Enhancing Sleep and Reducing Occupational Stress Through Forest Therapy: A Comparative Study Across Job Groups

Area of Science:

• Environmental psychology
• Occupational health
• Therapeutic interventions

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic significantly altered work environments, increasing telecommuting and occupational stress.
• Healthcare providers experienced heightened risks and workplace challenges due to the pandemic.
• This study addresses the need for effective stress-relief strategies in the evolving post-pandemic workplace.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of forest therapy in mitigating work-related stress among diverse professional groups.
• To explore the potential for profession-specific stress-reduction techniques in the post-pandemic era.
• To investigate the impact of forest therapy on sleep quality, anxiety, and depression levels.

Main Methods:

• Sixty-two participants (20 healthcare providers, 21 IT specialists, 21 teachers) were enrolled.
• Sleep quality, anxiety, and depression were assessed using validated scales (e.g., Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale).
• Salivary cortisol and melatonin levels were measured; a forest healing program was implemented, followed by statistical analysis (paired t-tests, repeated measures ANOVA).

Main Results:

• The forest therapy program led to significant improvements in sleep quality, depression scores, and overall stress levels.
• Physiological markers showed an increase in melatonin and a decrease in cortisol, with cortisol changes being statistically significant.
• While teachers showed minimal physiological stress changes during school vacations, the program offered broad health benefits across all professions and genders.

Conclusions:

• Forest therapy demonstrated comparable stress reduction benefits across various professions, including healthcare, IT, and teaching.
• Individual physiological responses appear to be more influential in stress relief outcomes than the specific occupation.
• The findings support forest therapy as a universally applicable intervention for occupational stress management.