Urban Nature Experiences Reduce Stress in the Context of Daily Life Based on Salivary Biomarkers
Urban Nature Experiences Reduce Stress in the Context of Daily Life Based on Salivary Biomarkers
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DOI：
10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00722
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发表时间：
2019-04-04
影响因子：
3.8
通讯作者：
Chen, Sophie Yu-Pu
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Hunter, MaryCarol R.;Gillespie, Brenda W.;Chen, Sophie Yu-Pu
通过与自然接触来减少应力是公认的，但对接触参数--持续时间、频率和自然质量--的贡献知之甚少。这项研究描述了自然体验（NE）的持续时间与压力的两个生理生物标志物-唾液皮质醇和α-淀粉酶的变化之间的关系。这是第一项采用长期重复测量评估的研究，也是第一项评估，其中研究参与者可以根据个人偏好和不断变化的日常安排自由选择一天中的时间、持续时间和NE的位置。在为期8周的研究期间，36名城市居民被要求有一个NE，定义为花费时间在户外的地方，带来了与自然接触的感觉，每周至少三次，持续时间为10分钟或更长。他们的目标是在服用天然药丸的不可预测的机会的背景下遵守。参与者在研究期间的四个时间点提供了NE前后的唾液样本。之前NE样品建立了每个应力指标的昼夜轨迹，这些都符合更严格控制的实验结果。对于唾液皮质醇，NE产生了21.3%/小时的下降超过了激素的11.7%的昼夜下降。每一次消耗的自然药丸的效率是最大的20和30分钟之间，之后的好处继续积累，但在减少的速度。对于唾液α-淀粉酶，在调整其3.5%/h的日间上升后，有28.1%/h的下降，但仅适用于最不活跃的坐着或坐着走路的参与者。活动类型不影响皮质醇反应。这种基于自然的恢复的适应性管理研究的方法在解决正常日常生活中测量有效自然剂量的一些复杂性方面开辟了新天地，同时绕过了临床药理学剂量反应研究的局限性。结果提供了一个有效的起点，为医疗保健从业者处方自然丸那些在他们的照顾。鉴于城市化的扩大和医疗成本的上升，这一调查是及时的。
Stress reduction through contact with nature is well established, but far less is known about the contribution of contact parameters - duration, frequency, and nature quality. This study describes the relationship between duration of a nature experience (NE), and changes in two physiological biomarkers of stress - salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase. It is the first study to employ long-term, repeated-measure assessment and the first evaluation wherein study participants are free to choose the time of day, duration, and the place of a NE in response to personal preference and changing daily schedules. During an 8-week study period, 36 urban dwellers were asked to have a NE, defined as spending time in an outdoor place that brings a sense of contact with nature, at least three times a week for a duration of 10 min or more. Their goal was compliance within the context of unpredictable opportunity for taking a nature pill. Participants provided saliva samples before and after a NE at four points over the study period. Before-NE samples established the diurnal trajectory of each stress indicator and these were in line with published outcomes of more closely controlled experiments. For salivary cortisol, an NE produced a 21.3%/hour drop beyond that of the hormone's 11.7% diurnal drop. The efficiency of a nature pill per time expended was greatest between 20 and 30 min, after which benefits continued to accrue, but at a reduced rate. For salivary alpha-amylase, there was a 28.1%/h drop after adjusting for its diurnal rise of 3.5%/h, but only for participants that were least active sitting or sitting with some walking. Activity type did not influence cortisol response. The methods for this adaptive management study of nature-based restoration break new ground in addressing some complexities of measuring an effective nature dose in the context of normal daily life, while bypassing the limitations of a clinical pharmacology dose-response study. The results provide a validated starting point for healthcare practitioners prescribing a nature pill to those in their care. This line of inquiry is timely in light of expanding urbanization and rising healthcare costs.