Physiological and Psychological Effects of a Forest Therapy Program on Middle-Aged Females

Hiroko Ochiai, Harumi Ikei, Chorong Song, Maiko Kobayashi, Takashi Miura, Takahide Kagawa, Qing Li, Shigeyoshi Kumeda, Michiko Imai and Yoshifumi Miyazaki
Additional contact information
Hiroko Ochiai: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, National Hospital Organization, Tokyo Medical Center, Tokyo 152-8902, Japan
Harumi Ikei: Center for Environment, Health and Field Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba 277-0882, Japan
Chorong Song: Center for Environment, Health and Field Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba 277-0882, Japan
Maiko Kobayashi: Department of Hygiene and Public Health, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo 113-8602, Japan
Takashi Miura: Agematsu Town Office Industry & Tourism Department, Nagano 399-5601, Japan
Takahide Kagawa: Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Ibaraki 305-8687, Japan
Qing Li: Department of Hygiene and Public Health, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo 113-8602, Japan
Shigeyoshi Kumeda: Nagano Prefectural Kiso Hospital, Nagano 397-8555, Japan
Michiko Imai: Le Verseau Inc., Tokyo 156-0051, Japan
Yoshifumi Miyazaki: Center for Environment, Health and Field Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba 277-0882, Japan

IJERPH, 2015, vol. 12, issue 12, 1-11

Abstract: The natural environment is increasingly recognized as an effective counter to urban stress, and “Forest Therapy” has recently attracted attention as a relaxation and stress management activity with demonstrated clinical efficacy. The present study assessed the physiological and psychological effects of a forest therapy program on middle-aged females. Seventeen Japanese females (62.2 ± 9.4 years; mean ± standard deviation) participated in this experiment. Pulse rate, salivary cortisol level, and psychological indices were measured on the day before forest therapy and on the forest therapy day. Pulse rate and salivary cortisol were significantly lower than baseline following forest therapy, indicating that subjects were in a physiologically relaxed state. Subjects reported feeling significantly more “comfortable,” “relaxed,” and “natural” according to the semantic differential (SD) method. The Profile of Mood State (POMS) negative mood subscale score for “tension–anxiety” was significantly lower, while that for “vigor” was significantly higher following forest therapy. Our study revealed that forest therapy elicited a significant (1) decrease in pulse rate, (2) decrease in salivary cortisol levels, (3) increase in positive feelings, and (4) decrease in negative feelings. In conclusion, there are substantial physiological and psychological benefits of forest therapy on middle-aged females.

Keywords: forest therapy program; middle-aged females; pulse rate; salivary cortisol; semantic differential method; Profile of Mood State (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (30)

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