IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i3p1231-d730988.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Assessing the Effects of Nature on Physiological States Using Wearable Technologies

Author

Listed:
  • Dannie Fu

    (Department of Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada)

  • Natalia Incio Serra

    (School of Physical & Occupational Therapy, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 2M1, Canada)

  • Hubert Mansion

    (L’Université Dans la Nature, Montreal, QC H1V 1H6, Canada)

  • Emilia Tamko Mansion

    (L’Université Dans la Nature, Montreal, QC H1V 1H6, Canada)

  • Stefanie Blain-Moraes

    (School of Physical & Occupational Therapy, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 2M1, Canada)

Abstract

Nature therapy and forest bathing (FB) have been shown to have quantifiable positive effects on human health, but the physiological effects of a guided interactive nature activity remain unexplored. Autonomic nervous system responses to a guided nature walk (Nature Break) were assessed through the continuous measurement of the electrodermal activity (EDA), fingertip temperature, and heart rate (HR) of n = 48 participants, using a wearable sensor. Psychological distress was assessed before and after the activity using the Profile of Mood States (POMS) for n = 38 (24 females, 14 males, mean age = 43.55 ± 11.61 years) participants. The negative dimensions of POMS decreased and the positive (vigor) dimensions increased following a Nature Break. Significant differences were found across all of the physiological features, with some differences occurring between the morning and afternoon groups and between different days. The participants’ mean HR decreased throughout the Nature Break. Our results suggest that interactive nature activities have positive psychological benefits and demonstrate the feasibility of using wearable sensors to monitor physiological responses in a naturalistic forest bathing activity.

Suggested Citation

  • Dannie Fu & Natalia Incio Serra & Hubert Mansion & Emilia Tamko Mansion & Stefanie Blain-Moraes, 2022. "Assessing the Effects of Nature on Physiological States Using Wearable Technologies," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-16, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:3:p:1231-:d:730988
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/3/1231/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/3/1231/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hiroko Ochiai & Harumi Ikei & Chorong Song & Maiko Kobayashi & Takashi Miura & Takahide Kagawa & Qing Li & Shigeyoshi Kumeda & Michiko Imai & Yoshifumi Miyazaki, 2015. "Physiological and Psychological Effects of a Forest Therapy Program on Middle-Aged Females," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-11, December.
    2. Chorong Song & Harumi Ikei & Bum-Jin Park & Juyoung Lee & Takahide Kagawa & Yoshifumi Miyazaki, 2018. "Psychological Benefits of Walking through Forest Areas," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-10, December.
    3. Hiromitsu Kobayashi & Chorong Song & Harumi Ikei & Bum-Jin Park & Juyoung Lee & Takahide Kagawa & Yoshifumi Miyazaki, 2017. "Population-Based Study on the Effect of a Forest Environment on Salivary Cortisol Concentration," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-9, August.
    4. Margaret M. Hansen & Reo Jones & Kirsten Tocchini, 2017. "Shinrin-Yoku (Forest Bathing) and Nature Therapy: A State-of-the-Art Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-48, July.
    5. Chorong Song & Harumi Ikei & Maiko Kobayashi & Takashi Miura & Masao Taue & Takahide Kagawa & Qing Li & Shigeyoshi Kumeda & Michiko Imai & Yoshifumi Miyazaki, 2015. "Effect of Forest Walking on Autonomic Nervous System Activity in Middle-Aged Hypertensive Individuals: A Pilot Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-13, March.
    6. Miho Igarashi & Masayuki Miwa & Harumi Ikei & Chorong Song & Michiko Takagaki & Yoshifumi Miyazaki, 2015. "Physiological and Psychological Effects of Viewing a Kiwifruit ( Actinidia deliciosa ‘Hayward’) Orchard Landscape in Summer in Japan," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-12, June.
    7. Su Geun Im & Han Choi & Yo-Han Jeon & Min-Kyu Song & Won Kim & Jong-Min Woo, 2016. "Comparison of Effect of Two-Hour Exposure to Forest and Urban Environments on Cytokine, Anti-Oxidant, and Stress Levels in Young Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-11, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Elena Bermejo-Martins & María Pueyo-Garrigues & María Casas & Raúl Bermejo-Orduna & Ana Villarroya, 2022. "A Forest Bathing Intervention in Adults with Intellectual Disabilities: A Feasibility Study Protocol," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-12, October.
    2. Togo Onishi & Masayuki Yamasaki & Taketaka Hara & Tetsuya Hirotomi & Ryo Miyazaki, 2022. "Esports for Seniors: Acute Effects of Esports Gaming in the Community on the Emotional State and Heart Rate among Japanese Older Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-11, September.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Albert Bach Pagès & Josep Peñuelas & Jana Clarà & Joan Llusià & Ferran Campillo i López & Roser Maneja, 2020. "How Should Forests Be Characterized in Regard to Human Health? Evidence from Existing Literature," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-15, February.
    2. Hyeyun Kim & Yong Won Lee & Hyo Jin Ju & Bong Jin Jang & Yeong In Kim, 2019. "An Exploratory Study on the Effects of Forest Therapy on Sleep Quality in Patients with Gastrointestinal Tract Cancers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(14), pages 1-7, July.
    3. Chia-Pin Yu & Chia-Min Lin & Ming-Jer Tsai & Yu-Chieh Tsai & Chun-Yu Chen, 2017. "Effects of Short Forest Bathing Program on Autonomic Nervous System Activity and Mood States in Middle-Aged and Elderly Individuals," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-12, August.
    4. Sujin Park & Eunsoo Kim & Geonwoo Kim & Soojin Kim & Yeji Choi & Domyung Paek, 2022. "What Activities in Forests Are Beneficial for Human Health? A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-29, February.
    5. Agnes Peterfalvi & Matyas Meggyes & Lilla Makszin & Nelli Farkas & Eva Miko & Attila Miseta & Laszlo Szereday, 2021. "Forest Bathing Always Makes Sense: Blood Pressure-Lowering and Immune System-Balancing Effects in Late Spring and Winter in Central Europe," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-19, February.
    6. Sus Sola Corazon & Ulrik Sidenius & Dorthe Varning Poulsen & Marie Christoffersen Gramkow & Ulrika Karlsson Stigsdotter, 2019. "Psycho-Physiological Stress Recovery in Outdoor Nature-Based Interventions: A Systematic Review of the Past Eight Years of Research," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-21, May.
    7. Ernest Bielinis & Jenni Simkin & Pasi Puttonen & Liisa Tyrväinen, 2020. "Effect of Viewing Video Representation of the Urban Environment and Forest Environment on Mood and Level of Procrastination," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(14), pages 1-23, July.
    8. Chorong Song & Harumi Ikei & Yoshifumi Miyazaki, 2016. "Physiological Effects of Nature Therapy: A Review of the Research in Japan," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-17, August.
    9. Chorong Song & Harumi Ikei & Takahide Kagawa & Yoshifumi Miyazaki, 2019. "Effects of Walking in a Forest on Young Women," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-12, January.
    10. Margaret M. Hansen & Reo Jones & Kirsten Tocchini, 2017. "Shinrin-Yoku (Forest Bathing) and Nature Therapy: A State-of-the-Art Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-48, July.
    11. Francesco Meneguzzo & Lorenzo Albanese & Giorgio Bartolini & Federica Zabini, 2019. "Temporal and Spatial Variability of Volatile Organic Compounds in the Forest Atmosphere," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-24, December.
    12. Don-Gak Lee & Mi-Mi Lee & Young-Mi Jeong & Jin-Gun Kim & Yung-Kyoon Yoon & Won-Sop Shin, 2021. "Influence of Forest Visitors’ Perceived Restorativeness on Social–Psychological Stress," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-14, June.
    13. Ji-Eun Baek & Jin-Hwa Jung & Ho-Jin Shin & Sung-Hyeon Kim & Si-Yoon Sung & Su-Jin Park & Suk-Chan Hahm & Hwi-Young Cho & Min-Goo Lee, 2022. "Effects of Forest Healing Anti-Aging Program on Psychological, Physiological, and Physical Health of Older People with Mild Cognitive Impairment," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(8), pages 1-17, April.
    14. Norimasa Takayama & Takeshi Morikawa & Kazuko Koga & Yoichi Miyazaki & Kenichi Harada & Keiko Fukumoto & Yuji Tsujiki, 2022. "Exploring the Physiological and Psychological Effects of Digital Shinrin-Yoku and Its Characteristics as a Restorative Environment," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-18, January.
    15. Chorong Song & Harumi Ikei & Bum-Jin Park & Juyoung Lee & Takahide Kagawa & Yoshifumi Miyazaki, 2018. "Psychological Benefits of Walking through Forest Areas," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-10, December.
    16. Hyeyun Kim & Jayoung Kim & Hyo Jin Ju & Bong Jin Jang & Tae Kyu Wang & Yeong In Kim, 2020. "Effect of Forest Therapy for Menopausal Women with Insomnia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-8, September.
    17. Chorong Song & Harumi Ikei & Yoshifumi Miyazaki, 2018. "Physiological Effects of Visual Stimulation with Forest Imagery," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-11, January.
    18. Susan L. Prescott & Alan C. Logan, 2016. "Transforming Life: A Broad View of the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease Concept from an Ecological Justice Perspective," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-44, November.
    19. Yuqian Wang & Huahong Qu & Tong Bai & Qibing Chen & Xi Li & Zhenghua Luo & Bingyang Lv & Mingyan Jiang, 2021. "Effects of Variations in Color and Organ of Color Expression in Urban Ornamental Bamboo Landscapes on the Physiological and Psychological Responses of College Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(3), pages 1-19, January.
    20. Jin Gun Kim & Jinyoung Jeon & Won Sop Shin, 2021. "The Influence of Forest Activities in a University Campus Forest on Student’s Psychological Effects," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-16, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:3:p:1231-:d:730988. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.