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Articles

Effects of forest bathing (shinrin-yoku) on individual well-being: an umbrella review

ORCID Icon, ORCID Icon, , ORCID Icon, ORCID Icon &
Pages 1842-1867 | Received 10 Mar 2021, Accepted 15 Apr 2021, Published online: 28 Apr 2021
 

ABSTRACT

The aim of this review was to outline the most relevant benefits of forest bathing for well-being promotion. This study was designed as an umbrella literature review. Medline (via PubMed), EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, Scopus, PsycINFO, CINAHL and the DOAJ were systematically searched for relevant reviews up to February 2021. After article selection, 16 systematic reviews met inclusion criteria. Overall, the best available evidence supports the use of forest bathing as a complementary practice for the promotion of psychophysical well-being, whereas evidence for its use as a therapeutic practice for the improvement of organic diseases needs to grow before clear and specific clinical indications can be formulated. The positive impact of forest bathing on individual quality of life, along with its favorable cost-effectiveness profile, may justify its possible adoption for public health strategies of well-being promotion. Further investigations on the topic are advised.

Disclosure statement

No potential competing interest was reported by the authors.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed here.

Additional information

Funding

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors

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