Search Results (41)

Forest frequentation is associated with benefits for human health, warranting the importance of forest-based health practices. These practices can be classified into four categories: connection with nature (e.g., Shinrin-Yoku, yoga, and meditation); sports, outdoor, and adventure activities; Indigenous health practices on the land; and professional consultations in a natural environment. The aim of this research was to better understand the social representations of the forest supporting these practices and the environmental characteristics that are favorable to them, as well as to examine the effects of these practices on the forests. We interviewed 28 forest-based health practitioners in Quebec and conducted four participant observation activities. Data analysis led us to five forest representations: an entity in its own self, an unfamiliar area, a place of attachment, a land at the heart of Indigenous cultures, and a tool to improve health. The results showed that favorable environmental characteristics varied according to the type of health practice. The presence of water (e.g., drinking water, lakes, and rivers) is favorable to all forest-based health practices and access to nature seems to be an issue for many practitioners. We also found that forest-based health practices were leaving traces in the forest and attempting to redefine the place of humans in nature. Full article

The study aims to evaluate the demand for forest bathing in northern Italy’s regions, underlining the willingness to pay and the potential tourists’ habits and flows on attending alpine contexts. Several studies have analyzed the psychophysical benefits of forest bathing, and there is a growing interest in assessing its economic value for tourism purposes. The sample’s answers have been analyzed employing a stratified sampling methodology considering three different macro areas (northwest regions, northeast regions, and the Friuli Venezia Giulia region). After analyzing the sample’s attitudes, the research approached the estimation section by calculating the flow as the number of potential forest bathing hikes per year and the willingness to pay through the contingent valuation method. The main results indicate that forest bathing activity in northern Italy has a considerable monetary value, and it is generally compared with positive feelings, particularly concerning well-being and fascination factors. Full article

Amidst rapid societal changes and increasing urbanization, human connectivity with nature has declined, exacerbating public health concerns. This study assesses the efficacy of Shinrin-yoku, or ‘forest bathing’, in Wuyishan National Park as a simple and effective method to counteract the adverse health effects of contemporary lifestyles. Employing repeated-measures analysis of variance, forty-one participants were observed over three days across eight distinct forest settings. Techniques included eye-tracking for visual attention and soundscape perception assessments via questionnaires. Physiological responses were gauged through heart rate variability and skin conductance, while psychological evaluations utilized the Profile of Mood States (POMS) and Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). Findings revealed that (1) natural soundscapes—especially birdsong, flowing water, wind, and bamboo raft sounds—and visual elements, such as distant mountains, streams, trees, Danxia landforms, tea gardens, and bamboo views, play pivotal roles in regulating heart rate variability, reducing arousal, and enhancing stress adaptation. Additionally, cultural landscapes, such as classical music and ancient structures, bolster parasympathetic activity. (2) Natural and cultural auditory stimuli, including flowing water and classical music, coupled with visual features, such as Danxia landforms, streams, distant mountains, lawns, and guide signs, effectively induce positive mood states, regulate mood disturbances, and enhance psychological well-being across diverse forest settings. These findings underscore the significant health benefits of immersive natural experiences and advocate for integrating forest-based wellness programs into public health strategies, offering compelling evidence for enriching life quality through nature engagement. Full article

This scoping review aims to outline key discoveries, gaps in knowledge, and potential future directions in the field of forest therapy research in Europe. Clinical studies investigating the effects of forest therapy sessions in Europe were systematically screened through PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), and Google Scholar (search date: January 2024). This review encompasses 26 selected studies, collectively engaging 2775 participants across various European countries, including Italy, Poland, Spain, Germany, Finland, Hungary, Sweden, Iceland, and Switzerland. These studies predominantly measured psychological outcomes such as mood states, affect, attention levels, subjective wellbeing, and quality of life. Additionally, physiological assessments were conducted, covering vital signs, salivary cortisol, body composition, and blood count. Notably, most of the investigation sites were covered by evergreen forests. Forest therapy practices in Europe demonstrated significant benefits in psychological aspects, including relaxation, mood enhancement, and improved wellbeing, accompanied by physiological improvements, particularly in asthma patients. While a fair-to-good methodological quality was identified in randomized controlled trials, the acknowledged weaknesses point towards a need for more rigorous and standardized research approaches. In conclusion, this comprehensive scoping review provides valuable insights into the current landscape of forest therapy research in Europe, highlighting its potential to positively impact both physical and mental wellbeing. The findings underscore the need for further research addressing methodological limitations and exploring gaps in understanding, thereby contributing to the continued advancement of forest therapy as a holistic wellbeing intervention within the European context. Full article

In the mid-1980s, forest bathing was established in Japan to improve citizens’ physical and mental health. In the literature, many studies have investigated the role of forest bathing in decreasing people’s stress and anxiety as well as in reducing hypertension and coronary artery disease. Forest bathing is also a practice with important social and economic implications at a local level. This study investigated the economic value of forest bathing in a case study in northern Italy (i.e., the Parco del Respiro, in Trentino-Alto Adige) using the Zonal Travel Cost Method. To achieve this aim, 243 forest bathers in the study area were interviewed in the summer of 2022. The findings highlighted that an actively managed forest with an average–low amount of deadwood and clean open areas is the scenario preferred by participants. In addition, the results of the Zonal Travel Cost Method showed a relevant annual consumer surplus of EUR 8700 for the forest bathing activity in the study area, corresponding to EUR 35.80 per visit per person. Full article

Since a single forest walk (Shinrin-yoku or forest bathing) session is reported to improve sleep temporarily, occasional forest walks may have a positive effect on daily sleep. Therefore, this study aimed to examine whether more frequent forest walking is associated with better daily sleep conditions. Data from the second survey of the Japan Multi-Institutional Collaborative Cohort (J-MICC) Daiko Study conducted among residents of Nagoya City, Japan, were used. The study design was a cross-sectional study. In total, 2044 participants (529 men and 1515 women; age, mean ± standard deviation: 58.8 ± 9.9 years) were included in the analysis. Frequent forest walks were associated with a low percentage of insomnia symptoms (Insomnia Severity Index ≥10) in women, but not in men. The adjusted odds ratio for the group that rarely took forest walks with reference to the group that engaged in the activity once a month or more often was 2.04 (95% confidence interval: 1.29–3.23) in women. Forest walk frequency was not significantly associated with sleep duration or sleep efficiency as measured by actigraphy in either men or women. In conclusion, the results suggested that increasing the frequency of forest walks or Shinrin-yoku may be effective in preventing insomnia in women. Full article

Research is increasingly focusing on the health-promoting effects of forest healing programs. A number of different health indicators are in use, necessitating the establishment of standardized health measurement tools and protocols for forest healing. Also, it is necessary to improve the indicators and protocols by incorporating the opinions of program participants and instructors, so we conducted a qualitative analysis based on focus group interviews (FGIs) and in-depth interviews (IDIs). We collected opinions through interviews conducted for about 1 h with 32 participants in the pilot study and three instructors of the forest healing program. We utilized the MAXQDA program, commonly employed for qualitative research, such as coding and analyzing interview transcripts and literature reviews, as part of the qualitative research process. Three researchers coded and categorized the data, and the first author and corresponding author performed the final coding and categorization. Opinions on the five mental health questionnaires, three physical health measures, and exercise behavior measures used in the forest healing program were solicited. Opinions on the measurement protocol were also solicited. Participants faced challenges in completing the mental health questionnaire due to inappropriate terminology, difficulty in providing truthful responses due to repetitive questions, and the complexity of answering exercise-type questions due to the length of the survey and the absence of clear examples. It was identified that improvements are needed in the future. Some participants commented on the need to measure blood circulation and short-term health changes, and others noted that performing measurements in large groups was difficult, such that there was a need to introduce a measurement protocol for groups. This study is the first to qualitatively evaluate the validity of health measurement tools associated with forest therapy programs. It can contribute to the establishment of standardized health indicators and protocols, as well as serve as a valuable reference for selecting measurement tools to evaluate the effectiveness of forest healing interventions. Full article

(1) Background: Although interest in the health-promoting effects of forest therapy is increasing, few researchers have investigated the mid-long-term impact of such therapy on health indicators or exercise behaviors. We explored changes in physical health, mental health, and exercise behaviors 1, 2, and 4 weeks after a forest therapy program concluded. We sought to establish a solid foundation for such programs and a standardized evaluation system. (2) Method: We measured the blood pressure and heart rate variability of 99 adults before and after participation in a forest therapy program. We used the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory to assess anxiety, the Beck Depression Inventory to evaluate both anxiety and depression, the Profile of Mood States to explore mood, the Euro-Quality of Life-5 Dimension scale to assess the overall quality of life, and the Positive and Negative Effect Schedule to measure positive and negative mood. We employed the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire to determine exercise time, intensity, and changes in exercise type before the program and 1–4 weeks after program completion. (3) Results: Anxiety, depression, mood, quality of life, heart rate, and blood pressure control improved significantly after the program. The reduced depression and increased medium-intensity exercise time persisted for 1, 2, and 4 weeks after the end of the program. (4) Conclusions: We tracked various health indicators and clearly distinguished those that were useful in the short term from those more appropriate for evaluation in the long term. This is the first report to show that a forest therapy program affects exercise behavior; this suggests that health behaviors should be continuously tracked. Full article

This study aimed to investigate the effects of dynamic and static forest bathing (Shinrin-yoku) on the physiological and psychological health of males and females. Dynamic pre-test and post-test forest bathing was performed on 11 participants (5 males and 6 females) as a single group in a forest environment. In addition, a randomized controlled trial involving 20 participants (10 males and 10 females) was conducted to evaluate static forest bathing in both forest and urban environments. Various physiological indicators, including systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), pulse, heart rate variability (HRV), and self-assessed psychological indicators such as profile of mood states, were measured. Dynamic forest bathing resulted in a significant increase in the natural logarithmic value of the high frequency (lnHF) of HRV and significantly decreased ratio of the natural logarithmic value of the low frequency (lnLF) to lnHF (lnLF/lnHF) of HRV. Static forest bathing not only had the effects of dynamic forest bathing but also significantly decreased the participants’ SBP, DBP, and pulse. Both dynamic and static forest bathing enhanced human parasympathetic nervous system activity and reduced sympathetic nervous system activity, particularly affecting females. Negative mood state scores (tension, anger, fatigue, depression, and confusion) and total mood disturbance scores significantly decreased after forest bathing. In contrast, positive mood state (vigor) scores significantly increased, indicating an enhancement in positive mood. These improvements in mood were particularly pronounced in male individuals. Short-term exposure to a forest environment has positive effects on both physical and mental health of individuals. The extent of these improvements varied according to factors such as engagement in physical activity and gender. Full article

Research on forest therapy and health outcomes is insufficient and involves the limited unification of various health indicators. Information on the natural therapeutic elements of forests and forest-therapy programs is insufficient. We investigated forest-therapy programs, the natural therapeutic elements of the forest environment, and health-outcome measures to standardize the health indicators of forest therapy. A systematic review was conducted on the health outcomes of forest therapy from 2010 to 2021. We summarized natural therapeutic elements and forest-therapy sites, characteristics, and health outcomes. Twenty-nine articles were analyzed. Among them, forest therapies of walking and physical activity were conducted most frequently. Additionally, a positive improvement in general sentiment condition was substantial in all vegetation environments, and a reduction in depression, psychological enhancement, stress alleviation; and an enhancement in the cardiovascular system and the endocrine system occurred in both narrow- and broad-leaved forests. Walking, five-senses stimulation, physical activities, and meditation benefited psychological and physiological outcomes. We evaluated natural therapeutic elements of the forest-environment program and health outcomes. This systematic review can be used as a reference for the planning and operation of forest-therapy programs. Full article

Forest bathing was proposed in Japan in 1982 for the purpose of reducing stress and health management, and research on the health promotion and disease prevention effects of forest bathing began in Japan in 2004. Since then, the author’s research team has published many papers and, in 2012, established Forest Medicine as a new preventive medicine. Imagine a new medical science that could let you know how to be more active, more relaxed, healthier, and happier, with reduced stress and a reduced risk of lifestyle-related diseases. This new medical science is Forest Medicine. Forest Medicine studies the effects of forest environments on human health and is a new interdisciplinary science that belongs to the categories of environmental and preventive medicine. On the other hand, more than 10 years have passed since then, and a lot of evidence has been obtained and many articles regarding Forest Medicine have been published. Therefore, in this review, the author proposes a new concept of Forest Medicine, based on the new evidence and published papers, with the psycho-neuro-endocrino-immune network in mind. Full article

Cancer can have a significant impact on one’s life situation, with many patients reporting psychosocial discomfort, worry, anxiety, fear of recurrence, depression, tiredness/fatigue, sleep problems, pain and numerous other problems even long after active medical treatment. Psychosocial support during cancer rehabilitation has proven to be insufficient. In a recent debate article, the scientific committee of CancerRehabFund, Sweden, demands more rehabilitation alternatives for individuals living with cancer. Nature-based treatment is one of the alternatives mentioned as the way forward, but more research is needed. Therefore, we want to evaluate the patient’s experience of a ten-week forest bathing intervention, as an add-on to the standard care, and whether it can improve general health and well-being in women suffering or recovering from gynaecological cancer. The study will run between the autumn of 2022 and until the end of 2023. It is a prospective single-case study, including quantitative and qualitative approaches using validated self-administered instruments (pre–post measurements) and semi-structured interviews (post) on women’s lived experience of the 10-week forest bathing intervention. The quantitative outcome measurements will be the quality of life, fatigue and depression/anxiety. There will also be a questionnaire on perceived sensory dimensions experienced in the forest environment. The study will include 24 participants, divided into four groups of 6 participants. Once a week for ten weeks, the participants will be offered a session of a 2.5-hour stay in the forest with breathing exercises, slow movement, time in silence and privacy and a social gathering to conclude each session. Before and after each session, the participants will be invited to fill in the Profile of their mood state to describe their mood/feelings. There will be three different forest locations with varied forest cover types, i.e., evergreen, deciduous and mistands. Participation in this study will be voluntary, and all results will be anonymously presented on a group level. This paper is a protocol paper describing in detail the venues/forest sites, the forest therapy intervention and the scientific methodological approach for evaluating the ten-week intervention. To our knowledge, this is the first study on forest bathing for cancer survivors in Sweden. The Swedish Ethical Review Authority has approved the study [Dnr 2022-02083-01]. Full article

Forest bathing is based upon a Japanese practice known as Shinrin–Yoku and is a nature-based therapy involving mindful walks through ancient woodland to reduce stress and anxiety. One proposed mechanism behind the effectiveness of Forest bathing is based on the potential mental and physical health benefits of the natural volatile organic compounds (NVOCs) that fill the forest understory. Surprisingly little is known about the concentrations and diversity of plant NVOCs in ambient air particularly in the UK and this study aims to increase that knowledge. Air samples were collected in July 2022 in a UK forest and compared with samples from a walled garden environment. The samples were collected over a 2 h time period and analysed using GC-MS and showed clear differences in the chemical composition of the air. This study revealed NVOCs including limonene, carvone, terpenes, terpenoids and sesquiterpenoids were present within a UK forest but were either not present or present at little to low levels in the control setting of a walled garden. This study also found that the typical 2 h duration of a Forest bathing session was a long enough sampling period to detect these NVOCs, indicating that Forest bathers could benefit from exposure to NVOCs. Full article

Research suggests that stays in a forest promote relaxation and reduce stress compared to spending time in a city. The aim of this study was to compare stays in a forest with another natural environment, a cultivated field. Healthy, highly sensitive persons (HSP, SV12 score > 18) aged between 18 and 70 years spent one hour in the forest and in the field at intervals of one week. The primary outcome was measured using the Change in Subjective Self-Perception (CSP-14) questionnaire. Secondary outcomes were measured using the Profile Of Mood States (POMS) questionnaire and by analyzing salivary cortisol. We randomized 43 participants. Thirty-nine were allocated and included in the intention-to-treat analysis (90% female, mean age 45 years). CSP-14 in part showed significant differences—total score (p = 0.054, Cohen’s d = 0.319), item “integration” (p = 0.028, Cohen’s d = 0.365)—favoring the effects of the forest. These effects were more pronounced in summer (August). In October, during rainfall, we detected no relevant differences. POMS only showed a significant difference in the subcategory “depression/anxiety” in favor of the field. The amount of cortisol in saliva was not different between the groups. A short-term stay in a forest in summer caused a greater improvement in mood and well-being in HSP than in a field. This effect was not detectable during bad weather in the fall. Full article

Professional healthcare worker burnout is a crisis in the United States healthcare system. This crisis can be viewed at any level, from the national to local communities, but ultimately, must be understood at the level of the individual who is caring for patients. Thus, interventions to reduce burnout symptoms must prioritize the mental health of these individuals by alleviating some of the symptoms of depression, grief, and anxiety that accompany burnout. The practice of Shinrin-Yoku (Forest Bathing) is a specific evidence-based practice which research has shown can improve an individual’s mental health and, when performed in a group, can support a sense of social connection. We investigated the impact of a three-hour, guided Shinrin-Yoku (Forest Bathing) nature-based intervention on burnout symptoms among physicians and other healthcare workers by using a randomized, controlled trial. The Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI) and Mini-Z assessments were used to collect baseline burnout scores and participants were randomized into the intervention group, which completed the assessment again after the Shinrin-Yoku walk, or into a control group, which completed the assessments again after a day off from any clinical duties. A total of 34 participants were enrolled in the intervention group and a total of 22 participants were enrolled in the control group. Ultimately, no statistically significant differences were detected between the pre-test and post-test scores for the intervention group or between the post-test scores of the intervention group compared to the control group. However, the subjective responses collected from participants after participating in the Shinrin-Yoku walk overwhelmingly reported decreased feelings of stress and increased mental wellbeing. This raises important questions about the difference between symptoms of burnout and other aspects of mental health, as well as the limitations of a one-time nature-based intervention on levels of chronic burnout symptoms. Thus, further research on the effects of engaging healthcare providers in an ongoing practice of Shinrin-Yoku is warranted. Full article