The Science of Forest Therapy
Shinrin Yoku (Forest Bathing) was developed in Japan in the 1980’s in response to chronic psychological and physiological stress in the Japanese population. Initial research that measured physiological and psychological factors showed significant benefits of the practice, and it was adopted by the Japanese government into the country’s health programs.
Several theories offer explanations for the beneficial impact of nature on physiological and psychological health and well being:
Biophilia hypothesis (Wilson, 1984) states that humans have an inbuilt need to connect with nature. Read more about it here.
Kaplan and Kaplan’s (1989) Attention Restoration Theory (ART) states that time spend in nature improves concentration and focus. ART hypothesizes that nature allows attention to be renewed or restored after mental energy has been exerted. Read more about it here.
Stress Reduction Theory (Ulrich, 1981) proposes that recovery from stress is is facilitated by natural environments, and impaired by urban settings. Read more about it here.