Forest Bathing for Forest Bathing

Overseen By Gregory Bratman, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Washington

Must not be taking: Some types of medication

Disqualifiers: Pregnancy, Neurologic, Hypertensive, Psychiatric, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 2

Duration: 16 days

43 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial is testing whether breathing in natural forest scents can help reduce stress. Participants will take part in multiple forest bathing sessions, some with scent exposure and some without. The study will measure changes in heart rate variability, blood pressure, heart rate, self-reported stress, and inflammation levels to see if the scents have a calming effect.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial does not clearly specify if you need to stop taking your current medications, but it does exclude people taking some types of medication. It's best to discuss your specific medications with the study staff.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Forest Bathing?

Research shows that forest bathing can reduce inflammation and stress levels in elderly patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lower blood pressure in elderly individuals with hypertension. These findings suggest that spending time in a forest environment can have positive health effects. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is forest bathing generally safe for humans?

There is limited safety data specifically on forest bathing, but studies on herbal products, which are often used in similar natural health practices, show that adverse reactions can occur. These reactions are usually mild, like cramps or mild allergic reactions, but more serious reactions are possible, though rare. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

How does forest bathing differ from other treatments for well-being?

Forest bathing is unique because it involves immersing oneself in a forest environment to promote well-being, using nature as a therapeutic setting rather than relying on medication or traditional therapies. It is a natural therapy that focuses on enhancing psychological and physiological health through exposure to the forest atmosphere, which is different from conventional treatments that might involve pharmaceuticals or structured therapy sessions. ^{1 2 4 5 11}

Research Team

Gregory Bratman, PhD

Principal Investigator

University of Washington

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

Study staff will also use the clinically-validated UPSIT® test kit (Sensonics International, Haddon Heights, NJ) to evaluate olfactory sensitivity and identify/exclude participants with undiagnosed smell loss

Physically capable of walking for approximately 15-20 min from the study vehicle to the clinic and experimental locations

participants will complete a baseline survey on demographics, personality traits, and regular nature contact and perceptions

Exclusion Criteria

You currently have or had a diagnosis of a medical condition affecting the brain, high blood pressure, mental health, breathing, or loss of smell.

You are taking certain medications.

You are pregnant.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants undergo two forest bathing sessions with and without terpene exposure, separated by a washout period of at least 8 days

16 days

2 visits (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in heart rate variability, blood pressure, and other physiological and psychological outcomes

4 weeks

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Forest Bathing

Participant Groups

Group I: Terpenes On Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Forest bathing intervention with no filtration of terpenes from inhaled air using PAPR with particle-only filter ("terpenes on")

Group II: Terpenes Off Active Control 1 Intervention

Forest bathing intervention with filtration of terpenes from inhaled air using PAPR with activated charcoal filter ("terpenes off")

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Washington

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,858

Recruited

2,023,000+

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

Collaborator

Trials

886

Recruited

677,000+

Findings from Research

A new adverse events (AEs) reporting form specifically designed for Korean folk medicine has been developed, incorporating unique characteristics such as folk medicine properties and patient information.

This reporting form is the first of its kind and aims to improve the tracking and understanding of adverse events related to Korean folk medicine, enhancing safety and efficacy monitoring.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Development of an adverse events reporting form for Korean folk medicine. Park, JH., Choi, SM., Moon, S., et al.[2021]

The Canadian adverse event reporting system for herbal products is severely underreported, leading to a lack of safety data, which poses risks to consumers who often perceive these products as safe.

Health food store personnel in the Greater Toronto Area play a crucial role in reporting adverse reactions by collecting customer information during product returns, suggesting a potential pathway to improve safety monitoring and reporting for herbal products.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Adverse event reporting for herbal medicines: a result of market forces. Walji, R., Boon, H., Barnes, J., et al.[2021]

In a study involving 1118 patients across 10 community pharmacies, it was found that 58.8% of patients were using both prescription drugs and natural health products (NHPs) concurrently, which significantly increased their risk of experiencing adverse events (AEs).

Patients using both prescription drugs and NHPs were 6.4 times more likely to report an AE compared to those using only prescription drugs, highlighting the importance of monitoring concurrent use for safety.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Pharmacy study of natural health product adverse reactions (SONAR): a cross-sectional study using active surveillance in community pharmacies to detect adverse events associated with natural health products and assess causality. Necyk, C., Tsuyuki, RT., Boon, H., et al.[2022]

References

1. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effect of forest bathing on physiological and psychological responses in young Japanese male subjects. [2022]

2. China pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of short-term forest bathing on human health in a broad-leaved evergreen forest in Zhejiang Province, China. [2018]

3. China pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Health Effect of Forest Bathing Trip on Elderly Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. [2018]

4. Japan pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Medical empirical research on forest bathing (Shinrin-yoku): a systematic review. [2020]

5. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Therapeutic effect of forest bathing on human hypertension in the elderly. [2018]

6. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Development of an adverse events reporting form for Korean folk medicine. [2021]

7. Canada pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Adverse event reporting for herbal medicines: a result of market forces. [2021]

8. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Possible adverse reactions to herbal products: a study with individuals who resort to popular medicine in the city of Diadema, SP, Brazil. [2018]

9. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Pharmacy study of natural health product adverse reactions (SONAR): a cross-sectional study using active surveillance in community pharmacies to detect adverse events associated with natural health products and assess causality. [2022]

10. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Spontaneously Reported Adverse Reactions for Herbal Medicinal Products and Natural Remedies in Sweden 2007-15: Report from the Medical Products Agency. [2020]

11. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of forest bathing (shinrin-yoku) on individual well-being: an umbrella review. [2022]