The Inverse Association between the Frequency of Forest Walking (Shinrin-yoku) and the Prevalence of Insomnia Symptoms in the General Japanese Population: A Japan Multi-Institutional Collaborative Cohort Daiko Study

Emi Morita (), Hiroshi Kadotani, Naoto Yamada, Tae Sasakabe, Sayo Kawai, Mariko Naito, Takashi Tamura and Kenji Wakai
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Emi Morita: International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (WPI-IIIS), University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba 305-8575, Japan
Hiroshi Kadotani: Department of Psychiatry, Shiga University of Medical Science, Seta Tsukinowa-cho, Otsu 520-2192, Japan
Naoto Yamada: Department of Psychiatry, Shiga University of Medical Science, Seta Tsukinowa-cho, Otsu 520-2192, Japan
Tae Sasakabe: Department of Preventive Medicine, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-Cho, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan
Sayo Kawai: Department of Preventive Medicine, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-Cho, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan
Mariko Naito: Department of Oral Epidemiology, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima 734-8553, Japan
Takashi Tamura: Department of Preventive Medicine, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-Cho, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan
Kenji Wakai: Department of Preventive Medicine, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-Cho, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan

IJERPH, 2024, vol. 21, issue 3, 1-12

Abstract: 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.

Keywords: sleep; forest bathing; Shinrin-yoku; epidemiology; cross-sectional study (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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