Collected evidence from information below Researchers in Japan have been studyin
ID: 3497536 • Letter: C
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Collected evidence from information below Researchers in Japan have been studying the health benefits of spending time in natural settings. Dubbed the Therapeutic Effects of Forests project, since 2004 Japanese researchers have been studying the physiological and psychological responses of individuals placed in the presence of varying natural stimuli, a popular Japanese practice known as Shinrin-yoku, or "forest bathing." They have been collecting data on measures of stress in the central nervous system, autonomic nervous system, and other "biomarkers" in study participants who are actually located in forests, or who are located in laboratories (but) exposed to certain elements of a forested environment (such as the odor of wood, the sound of running stream water, or the visual scenery of the forest). This line of inquiry suggests that spending time in nature parks, forests, and other green spaces is associated with lower cortisol levels, reduced cardiovascular strain (i.e., pulse rate and blood pressure), and increased immune functioning. Study investigators have attributed these benefits both to stress reduction behaviors (e.g., exercise, relaxation, meditation), as well as to the action of phytoncides, chemicals released into the air by trees and plants to protect themselves from decay and parasitic insects.Explanation / Answer
It is truth that spending time in natural setting has proved health beneficial.Number of scientific studies emphasize that reveling in the great outdoors promotes human health. Spending time in natural environments has been linked to lower stress levels, improved working memory and feeling more alive, among other positive attributes.
In an effort to combat our indoor epidemic and reap these health benefits, a growing number of Americans have become followers of a Japanese practice called Shinrin-yoku. Coined by the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in 1982, the word literally translates to “taking in the forest atmosphere” or “forest bathing” and refers to the process of soaking up the sights, smells and sounds of a natural setting to promote physiological and psychological health.
Some researchers attribute Shinrin-yoku’s health benefits to substances called phytoncides, which are antimicrobial organic compounds given off by plants. They argue that by breathing in the volatile substances released by the forest, people achieve relaxation. However, phytoncides — colloquially known in forest bathing circles as “the aroma of the forest” — only exist in small concentrations out in the field as compared with the amounts given to subjects in laboratory-based olfactory studies.
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