Next Article in Journal
Salmonella and Eggs: From Production to Plate
Previous Article in Journal
Physiological and Psychological Effects on High School Students of Viewing Real and Artificial Pansies
 
Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
Journals
IJERPH
Volume 12
Issue 3
10.3390/ijerph120302532
ijerph-logo
Submit to this Journal Review for this Journal Edit a Special Issue
► Article Menu

Article Menu

share announcement question_answer thumb_up
...
textsms
...
Communication

Physiological and Psychological Effects of Forest Therapy on Middle-Aged Males with High-Normal Blood Pressure

by
Hiroko Ochiai
1,†,
Harumi Ikei
2,†,
Chorong Song
2,†,
Maiko Kobayashi
3,
Ako Takamatsu
4,
Takashi Miura
5,
Takahide Kagawa
6,
Qing Li
3,
Shigeyoshi Kumeda
7,
Michiko Imai
8 and
Yoshifumi Miyazaki
2,*
1
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, National hospital organization Tokyo Medical Center, Higashigaoka 2-5-1, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8902, Japan
2
Center for Environment, Health and Field Sciences, Chiba University, Kashiwa-no-ha 6-2-1, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-0882, Japan
3
Department of Hygiene and Public Health, Nippon Medical School, Sendagi 1-1-5, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8602, Japan
4
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, National Center for Child Health and Development, Okura 2-10-1, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 157-8535, Japan
5
Agematsu Town Office Industry & Tourism Department, Agematsu 159-3, Kiso, Nagano 399-5601, Japan
6
Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, 1 Matsunosato, Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture 305-8687, Japan
7
Nagano Prefectural Kiso Hospital, Kisomachi-fukushima 6613-4, Nagano 397-8555, Japan
8
Le Verseau Inc., 3-19-4 Miyasaka, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 156-0051, Japan
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
These authors contributed equally to this work.
Academic Editor: Paul B. Tchounwou
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2015, 12(3), 2532-2542; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph120302532
Received: 20 January 2015 / Revised: 7 February 2015 / Accepted: 17 February 2015 / Published: 25 February 2015
View Full-Text Download PDF
Browse Figures

Abstract

Time spent walking and relaxing in a forest environment (“forest bathing” or “forest therapy”) has well demonstrated anti-stress effects in healthy adults, but benefits for ill or at-risk populations have not been reported. The present study assessed the physiological and psychological effects of forest therapy (relaxation and stress management activity in the forest) on middle-aged males with high-normal blood pressure. Blood pressure and several physiological and psychological indices of stress were measured the day before and approximately 2 h following forest therapy. Both pre- and post-treatment measures were conducted at the same time of day to avoid circadian influences. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP), urinary adrenaline, and serum cortisol were all significantly lower than baseline following forest therapy (p < 0.05). Subjects reported feeling significantly more “relaxed” and “natural” according to the Semantic Differential (SD) method. Profile of Mood State (POMS) negative mood subscale scores for “tension-anxiety,” “confusion,” and “anger-hostility,” as well as the Total Mood Disturbance (TMD) score were significantly lower following forest therapy. These results highlight that forest is a promising treatment strategy to reduce blood pressure into the optimal range and possibly prevent progression to clinical hypertension in middle-aged males with high-normal blood pressure. View Full-Text
Keywords: forest therapy; high-normal blood pressure; adrenaline; cortisol; preventive medicine; Semantic Differential method; Profile of Mood State forest therapy; high-normal blood pressure; adrenaline; cortisol; preventive medicine; Semantic Differential method; Profile of Mood State
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited
SciFeed

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Ochiai, H.; Ikei, H.; Song, C.; Kobayashi, M.; Takamatsu, A.; Miura, T.; Kagawa, T.; Li, Q.; Kumeda, S.; Imai, M.; Miyazaki, Y. Physiological and Psychological Effects of Forest Therapy on Middle-Aged Males with High-Normal Blood Pressure. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2015, 12, 2532-2542. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph120302532

AMA Style

Ochiai H, Ikei H, Song C, Kobayashi M, Takamatsu A, Miura T, Kagawa T, Li Q, Kumeda S, Imai M, Miyazaki Y. Physiological and Psychological Effects of Forest Therapy on Middle-Aged Males with High-Normal Blood Pressure. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2015; 12(3):2532-2542. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph120302532

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ochiai, Hiroko, Harumi Ikei, Chorong Song, Maiko Kobayashi, Ako Takamatsu, Takashi Miura, Takahide Kagawa, Qing Li, Shigeyoshi Kumeda, Michiko Imai, and Yoshifumi Miyazaki. 2015. "Physiological and Psychological Effects of Forest Therapy on Middle-Aged Males with High-Normal Blood Pressure" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 12, no. 3: 2532-2542. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph120302532

Find Other Styles

Article Metrics

Article Access Map by Country/Region

1
Only visits after 24 November 2015 are recorded.
Back to TopTop