Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Nippon Medical School.
Environ Health Prev Med. 2022;27:43. doi: 10.1265/ehpm.22-00160.
Humans have enjoyed forest environments for ages because of the quiet atmosphere, beautiful scenery, mild climate, pleasant aromas, and fresh, clean air. In Japan, since 2004, serial studies have been conducted to investigate the effects of forest environments (Forest bathing/Shinrin-yoku) on human health. My research team has established a new medical science called Forest Medicine. The Forest Medicine is a new interdisciplinary science, belonging to the categories of alternative medicine, environmental medicine and preventive medicine, which studies the effects of forest environments (Forest bathing/Shinrin-yoku) on human health. It has been reported that Forest bathing/Shinrin-yoku has the following beneficial effects on human health:1 Shinrin-yoku increases human natural killer (NK) activity, the number of NK cells, and the intracellular levels of anti-cancer proteins, suggesting a preventive effect on cancers. 2 Shinrin-yoku reduces blood pressure and heart rate showing preventive effect on hypertension and heart diseases. 3 Shinrin-yoku reduces stress hormones, such as urinary adrenaline and noradrenaline and salivary/serum cortisol contributing to stress management. 4 Shinrin-yoku increases the activity of parasympathetic nerves and reduces the activity of sympathetic nerves to stabilize the balance of autonomic nervous system. 5 Shinrin-yoku improve sleep. 6 Shinrin-yoku increases the levels of serum adiponectin and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate. 7 In the Profile of Mood States (POMS) test, Shinrin-yoku reduces the scores for anxiety, depression, anger, fatigue, and confusion, and increases the score for vigor, showing preventive effects on depression. 8 Shinrin-yoku may apply to rehabilitation medicine 9 Shinrin-yoku in city parks also has benefits on human health. 10 Shinrin-yoku may have preventive effect on COVID-19 by boosting immune function and by reducing mental stress.Taken together, these findings suggest that Shinrin-yoku may have potential preventive effects on non-communicable diseases.
人类自古以来就享受着森林环境，因为这里安静的氛围、美丽的景色、温和的气候、宜人的香气以及清新、洁净的空气。在日本，自 2004 年以来，已经进行了一系列研究来调查森林环境（森林浴/森林康养）对人类健康的影响。我的研究团队创立了一门新的医学科学，称为森林医学。森林医学是一门新兴的交叉学科，属于替代医学、环境医学和预防医学范畴，研究森林环境（森林浴/森林康养）对人类健康的影响。据报道，森林浴/森林康养对人类健康有以下有益影响：1. 森林浴可提高人体自然杀伤细胞（NK）活性、NK 细胞数量和抗癌蛋白的细胞内水平，提示其具有预防癌症的作用。2. 森林浴可降低血压和心率，对高血压和心脏病有预防作用。3. 森林浴可降低应激激素，如尿肾上腺素和去甲肾上腺素以及唾液/血清皮质醇，有助于应激管理。4. 森林浴可增加副交感神经的活性，降低交感神经的活性，从而稳定自主神经系统的平衡。5. 森林浴可改善睡眠。6. 森林浴可增加血清脂联素和脱氢表雄酮硫酸酯水平。7. 在心境状态量表（POMS）测试中，森林浴可降低焦虑、抑郁、愤怒、疲劳和困惑的分数，增加活力的分数，对抑郁有预防作用。8. 森林浴可能适用于康复医学。9. 城市公园的森林浴也对人类健康有益。10. 森林浴通过增强免疫功能和减轻精神压力，可能对 COVID-19 有预防作用。综上所述，这些发现表明森林浴可能对非传染性疾病具有潜在的预防作用。
