KORN KURATED RESEARCH

The Refreshing Benefits of Forest Bathing

Forest bathing (Shinrin-Yoku 森林浴) is a powerful tool for improving mental well-being across various populations, including adolescents, urban dwellers, and those with neurodevelopmental disorders. Its effectiveness in enhancing mood and nature connection underscores its value in modern wellness practices.

This research suggests how far we have (or haven’t) come in modern life, where we have to take particular time out and go to the forest to renew our sense of self and connection to the natural world and then study it for its benefits! I have always maintained that a large part of our mental health crisis is the disconnection from nature.

These articles are well worth reading for their methods—mixed and participatory research, a meta-study, and a multi-country study that documents what we should be doing for our youth and ourselves: getting out into the forest and allowing the green/blue light spectrum to bathe our brains and breathe in those forest terpenes to alter our mood. Enjoy these articles and consider how we can engage our young clients in nature.

Tags: forest bathing, forest medicine, Shinrin-Yoku, nature, mental well-being

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Referenced Research Publications

International journal of environmental research and public health
2023, December 20
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21010008

Forest Bathing Increases Adolescents’ Mental Well-Being: A Mixed-Methods Study

Abstract

Previous research has demonstrated that practicing forest bathing has significant positive effects on adult psychological well-being. Considering the ongoing adolescents’ mental health crisis of increasing anxiety and depression, determining whether forest bathing has similar effects on adolescents is an important expansion of forest bathing research. This study investigated the possibility that forest bathing could improve adolescents’ mental well-being and sought to determine participants’ experiences of forest bathing. It used a convergent, parallel, mixed-methods design that was partially co-created with 24 participants aged 16–18 as part of a youth participatory action research (YPAR) project in which participants practiced forest bathing three times over 3 weeks. As measured using the Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Survey, the mean participant mental well-being increased significantly after forest bathing, with moderate to large effect sizes. Participants described reduced stress and increased feelings of relaxation, peace, and happiness. These findings correlate with previous forest bathing research involving adult participants. It is recommended that educators and others who work with adolescents consider forest bathing as a simple, low-cost way to improve adolescents’ mental well-being.

Reference

Keller, J., Kayira, J., Chawla, L., & Rhoades, J. L. (2024). Forest Bathing Increases Adolescents' Mental Well-Being: A Mixed-Methods Study. International journal of environmental research and public health, 21(1), 8. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21010008

International journal of mental health nursing
2023, March 02
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/inm.13131

The effects of forest bathing on psychological well-being: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Globally, around half (55%) of the population live in fast-paced urban settings where many people find it challenging to manage their stress and respond to crises with a positive mindset. This resulted in prolonged distress where anxiety and fatigue caused physical and mental health concerns. Nature walks involving immersive exposure in the forest, and green spaces have been posited to offer physiological and psychological benefits. Therefore, in this systematic review, we evaluated the effects of forest bathing on psychological and physiological outcomes. We searched four English and five non-English databases (Chinese and Korean) for peer-reviewed studies published between January 2000 and March 2021. This review adhered to the recommendations of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis Statement 2020. The primary outcomes explored in this review were mainly psychological, including anxiety, depression, mood and quality of life. The secondary outcomes were physiological outcomes such as blood pressure and heart rate. We conducted a meta-analysis on each outcome using the random-effects model. Heterogeneity was assessed by the I2 statistic. Thirty-six articles (21 in English, 3 in Chinese and 12 in Korean) with 3554 participants were included in this review. Our meta-analysis suggested that forest bathing can significantly reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. However, we did not observe as many benefits in physiological outcomes. Against the background of the negative effects of urbanization on mental well-being, this review highlighted the potential therapeutic role of forests in the contemporary world, lending further evidence-based support for forest conservation.

Reference

Siah, C. J. R., Goh, Y. S., Lee, J., Poon, S. N., Ow Yong, J. Q. Y., & Tam, W. W. (2023). The effects of forest bathing on psychological well-being: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International journal of mental health nursing, 32(4), 1038–1054. https://doi.org/10.1111/inm.13131

Forests
2023, May 16
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/f14051024

New Concept of Forest Medicine

Abstract

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.

Reference

Li, Q. (2023). New concept of forest medicine. Forests, 14(5), 1024. https://doi.org/10.3390/f14051024

Forests
2023, April 27
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/f14050904

A Multi-Country Study Assessing the Mechanisms of Natural Elements and Sociodemographics behind the Impact of Forest Bathing on Well-Being

Abstract

Interventions such as forest bathing (slow, mindful nature walks) have been shown to increase our connection to nature and be an effective intervention for improving health and well-being. However, there is variation in the activities delivered during forest bathing and the guidance given. Few researchers have evaluated which activities, elements of nature, and senses are responsible for improvements in well-being. The current evaluation addresses this gap and also monitors the emotional state and nature connection following guided forest bathing walks. Participants (N = 1142) across 35 countries completed post-walk evaluation surveys online. Results suggest that well-being and nature connection were rated very highly following forest bathing activities. Experiencing happy feelings and trusting emotions were especially highly rated. The natural elements perceived as contributing the most to well-being were sound-related elements. In terms of sociodemographics, women had higher well-being and nature connection ratings than men; ratings were higher in specialised nature resort areas, with little difference between natural and urban park areas; higher scores were seen in the southern hemisphere and during hot or long-day seasons. This has implications for forest bathing, forest therapy, and nature-based training organisations and their guides who want to improve their method of intervention delivery, maximise well-being, and enhance nature connection.

Reference

Subirana-Malaret, M., Miró, A., Camacho, A., Gesse, A., & McEwan, K. (2023). A multi-country study assessing the mechanisms of natural elements and sociodemographics behind the impact of forest bathing on well-being. Forests, 14(5), 904. https://doi.org/10.3390/f14050904