Forest Walking Affects Autonomic Nervous Activity: A Population-Based Study

Area of Science:

• Physiology
• Environmental Health
• Psychophysiology

Background:

• Autonomic nervous system (ANS) regulation is crucial for health.
• Forest environments are increasingly recognized for their health benefits.
• Understanding the physiological impact of nature exposure is vital.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effect of walking in forest environments on autonomic nervous activity.
• To analyze the distribution characteristics of heart rate variability (HRV) indicators.
• To compare the physiological responses to walking in forests versus urban areas.

Main Methods:

• Collected heart rate variability (HRV) data from 485 male participants during ~15-minute walks.
• Recorded data in 57 forest and 57 urban locations across Japan.
• Calculated parasympathetic (lnHF) and sympathetic (ln(LF/HF)) indicators from HRV.

Main Results:

• Significant differences in means and medians of lnHF and ln(LF/HF) between forest and urban walks.
• 65.2% showed increased parasympathetic activity (lnHF) and 67.0% showed decreased sympathetic activity (ln(LF/HF)) in forests.
• The response to walking in forests differs from viewing forest landscapes.

Conclusions:

• Walking in forest environments modulates autonomic nervous activity.
• The physiological effects of active engagement (walking) differ from passive observation (viewing).
• Forest walking offers a distinct pathway to influence the autonomic nervous system.