Department of Environment and Forest Resources, Chungnam National University, 99 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34134, Korea.
Department of Agricultural Economics, Chungnam National University, 99 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34134, Korea.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 May 7;17(9):3266. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17093266.
The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of physical activities on human health in forests in countryside and rural areas. The test experiment was conducted in a countryside forest, whereas the controlled experiment was conducted in an urban area where the study participants resided. A total of 22 participants (aged 20.9 ± 1.3 years) were evaluated in this study. Heart rate variability and salivary cortisol level were used as indices of physiological conditions, and semantic differential method, profile of mood states (POMS), and state-trait anxiety inventory (STAI) were used to evaluate the participants' emotional states. The participants were asked to walk around forest and urban areas for 15 min. The results were as follows. As compared to the urban area, in the forest area, (1) the power of the high-frequency (HF) component of the heart rate variability (HRV) was significantly higher; (2) low-frequency (LF)/(LF + HF) was significantly lower; (3) salivary cortisol level was significantly lower; (4) the participants felt more comfortable, natural, relaxed, and less anxious and showed higher levels of positive emotions and lower levels of negative emotions. Consequently, walking in the forest area induces relaxing short-term physiological and psychological effects on young people living in urban areas.
本研究旨在评估在乡村和农村地区森林中进行体育活动对人体健康的影响。测试实验在乡村森林中进行，而对照实验则在研究参与者居住的城市地区进行。共有 22 名参与者（年龄 20.9 ± 1.3 岁）参与了这项研究。心率变异性和唾液皮质醇水平被用作生理状况的指标，语义差异法、心境状态问卷（POMS）和状态特质焦虑量表（STAI）被用于评估参与者的情绪状态。要求参与者在森林和城市地区各行走 15 分钟。结果如下。与城市地区相比，在森林地区，（1）心率变异性（HRV）的高频（HF）分量的功率显著更高；（2）低频（LF）/（LF + HF）显著更低；（3）唾液皮质醇水平显著更低；（4）参与者感觉更舒适、自然、放松，焦虑程度更低，积极情绪水平更高，消极情绪水平更低。因此，在城市地区生活的年轻人在森林中行走会产生短期的放松生理和心理效应。
