Evidence-Based Nature Therapy: Advances in Physiological Evaluation

Dear Colleagues,

Humans have lived in nature for approximately seven million years. Our bodies are made to adapt to a natural environment. When we are exposed to the natural environment in a rapidly urbanizing world, our bodies go back to how they should be. It is empirically known that stimulation by forests, parks, gardens, wooden materials, flowers, etc. relaxes humans, particularly those under stress.

A nature therapy study, which is a questionnaire-based research, has been previously conducted. Methods for evaluating physiological relaxation effects based on brain activity, autonomic nervous activity, endocrine activity, immune activity, etc. are constantly being refined. Furthermore, a stack of physiological data has been accumulating.

The aim of this Special Issue is to scientifically elucidate the preventive medical effects of nature therapy. Therefore, evidence-based studies of physiological evaluation related to nature therapy on humans will be highlighted.

Prof. Dr. Yoshifumi Miyazaki
Prof. Dr. Hiromitsu Kobayashi
Prof. Dr. Sin-Ae Park
Dr. Chorong Song
Guest Editors

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