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.

The Psychological Benefits of Forest Bathing in Individuals with Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/ Myalgic Encephalomyelitis: A Pilot Study

“…Another promising result observed after FB was the signi cant improvement in the CFS/ME core symptom of fatigue (moderate effect size) and, parallelly, the opposite aspect of vigor (large effect size). This result is in line with other research on the bene ts of walking in the woods to reduce fatigue in FM and CFS/ME (López-Pousa et al 2015; Zhu et al 2021) Forest bathing, by providing a sensory-richenvironment that engages multiple modalities of perception within a natural context in the forest has been shown to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system and reduce sympathetic activity, resulting in a state of greater well-being and vitality(Siah et al 2023)…”

Shinrin-Yoku 森林浴 (Forest Bathing): A Scoping Review of the Global Research on the Effects of Spending Time in Nature

“…The practice of SY, also known as Forest Bathing (FB), is a “traditional Japanese practice of immersing oneself in nature by mindfully using all 5 senses. 8 ” Originally, SY was initiated by the Japanese government in the 1980s to provide a mindfulness practice for individuals who lived in urban or city areas 9 to combat work-related stress. Arisugawa-no-miya memorial park 10 is an example in Tokyo where citizens may immerse themselves in densely forested areas with waterfalls to alleviate work-related stress.…”

“…Many PHYS and PSYCH health benefits are highlighted throughout the literature. 9 , 11 The PHYS benefits include improved immune function/cancer prevention, 12 decreased pulse rate and BP, protection of the respiratory system, and decreased stress responses. 11 The PSYCH impacts include an increase in mental relaxation and a decrease in depression, anxiety disorders, grief, isolation 13 and anger.…”

“… 11 The PSYCH impacts include an increase in mental relaxation and a decrease in depression, anxiety disorders, grief, isolation 13 and anger. 8 , 9 Furthermore, SY practice may allow one to experience a “higher power 14 ” and lead to understand the spiritual connection 15 with nature through the concepts of awe and wonder . 15 , 16 SY as a therapeutic modality 17 may increase energy and happiness levels, improve sleep quality, reduce the inflammation response, reduce chances of obesity and accelerate surgical recovery time.…”

Enhancing patient well-being in oncology waiting rooms: a pilot field experiment on the emotional impact of virtual forest therapy

“…The forest motives seem to be very strong in their effect on wellbeing (Hejtmánek et al, 2022), which, in some ways, seems analogical to that of forest therapy. Forest therapy, also known as forest bathing or "shinrin-yoku, " is a practice that involves immersing oneself in nature, particularly in a forest or natural environment, to promote physical, mental, and emotional well-being (Rajoo et al, 2020;Rosalind et al, 2023). It originated in Japan and has become popular worldwide as a form of ecotherapy.…”