RESEARCH

Effects of Forest Bathing (shinrin-yoku) on Levels of Cortisol as a Stress Biomarker: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

This review and meta-analysis investigated the impact of forest bathing on cortisol levels, a stress biomarker, by analyzing 22 studies. The analysis indicated that forest bathing significantly lowered cortisol levels compared to control groups, suggesting it reduces stress.
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Summary

This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the effects of forest bathing (Shinrin-yoku) on cortisol levels as a stress biomarker. Researchers systematically searched multiple databases for relevant articles, ultimately including 22 studies in the systematic review and 8 in the meta-analysis. The studies involved healthy participants or patients with previously diagnosed diseases who engaged in forest bathing activities such as walking, resting, and breathing forest air.

The main findings indicated that cortisol levels were significantly lower after forest bathing compared to control groups or showed a significant pre-post reduction within the forest groups. Specifically, the meta-analysis revealed significantly lower salivary cortisol levels in the forest groups compared to urban groups both before and after the intervention. The authors concluded that forest bathing can significantly influence cortisol levels in the short term, reducing stress, although they suggested further research due to the limited available data.

Link

Antonelli, M., Barbieri, G., & Donelli, D. (2019). Effects of forest bathing (shinrin-yoku) on levels of cortisol as a stress biomarker: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Biometeorology, 63(8), 1117–1134.

 

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