Experiencing Forest Therapy in the Italian Landscape: Bathing in the Selva of Castelfidardo

Abstract

Giovanna Borriello, Elisa Grazioli, Paolo Zavarella, Roberto Paolini Antonio Ianniello, Dario Silvestri,Claudia Cerulli, Eliana Tranchita and Attilio Parisi

Background: according to several evidence, forest environmental seems able to provide beneficial effects on functional and psychological parameters, related to cardiovascular, metabolic, respiratory functions as well depression and anxiety. Methods: the aim of this study is to investigate the effect of a one-day forest walking in the Selva of Castelfidardo (AN, Italy) on 37 participants aged 21-68, most of them living in either urban or suburban areas of large cities.
Results: we observed a statistically significant effect on sympathicovagal balance by the means of heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, body temperature, skin temperature, skin conductance, heart rate variability parameters (AVNN, SDNN, rMSSD, pNN50, LF, HF, LF/HF ratio), oxygen oximetry, PEF, FEV1. A significant difference was also detected on the Perceived Stress Scale responses (19.27 pre vs 13.81 post-immersion, p=<0,05; -28,3% variation).
Conclusion: our data contribute to increase the body of literature about the effect of forest walking, adding data on an Italian area assigned to forest bathing

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