Nature and human well-being: The olfactory pathway.

The world is undergoing massive atmospheric and ecological change, driving unprecedented challenges to human well-being. Olfaction is a key sensory system through which these impacts occur. The sense of smell influences quality of and satisfaction with life, emotion, emotion regulation, cognitive function, social interactions, dietary choices, stress, and depressive symptoms.

Motivating young adults to connect with nature for stress relief: A study in Taiwan during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is known exposure to and connectedness with nature is beneficial for psychological wellbeing and stress relief. However, many factors hinder people, including young adults, from utilizing natural resources for healing. The present study indicates using a motivational enhancement approach and additional motivational elements in public messaging to address ambivalence toward nature exposure successfully results in favorable impacts on belief, intention, recall of positive nature elements, and perceived stress.

Exploring the Potential Relationship Between Global Greenness and DALY Loss Due to Depressive Disorders.

Objective: Prior studies have shown that greenness can reduce the burden of depressive disorders. However, most were focused on local-scale analyses while limited evaluated globally. We aimed to investigate the association between greenness and the burden of depressive disorders using data from 183 countries worldwide.

The Role of Social Context in Physiological and Psychological Restoration in a Forest: Case Study of a Guided Forest Therapy Program in Taiwan.

Existing studies have demonstrated the restorative benefits of being in forests. However, most studies have designed participants to engage individually in forest walking and viewing, which neglects the social aspect of conversation. Researchers suggested that social context should be studied in order to have a better understanding how forests foster human health.

An Actual Natural Setting Improves Mood Better Than Its Virtual Counterpart: A Meta-Analysis of Experimental Data.

Accumulating evidence indicates that simulated natural settings can engage mechanisms that promote health. Simulations offer alternatives to actual natural settings for populations unable to travel outdoors safely; however, few studies have contrasted the effects of simulations of natural settings to their actual outdoor counterparts. We compared the impacts of simulated and actual natural settings on positive and negative affect (mood) levels using a pooled sample of participants enrolled in extant experimental studies.

The Effect of Leisure Activity Diversity and Exercise Time on the Prevention of Depression in the Middle-Aged and Elderly Residents of Taiwan.

Previous studies have confirmed that activity participation is beneficial to mental health, but few studies focus on older adults' depression. Based on the theory of social integration, this study examined the effects of leisure activity diversity and exercise time on depression in late adulthood. Subjects in the 2011 Survey of Health and Living Status of the Middle-Aged and Elderly in Taiwan were extracted.

Effects of Short Forest Bathing Program on Autonomic Nervous System Activity and Mood States in Middle-Aged and Elderly Individuals.

The present study investigated changes in autonomic nervous system activity and emotions after a short (2 h) forest bathing program in the Xitou Nature Education Area (XNEA), Taiwan. One hundred and twenty-eight (60.0 ± 7.