Li Aibo, Liu Yu, Qian Haiyuan, Sun Kun, Zhao Ziqing, Uehara Iwao, Wang Guofu, Zhou Benzhi
Research Institute of Subtropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Qianjiangyuan Forest Ecosystem Research Station, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Zhejiang, Hangzhou, China.
Front Public Health. 2025 Jul 30;13:1631613. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1631613. eCollection 2025.
Forest bathing (Shinrin-Yoku) has gained growing attention in medical and therapeutic tourism research due to its potential benefits in managing chronic diseases, such as hypertension. This empirical study examined the therapeutic effects of forest bathing on older adult patients with essential hypertension.
A total of 36 participants were randomly assigned to either a forest environment (experimental group, = 24) or an urban setting (control group, = 12) for a three-day, two-night intervention. To minimize potential confounding factors, both groups followed identical dietary regimens, leisure activities, and sleep schedules throughout the intervention. Physiological and psychological assessments, including vital signs, inflammatory markers, heart rate variability (HRV), and mood states, were conducted at baseline and post-intervention.
The results indicated that systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels were significantly lower in the experimental group compared to the control group ( < 0.05). Frequency domain parameters of HRV, specifically LF and the LF/HF ratio, significantly increased in the experimental group ( < 0.05). Additionally, psychological assessments revealed that participants exposed to the experimental group had significantly better emotional well-being. Specifically, tension-anxiety scores decreased significantly, while vigor-activity scores increased ( < 0.05).
These findings suggest that forest bathing can serve as an effective non-pharmacological intervention for reducing blood pressure, improving autonomic function and mental health among older adult patients with essential hypertension. This study provides empirical evidence supporting the therapeutic potential of forest environments, particularly subtropical broad-leaved evergreen forests, in the integrated management of cardiovascular and mental health.
森林浴（森林疗法）因其在管理慢性疾病（如高血压）方面的潜在益处，在医学和治疗性旅游研究中受到越来越多的关注。本实证研究考察了森林浴对老年原发性高血压患者的治疗效果。
共有36名参与者被随机分配到森林环境组（实验组，n = 24）或城市环境组（对照组，n = 12），进行为期三天两夜的干预。为尽量减少潜在的混杂因素，两组在整个干预过程中遵循相同的饮食方案、休闲活动和睡眠时间表。在基线和干预后进行生理和心理评估，包括生命体征、炎症标志物、心率变异性（HRV）和情绪状态。
结果表明，与对照组相比，实验组的收缩压（SBP）、舒张压（DBP）和高敏C反应蛋白（hs-CRP）水平显著降低（P < 0.05）。实验组HRV的频域参数，特别是低频（LF）和LF/高频（HF）比值显著增加（P < 0.05）。此外，心理评估显示，接触实验组的参与者情绪健康状况明显更好。具体而言，紧张焦虑得分显著降低，而活力活动得分增加（P < 0.05）。
这些发现表明，森林浴可作为一种有效的非药物干预措施，用于降低老年原发性高血压患者的血压、改善自主神经功能和心理健康。本研究提供了实证证据，支持森林环境，特别是亚热带常绿阔叶林，在心血管和心理健康综合管理中的治疗潜力。
