TY - JOUR PY - 2015// TI - Acute effects of exposure to a traditional rural environment on urban dwellers: a crossover field study in terraced farmland JO - International journal of environmental research and public health A1 - Lee, Juyoung A1 - Park, Bum-Jin A1 - Ohira, Tatsuro A1 - Kagawa, Takahide A1 - Miyazaki, Yoshifumi SP - 1874 EP - 1893 VL - 12 IS - 2 N2 - Despite an increasing attention and public preference for rural amenities, little evidence is available on the health benefits of a rural environment. In this study, we identified physiological and psychological benefits of exposure to a rural environment using multiparametric methods. Twelve young male adults participated in a 3-day field experiment (mean ± standard deviation age, 22.3 ± 1.3 years). Sleeping environment, diet program, physical activities, and other factors possibly affecting physiological responses were controlled during experiment period. For all participants, salivary cortisol concentration, heart rate variability, and blood pressure were measured at rural and urban field sites. Self-evaluation questionnaires were administered to analyze the psychological states in two different environments. Volatile compounds in the air were also analyzed to investigate air quality. The data were compared between rural and urban environments. The data showed that exposure to a rural environment reduced stress hormone secretion and sympathetic nervous activity and increased parasympathetic nervous activity. Short-term exposure to a rural environment also improved mood states. Our findings indicate that exposure to a rural environment effectively reduced physiological stress and enhanced psychological well-being.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 1661-7827 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph120201874 ID - ref1 ER -