Nature therapy

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Nature therapy, sometimes referred to as ecotherapy, forest therapy, forest bathing, grounding, earthing, Shinrin-Yoku or Sami Lok, is a practice that describes a broad group of techniques or treatments using nature to improve mental or physical health. Spending time in nature has various physiological benefits such as relaxation and stress reduction.^[1][2][3] Additionally, it can enhance cardiovascular health and reduce risks of high blood pressure.^[4][5]

Scientists in the 1950s looked into the reasons humans chose to spend time in nature.^[6] There is relatively recent history of the term Shinrin-yoku (森林浴) or 'forest bathing' gaining momentum as a term and concept within American culture; the term 'forest bathing' and Shrinrin-yoku was first popularized in Japan by a man named Tomohide Akiyama, who was the head of the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries; this happened in 1982 to encourage more people to visit the forests.^{[7][5][8][9][10]}

Nature therapy has a benefit in reducing stress and improving a person's mood.^[11][12] Even a small amount of interaction with nature, such as having a tree outside one’s home in urban communities, has been found to increase human wellbeing and promote mental health.^[13] This may be due to aesthetic reasons, encouragement of physical activity, or general feelings of connection to nature, where the increased proximity to nature creates higher feelings of connectivity.^[13]

Forest therapy has been linked to some physiological benefits as indicated by neuroimaging and the profile of mood states psychological test.^[14]

Interaction with nature can decrease stress and depression.^{[4][12][7][15]} Forest therapy might help stress management for all age groups.^[16]

Social horticulture could help with depression and other mental health problems of PTSD, abuse, lonely elderly people,^[17] drug or alcohol addicts, blind people, and other people with special needs.^[18] Nature therapy could also improve self-management, self-esteem, social relations and skills, socio-political awareness and employability.^[19] Nature therapy could reduce aggression and improve relationship skills.^[20]

Nature therapy could help with general medical recovery, pain reduction, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, dementia, obesity, and vitamin D deficiency.^[21] Interactions with nature environments enhance social connections, stewardship, sense of place, and increase environmental participation.^[22] Connecting with nature also addresses needs such as intellectual capacity, emotional bonding, creativity, and imagination.^[23] Overall, there seems to be benefits to time spent in nature including memory, cognitive flexibility, and attention control.^[24]

Research also suggests that childhood experience in nature are crucial for children in their daily lives as it contributes to several developmental outcomes and various domains of their well-being. Essentially, these experiences also foster an intrinsic care for nature.^[25]

A 2012 systematic review study showed inconclusive results related to the methodology used in studies.^[26] Spending time in forests demonstrated positive health effects, but not enough to generate clinical practice guidelines or demonstrate causality.^[27] Additionally, there are concerns from researchers expressing that time spent in nature as a form of regenerative therapy is highly personal and entirely unpredictable.^[6] Nature can be harmed in the process of human interaction.^[6]

In Finland, researchers recommend five hours a month in nature to reduce depression, alcoholism, and suicide.^[28] South Korea has a nature therapy program for firefighters with post-traumatic stress disorder.^[28] Canadian physicians can also "prescribe nature" to patients with mental and physical health problems encouraging them to get into nature more.^[29]