Relax under a big tree

Relax under a big tree

Consciously relax the mind

Sit facing the opposite direction on a bench under a big tree, with a huge tree in front of you.

This kind of thing gives me a skin feeling that replenishes my energy.

Scientifically speaking, the biggest factor is low carbon dioxide concentration.

Ventilating the room doesn't make it as bad as outdoors.

[I smell grass.

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Green Leaf Volatiles (GLVs) such as cis-3-hexen-1-ol/cis-3-hexenal in "the smell of freshly cut grass" have been reported in animal and small-scale human studies to reduce anxiety and stress indices, suppress heart rate and blood pressure responses, reduce fatigue, and conserve attention resources, including changes in brain waves (P300). In animal and small-scale human studies, "Green Leaf Volatiles (GLVs)" such as cis-3-hexen-1-ol/cis-3-hexenal have been reported to reduce anxiety and stress indicators, suppress heart rate and blood pressure responses, reduce fatigue, and conserve attention resources, including changes in brain waves (P300).

However, the number of subjects is on the scale of 10 to several dozen, and there are almost no blinded, long-term studies. The strength of the evidence is "limited" due to the large number of other factors such as "feeling of safety in the forest/park.

It is best to understand that "taking a deep breath on the lawn for a change of pace will refresh your mind"-at present, science does not "completely deny" this.

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Immediate physiological relaxation responses such as parasympathetic dominance, decreased prefrontal cortex activity, and improved heart rate variability (HRV) have been reproducibly observed when viewing visually large trees (tall trees, wide canopy).

Subjective stress, anxiety, and mood also significantly improved. Several reports indicate that the effect is greater in areas with higher tree canopy coverage and in landscapes with more mature trees.

There is some classic but suggestive clinical data on very long-term mental health/recovery effects, such as the 1984 Hospital Windowscape study, but the strength of evidence is moderate at this time.

Scientific evidence generally supports the idea that "seeing a large tree relaxes us. In particular, mature, tall trees tend to be more restorative, suggesting that it is worthwhile to incorporate a "visual big tree" into your daily life.

Even 5 to 15 minutes of "gazing blankly" at a tall tree with a thick trunk and leaves that cut off a moderate amount of sky can be expected to improve autonomic indices.

You don't have to go directly to the forest to confirm the effect of the video alone.

Benefits of working in the park while breathing "phytoncide"

table:_

Immediate effect Change in key indicators Typical observation time

Stress relief HF-HRV↑, LF/HF↓, pulse/blood pressure↓ 10-20 min seated, deep breathing

Attention and work efficiency Prefrontal cortex Oxy-Hb↓ (suppression of brain hyperarousal), P300 amplitude↓ 10 min spontaneous viewing + inhalation

Immunostimulation NK cell activity↑ (effect remains for several days to 1 month) 2-night forest bathing is a typical test setting

In addition to the visual effect of simply looking at the scenery, inhalation of phytoncide (α-pinene, limonene, etc.) is reported to increase the amount of effect on the autonomic nervous and immune systems by about 1.3 times.

Giant trees vs. reachable cherry trees - which is a better source of phytoncide?

table:_

Comparative axis Huge tall trees (e.g. cedar, zelkova, etc.) Low cherry trees (e.g. Prunus serrulata)

Leaves and resin volume Leaves, trunk, and resin volume overwhelmingly high, total emission large Total volume low, but leaves and flowers close to face height

Main components α-pinene and β-pinene abundant (especially in conifers) α-pinene dominant during flowering season, but low divergence throughout the year

Concentration distribution Maximum concentration at 1 m around the trunk and just below the canopy (not easily diffused to the sky) Locally high concentration within 30 cm from the trunk

Physical environment Sunlight cut and temperature stabilization = Suitable for long hours of work Limited to season when pollen and fragrance are strong. In summer, radiant heat tends to remain.

Stable microclimate and low thermal stress.

The total emission is high and the concentration is stable.

Instantaneous concentration is high because it can be inhaled at close range of the face.

During the blooming season, it is rich in fragrant ingredients and is good for a change of pace.

In both cases, a parasympathetic predominant physiological response is initiated within 10-20 minutes, which is useful for warming up before work and resetting after prolonged concentration.

Include 5 deep abdominal breaths every 5 minutes (diffusion efficiency to olfactory epithelium ↑).

Every 30 minutes, the patient lightly stands up, circles the perimeter, and sits down again to reset both blood flow and odor.

Immediately after the rain, terpenes are temporarily washed away and decline, so aim for a sunny day a few hours later.

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