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Physiological effects of Shinrin-yoku (taking in the atmosphere of the forest): salivary cortisol and cerebral activity as indicators
Randomized crossover in 12 young men: forest walking/viewing versus urban control days; salivary cortisol was lower in the forest condition before and after afternoon landscape viewing, and prefrontal cerebral activity after walking was lower in forest versus city.
Design
- n = 12 healthy male students (~23 y)
- Crossover: Day 1 — cohort A forest, cohort B city; Day 2 arms swapped
- Sessions: 20 min walk (forenoon) + 20 min seated viewing (afternoon) in assigned environment
- Indices: salivary cortisol; cerebral activity (prefrontal sensors)
Reported contrasts (abstract)
- Prefrontal activity after walking: lower in forest than city
- Salivary cortisol before and after landscape viewing: lower in forest than city
Evidence hygiene
Small, young, male-only sample—anchors acute psychophysiology for forest-bathing rather than long-term disease endpoints.
Publication
Park BJ, Tsunetsugu Y, Kasetani T, et al. J Physiol Anthropol. 2007 Mar 28;26(2):123-128. PMID 17435354.
Outcomes
- Cortisol Level% (Percent Change)
- Prefrontal cerebral activity after 20 min forest walk significantly lower than after matched urban walk (abstract).