Building Wellbeing

A Legacy of Wellbeing

Enhanced productivity is just one reason Nature Therapy has become so popular, even though it has been around for decades. It started in the early 1980’s in Japan as shinrin-yoku, or “forest bathing,” and was used by corporations to alleviate employee stress and promote wellbeing.

The benefits of walking in nature have been studied extensively in Japan. Because it is more common in Asia, and because it is part of the work day, studies could be conducted pre- and post-walk to track the effects on health. Tracking thousands of participants has resulted in compelling data that shows significant improvements in health, including:

• Boosted immune system
• Reduced blood pressure
• Reduced stress
• Improved mood
• Increased ability to focus, especially in children with ADHD
• Accelerated recovery from surgery or illness
• Increased energy level
• Improved sleep.

One of the most comprehensive meta-analysis on the benefits of greenspace exposure was conducted by Caoimhe Twohig-Bennet and Andrew Jones in the journal ScienceDirect.  Their work included over 140 journal studies, collectively including 20 countries and 290 million participants. A meta-analysis found:

• Across 143 studies, greenspace exposure is associated with wide ranging health benefits, most notably boosted immune system, greater heart health and improved mood
• Statistically significant reductions in diastolic blood pressure, salivary cortisol and heart rate
• Meta-analysis found statistically significant decreases in incidence of diabetes, all-cause and cardiovascular mortality
• Greenspace and street greenery may form part of a multi-faceted approach to improve a wide range of health outcomes.