Benefits

Across the last three decades, international research has demonstrated and validated the many health benefits Forest Therapy and Shinrin-yoku bring about. These benefits can be classified into two groups: direct and indirect effects.

Main direct effects

The main physiological and mental health benefits immediately measurable after a guided Forest Therapy walks are:

reduced blood pressure (systolic and diastolic)
lowered pulse rate
reduced stress hormone (cortisol) level
reduced anxiety
surge in the activity of cancer- and tumor-fighting blood cells (‘natural killer’ cells)
active exposure to phytoncides which are bioactive compounds emitted by trees and plants; phytoncides have anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and anti-viral effects
increased happiness and positive mood
enhanced energy level
better concentration

Main indirect effects

Regular guided Forest Therapy walks bring about the following indirect or long-term health effects:

increased overall fitness level
improved immune system
weight loss
reduced risk of obesity
reduced risk of heart and lung diseases
decrease in anxiety
reduced risk of getting depressed
less likelihood of feeling stressed in typical day-to-day situations
better and more regular sleep
more positive mood and motivation (meaning: less mood-swings)
enhanced ability to focus
higher self-confidence and a more stable personality

The degree of measured health benefits varies from person to person due to a number of factors coming into play (for example, overall constitution and health, age, gender, hormonal and genetic dispositions, previous illnesses, lifestyle, type of forest etc.). For further reading about the benefits of Forest Therapy please see our references or the International Handbook of Forest Therapy (edited by Kotte et al 2019).

Main direct effects

Main indirect effects

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