Physiologically relaxing effect of a hospital rooftop forest on older women requiring care.

摘要

To the Editor: Nature is believed to restore the human body and mind because humans have evolved in close association with it. Miyazaki proposed that "The human body is thus made to adapt to nature." Indoor or field studies on forest bathing (taking in the forest atmosphere) have helped in investigating whether the "natural environment" restores the human body and mind and repairs a suppressed immune system/The "medical environment," which should promote health, is generally closed off and distant from nature, but recent developments in rooftop planting technology have made it possible to plant a high density of trees and to create undulations similar to those of a natural forest. A rooftop forest was constructed in the southwest of the rooftop of a three-story healthcare institute. It is made of artificial lightweight planting bases, but natural plants have been planted (122 m2, undulations of 140 cm). Many kinds of insects inhabit it, and various birds visit. The control area was an outdoor car park area (170 m~2).