Supplements

Forest bathing reduces perceived stress and improves sleep quality in healthy young adults compared with urban exposure

In a randomized crossover trial, forest bathing significantly reduced perceived stress (PSS from 22.3 to 20.7) and mood disturbance (POMS from 104.6 to 93.2), and improved sleep quality (SRSS from 20.5 to 18.0) and insomnia severity (AIS from 6.2 to 4.8), whereas urban exposure showed no comparable improvements. Modest reductions in white blood cell count, fasting glucose, and triglycerides were also observed after forest bathing.

Last updated: Aug 28, 2026•1 RCTs•📖 Read as article →

Evidence Score

Evidence Score44/100
Human RCT★★☆☆☆
Meta-analysis☆☆☆☆☆
Mechanism★★★★★
Safety★★★★☆
Confidencelow

Study Evidence

Study 1. Short-term effects of urban versus forest bathing on stress, mood, sleep, immune function, and metabolic health: a randomized, open-label, 2 × 2 crossover trial.

observational

Dai X, Liao D, Ouyang J, Xiao H, Tian Z, Qiu L, Yang J, Wang H, Gong D, Li Z, Wang X, Xu Y, Fang X, Tan J, Huang M, Zhou B, Peng H, Peng Y, Wu Q · Environmental health and preventive medicine (2026)

Participants: N/A
Duration: Not specified (short-term, with 1-week washout between exposures)
Intervention: Forest bathing (walking 2.5 km twice daily in a forest environment) versus urban walking (same distance in an urban environment), with a 1-week washout period
Outcome: Perceived stress (PSS), mood disturbance (POMS), sleep quality (SRSS), insomnia severity (AIS), immune parameters (white blood cell count, leukocyte subsets), metabolic markers (fasting glucose, triglycerides, DHEA-S)
Effect Size: N/A (not reported in abstract)
Population: Healthy young adults (36 participants) in a low-latitude region

Result:

PubMed: 42649025DOI: 10.1265/ehpm.26-00092

Mechanism Graph

Forest environment exposure (walking 2.5 km twice daily)
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Reduced psychological stress and mood disturbance
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Improved sleep quality and reduced insomnia severity
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Modest reductions in white blood cell count, glucose, and triglycerides

Limitations

  • ⚠Open-label design (no blinding) may introduce bias
  • ⚠Short-term exposure only; clinical significance of biological changes unclear
  • ⚠Single geographic region (low-latitude) limits generalizability

Frequently Asked Questions

What is forest bathing?▼

Forest bathing (shinrin-yoku) is a practice of spending time in a forest environment, often involving mindful walking, to promote health and well-being.

How long were the walks in this study?▼

Participants walked 2.5 km twice daily in each environment (forest or urban) for the duration of each exposure period.

Did forest bathing affect sleep quality?▼

Yes, forest bathing significantly improved sleep quality (SRSS score decreased from 20.5 to 18.0) and reduced insomnia severity (AIS score decreased from 6.2 to 4.8).

Were there any physiological changes?▼

Yes, modest reductions in total white blood cell count, fasting glucose, and triglycerides were observed after forest bathing, but values remained within physiological ranges.

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References

  1. 1.Dai X, Liao D, Ouyang J, Xiao H, Tian Z, Qiu L, Yang J, Wang H, Gong D, Li Z, Wang X, Xu Y, Fang X, Tan J, Huang M, Zhou B, Peng H, Peng Y, Wu Q. "Short-term effects of urban versus forest bathing on stress, mood, sleep, immune function, and metabolic health: a randomized, open-label, 2 × 2 crossover trial.." Environmental health and preventive medicine, 2026. PMID: 42649025 DOI: 10.1265/ehpm.26-00092
Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Evidence scores reflect the quality and quantity of available research, not clinical recommendations. Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any supplement or intervention.