Enhancing Sleep and Reducing Occupational Stress Through Forest Therapy: A Comparative Study Across Job Groups

• 발행기관: 대한신경정신의학회
• 저자명: Juhye Kweon Yunsoo Kim Heeyong Choi Wooyoung Im Hyeyun Kim
• 간행물 정보: 『Psychiatry Investigation』제21권 제10호, 1120~1128쪽, 전체 9쪽
• 주제분류: 의약학 > 정신과학
• 파일형태: PDF
• 발행일자: 2024.10.31

국문 초록

Objective The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic radically shifted occupational patterns, leading to increased telecommuting and related stressors. Healthcare providers, among the most impacted group, faced heightened risks and workplace changes. Our study examined the efficacy of forest therapy in alleviating work-induced stress across various professions, exploring the need for profession-specific stress-relief strategies in the post-pandemic workplace. Methods To examine the impact of COVID-19 on professionals, 62 participants were recruited, consisting of 20 healthcare providers, 21 information technology (IT) specialists, and 21 teachers. Instruments such as Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, along with salivary tests for cortisol and melatonin, were used to assess the participants’ sleep and stress levels. A specialized forest healing program was implemented among these participants. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS Win Ver. 22.0, utilizing paired t-tests and a repeated measures analysis of variance. Results Significant improvements were observed in the participants’ sleep metrics, depression scales, and stress levels after the forest healing program. Physiological measures indicated an increase in melatonin and a decline in cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate levels, with only cortisol changes being statistically significant. Teachers, participating during school vacations, exhibited minimal stress-related physiological changes. Overall, the program demonstrated widespread health benefits regardless of occupation or gender. Conclusion This study showed that forest therapy reduced stress equally across professions, including healthcare providers, IT specialists, and teachers. Individual physiological responses may play a greater role in stress relief than the specific occupation.

목차

INTRODUCTION

METHODS

RESULTS

DISCUSSION

REFERENCES

키워드

Forest healing programs Sleep quality Occupational stress Work-life balance