided FB and a guided mindful urban walk. MANOVA and t‐test analyses revealed that heart rate and blood pressure reduced in both conditions, but more in the mindful urban condition. Whilst negative mood was reduced in the FB condition but increased in the mindful urban condition. The study offers evidence for the promising health and well‐being benefits of both guided FB and mindful urban walking. Poor mental health and health inequalities are of increasing global concern, hence further research into the effectiveness of alleviating these difficulties through inexpensive interventions such as guided FB and mindful walking are encouraged. The study also offers the first data indicating that FB was acceptable and effective in a Thai population. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
... In a survey for 2021 Mental Health Awareness week, 73 per cent of UK adults reported that connecting with nature was important for managing their mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic (Mental Health Foundation, 2021). Furthermore, researchers in Japan were able to measure the physiological health benefits of spending time in forest environments, so called Shinrin-yoku or forest bathing, in reductions in cortisol levels, pulse rate and blood pressure (Park et al, 2010). ...
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With continuing concerns over the future of the natural world in the face of climate change, it is becoming increasingly important that people feel a sense of caring for, and responsibility towards, the environment. A feeling of ‘nature connectedness’ can be a useful means of predicting an individual’s likelihood of making more sustainable life choices and is an area of great interest to researchers. Unfortunately, many people today struggle with so-called ‘plant blindness’ and low levels of nature connectedness. Through science communication, scientists can attempt to improve public knowledge and understanding of the natural world, thereby increasing individuals’ appreciation for, and sense of connection to, nature. As a doctoral student at the early stages of my scientific research career, I had not had a great deal of experience with science communication for a public audience. However, as part of my doctoral training programme, I had the opportunity to undertake a professional internship to explore career options out with the university lab environment. During this internship, working within a university botanic garden in the East of Scotland, I had the opportunity to experience science communication for a variety of audiences including school pupils, school teachers and the general public. The intention was to use my molecular biology and protein biochemistry knowledge to produce a new educational and recreational resource highlighting plants with medicinal properties. The aim of the new resource was to inform and entertain visitors to the botanic garden in a manner that would improve these individuals’ sense of nature connectedness.
... For instance, a study by Park et al. found that exposure to natural environments significantly reduced cortisol levels and improved mood states. The high correlation in our study suggests that forest bathing can be a valuable intervention for managing anxiety, potentially offering an alternative to traditional stress-reduction techniques [16]. ...
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Background: Forest bathing, a therapeutic practice involving immersion in natural forest environments, has gained attention for its potential mental health benefits. This meta-analysis evaluates the impact of forest bathing on psychological parameters such as tension-anxiety, depression, anger-hostility, fatigue, confusion, and vigor. Methods: A meta-analysis was conducted on studies assessing forest bathing's effects on psychological states. Six studies were included, analyzing data using fixed and random effects models. Results: The analysis of six studies with 296 participants revealed a strong positive correlation between forest bathing and reduced tension-anxiety, with correlation coefficients of 0.634 (fixed effects) and 0.613 (random effects). Both models were statistically significant (p < 0.001), despite moderate to high heterogeneity (I² = 67.57%). For depression, five studies (277 participants) showed a significant reduction, with a stronger correlation in the random effects model (0.557) compared to the fixed effects model (0.432). Anger-hostility was similarly reduced, with high heterogeneity (I² = 90.12%) and correlation coefficients of 0.741 (fixed) and 0.767 (random). Fatigue, assessed in six studies (296 participants), also showed significant reductions, with moderate heterogeneity (I² = 45.16%). Confusion was moderately reduced (I² = 29.52%), with correlation coefficients of 0.339 (fixed) and 0.323 (random). Lastly, vigor showed a weak positive association, with a correlation coefficient of 0.269. Conclusion: The findings confirm the therapeutic potential of forest environments in promoting mental health. Given the observed positive effects, forest bathing could be integrated into public health strategies as a non-pharmacological intervention for stress and mood disorders.
... Nature supports health through food, water, and materials and provides nonmaterial health benefits such as recreation, leisure activities, personal development, socialization, and beauty (Huynh et al., 2022). Natural environments also support cardiovascular health, reducing inflammatory stress, regulating the sympathetic nervous system, and improving sleep quality (Bahman et al., 2014;Cutshall et al., 2011;Marselle et al., 2014;Morita et al., 2011;Park et al., 2010;Song et al., 2019;Tsunetsugu et al., 2010;Tsutsumi et al., 2017). Nature's nourishing relationships can be expressed through perceived interconnectedness with self, others, and the spiritual world through deep meanings embraced by Indigenous Peoples worldwide, creating a powerful sense of identity, place, and heritage that cannot be achieved by alternative methods (Auer et al., 2017;Salmón, 2000). ...
... In three of the studies, participants were immersed in a natural or urban environment for a brief amount of time (~30 min). In two of them-both from Japan-the natural environment was associated with increases in HRV, consistent with reduced stress and an enhanced relaxation response [22,23]. In the third study, from Denmark, both environments elicited similar increases in HRV, although the control condition was a historic town and, therefore, might have had its own calming effect [24]. ...
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The physiological impact of walking in nature was quantified via continuous heart rate variability (HRV), pre- and post-walk saliva cortisol measures, and self-reported mood and mindfulness scores for N = 17 participants who walked “The Green Road” at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. For N = 15 of the participants, HRV analysis revealed two main groups: group one individuals had a 104% increase (mean) in the root mean square standard deviation (RMSSD) and a 47% increase (mean) in the standard deviation of NN values (SDNN), indicating an overall reduction in physiological stress from walking the Green Road, and group two individuals had a decrease (mean) of 42% and 31% in these respective HRV metrics, signaling an increase in physiological stresses. Post-walk self-reported scores for vigor and mood disturbance were more robust for the Green Road than for a comparable urban road corridor and showed that a higher HRV during the walk was associated with improved overall mood. Saliva cortisol was lower after taking a walk for all participants, and it showed that walking the Green Road elicited a significantly larger reduction in cortisol of 53%, on average, when compared with 37% of walking along an urban road. It was also observed that the order in which individuals walked the Green Road and urban road also impacted their cortisol responses, with those walking the urban road before the Green Road showing a substantial reduction in cortisol, suggesting a possible attenuation effect of walking the Green Road first. These findings provide quantitative data demonstrating the stress-reducing effects of being in nature, thus supporting the health benefit value of providing access to nature more broadly in many settings.
... The EEG signal is comprised of oscillations that reflect the synchronized activity of large groups of neurons in the brain. Using various signal-processing techniques, these oscillations can be separated into different frequency bands (e.g., delta [2][3][4], theta [4][5][6][7][8], alpha [8][9][10][11][12], beta [15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30], gamma ) that are each involved in different cognitive processes 25 . We specifically focus on power in the frontal midline theta (FMθ) frequency band, which refers to theta oscillations (4-8 Hz) recorded from scalp electrodes placed over the frontal cortex. ...
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Behavioral studies suggest that immersion in nature improves affect and executive attention. However, the neural mechanisms underlying these benefits remain unclear. This randomized controlled trial (N = 92) explored differences in self-reported affect and in frontal midline theta (FMθ), a neural oscillation linked to executive attention, between a 40-min, low-intensity nature walk and an urban walk of comparable time and distance—controlling for ambient temperature, humidity, elevation change, walking pace, heart rate, calories burned, and moving time between the two groups. While affect improved for both groups, the nature walkers showed a significantly greater boost in positive affect than the urban walkers. Electroencephalography (EEG) data revealed significantly greater FMθ activity following the urban walk compared to the nature walk, suggesting that the urban walk placed higher demands on executive attention. In contrast, the nature walk allowed executive attention to rest, as indicated by the lower FMθ activity observed after the walk. This study suggests that changes in FMθ may be a potential neural mechanism underlying the attentional strain of urban environments in contrast to the attentional rest in nature.
... Research indicates that looking at any kind of nature have a positive effect on health; nature's restorative effect is due to its fractal design, specifically deciduous trees, as well as phytoncide from trees (Florence, 2016, Nakamura, 2008, Li et al., 2009, Hägerhäll, 2006. So-called forest bathing has become a phenomenon in many western countries, having originated in Japan (Park et al., 2009). To bring the findings of nature's restoring effect to the field of design, it would be of interest to explore how these indications, specifically regarding fractals, could be brought into the field of product and graphic design, as well as art for care environments. ...
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With increasing global and local incarceration, the demand for prison beds is rapidly growing. The Swedish government’s plans for implementing youth prisons and amending laws regarding young people’s sentences risk increasing the already high numbers of mental health problems. Although security is an inherent element of institutions for care and incarceration (ICI), the present focus on reinforcing security is similarly jeopardizing the health of inmates, patients, and youths in prisons, forensic psychiatric hospitals, and youth homes. Moreover, the rapid production of beds will likely lead to issues with staff security and work environment. The field of research for design in correctional institutions and behavioral health is limited. Although there is an increased interest in evidence-based design, EBD cannot be said to extend to all design aspects for vulnerable people in ICIs. However, this dissertation critically discusses the dichotomies, meanings, and connecting lines between incarcerated humans, the interior, and stuff, and it looks primarily at the design of institutions in Scandinavia. Moreover, ICIs are understood in this dissertation as an existential and ethical dichotomy with well-being on the one hand and the losses that incarceration brings on the other. The tension between punishment and (re)habilitation manifests through materiality, design, and high-security measures. However, the question for design is not whether it is possible to hinder the pain and losses that come with incarceration but how design can mitigate these losses, alleviate pain, foster well-being, and assist staff through a safe and supportive work environment. Part of this doctoral project has been conducted within a multidisciplinary research project aimed at creating knowledge about youths’ experience of the physical environment in Sweden’s youth homes (SiS). Two of this dissertation’s five papers were written as part of this research project (IV, V). The other three papers discuss the early method development of Sketch and Talk (II), the narrative of patients’ experience of the physical environment in forensic care (I), and the design of prison cells through the narratives of three women (III). The theoretical underpinning of this dissertation is inspired by phenomenology and ethnography. It therefore advocates for a design research methodology that brings the researcher closer to the phenomenon and into the node of peoples’ experiences. Hence, one of this dissertation’s contributions is the Sketch and Talk method, which uses sketching and talking when meeting a participant in their cell or room as a way of creating a space for mutual observation and understanding of the interior. Moreover, as ethical awareness is paramount in research with vulnerable groups, the method has been valuable through its transparency and open approach. Design for ICIs can be seen as a “wicked problem” and is as much an ethical and ideological matter as a design-related problem. This dissertation identifies a “wickedness” in how design processes primarily take their point of departure in previous products and seek to improve them. Therefore, when penal ideology is saturating the previous product (ICI) the ideology has pertained to the new ICI as carceral design heritage. Identifying carceral design is in itself a first step in designing for well-being. This presents a wide-open opportunity to reform and rethink – an opportunity we must take, particularly in light of planned investments and expansion. This dissertation suggests that future research can contribute with more knowledge on how an interior can promote well-being through design for autonomy, dwelling, and movement and as a result can open up new horizons of change and hope.
... Lee et al. (2011) found reductions in cortisol levels and increases in HRV, indicating decreased sympathetic activity in individuals engaging in forest bathing. Several authors have broadly discussed the positive psychophysiological effects of forest bathing (Lee et al., 2011;Park et al., 2010). ...
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In order to design comfortable spaces forShinrin-yoku (taking in the atmosphere of the forest), it is important to psychological effects and forest environment of walking and sitting in various forests of 10areas. In this study we examined and analyzed impressions of forests, psychological effects, using the Semantic Differential Method and Profile of Mood States, and light/thermal environment effects. As a result, there is a psychological effect of being released from stress by the walking and sitting in the forest, and this effects is considered to have a correlation with impression of forests and light / thermal environment effects. We found that users became tense and fatigued taking in the atmosphere of high humidity, and users became more active in bright. It was thought that a psychological effect of the forests was combined with various physical environmental factors.
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For over a decade, a wilderness outing program in Michigan's Upper Peninsula has been the object of continuing research focusing on the impact of an intense nature experience on people's lives. The results discussed here are based on the questionnaires completed by the 49 participants in the last two years of the Program. A consistently striking finding of this ongoing research program has been the richness of the psychological benefits obtained. Based on familiarity and preference ratings of photographs, reactions to the solo experience, and ratings of moods and feelings both before and at the conclusion of the Program, the results speak to the pervasive power of the wilderness environment experience. It is suggested that the implications of these findings may transcend the particular environment. The psychological dimensions reflected here are likely to be vital aspects of effective human functioning in other settings as well.
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The purpose of this study was to examine the physiological effects of Shinrin-yoku (taking in the atmosphere of the forest). The subjects were 12 male university students. On the first day of the experiments, six subjects went to the forest area, and the other six went to a city area as a control. On the second day, subjects went to the opposite areas as a cross-check. In the afternoon, they were seated on chairs watching the landscapes of their given area for 15 min. Heart rate variability (HRV), salivary cortisol and pulse rate were measured as physiological indices in the morning and in the evening at the place of accommodation, before and after watching the landscapes in the field areas. The high-frequency power of HRV of subjects in the forest area was significantly higher than that of subjects in the city area. The pulse rate of subjects in the forest area was significantly lower than that of subjects in the city area. The salivary cortisol concentration of the subjects in the forest area was significantly lower than that of subjects in the city area. The results of physiological measurements show that Shinrin-yoku was an effective form of relaxation.
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A new direction for medical geographic study is suggested, the analysis of places which have attained an enduring reputation for achieving physical, mental, and spiritual healing. The reasons for the efficacy of these therapeutic landscapes can be examined by using themes derived from the traditional landscape ideas of cultural geography, humanistic geography, structuralist geography, and the principles of holistic health. These themes are categorized as inner/meaning (including the natural setting, the built environment, sense of place, symbolic landscapes, and everyday activities) and outer/societal context (including beliefs and philosophies, social relations and/or inequalities, and territoriality). By using a methodology termed an 'archaeology of discourse' in which written and oral documents are examined, the themes are used to investigate the healing reputation of the Asclepian sanctuary at Epidauros, Greece. Study findings have policy implications for health-care practice today.