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Nature therapy, sometimes referred to as ecotherapy, describes a broad group of techniques or treatments with the intention of improving an individual's mental or physical health, specifically with an individual's presence within nature or outdoor surroundings. Nature Therapy is a broader term than related forest bathing or Shinrin-Yoku, describing the practice that combines a range of exercises and tasks in an outdoor environment. Garden therapy, horticultural therapy, Kneipp therapy, or even ocean therapy may be viewed as forms of nature therapy.

History
In a crowded urban capital of Persia 2500 years ago, Cyrus the Great recognized the need to increase human health and create a feeling of "calm". In response, he planted a garden in the middle of the city.

Horticultural programs were created in 1918 in hopes of helping veterans with PTSD. Today there are many options for veterans to use nature therapy.

Shinrin-yoku(森林浴), which literally means forest bathing, originated in Japan in the early 1980s and may be regarded as a form of nature therapy. In Japan, Shinrin-yoku has been established across all prefectures with more than 60 Forest Therapy Camps by the end of 2016.

Investigations on the physiological effects that result from being in a forest began in Japan in 1990 and continue today.

In the late 1990s a pseudoscientific variant called "earthing" or "grounding" started to be marketed under the notion that the earth functions as an electrical ground for people. It was also suggested that touching the earth provides an array of health benefits based on an incorrect understanding of antioxidant activity.

Howard Clinebell coined the term "ecotherapy" in 1996.

In 2007, measurements of the concentrations of hemoglobin in the prefrontal cortex were taken using near-infrared time-resolved spectroscopy that showed lower concentration when walking through a forest area rather than a city area.

The Process of Nature Therapy

 * 1) Stressed State: A person is in a state of physical or emotional stress.
 * 2) Restorative Effects of Nature: The person spends time in nature, resulting in improvements in physiological relaxation and the immune function recovery response.
 * 3) Evidence-Based Medicine(EBM): Nature directly increases the parasympathetic nervous system and heightens awareness, causing relaxation.

Health Effects
A 2012 systematic review study showed inconclusive results related to methodological issues across the literature.[2] Subsequently, a 2017 systematic review of the benefits of spending time in forests demonstrated positive health effects, but not enough to generate clinical practice guidelines or demonstrate causality.[3] Many individual studies do promote health benefits of forest therapy or forest bathing.[4] In general, many medical practitioners recommend a presence in the outdoors, as spending time outdoors is thought to provide relief from ailments like depression, stress, or anxiety.[5]

It is thought that engaging in nature therapy can improve your overall state of relaxation, provide practitioners with a new sense of self or alternative perspective, and more.[1]

Nature therapy can reduce the following factors: stress or anxious sensations, anger, and depression or depressive attitude.[1] Nature therapy can increase factors such as a person's overall sense of self-esteem or confidence and what can be defined as emotional resilience.[1]

Spending time in nature improves a person’s immune system, cardiovascular system, and respiratory systems. Nature therapy can provide emotional healing, decrease blood pressure, improve a person’s general sleep-wake cycle, improve relationship skills, reduces stress, and reduce aggression.

Forms of Nature (Eco) Therapy
Note: I will be making no changes to this section

Reasons for the Success of the Practice
While there are other forms of therapy that can be successful in helping with issues related to mental health, nature therapy is thought to be helpful to patients due to four main principles: natural and social connectivity, stimulation of the senses, activities (or exercise), and an escape from reality.


 * Natural and Social connectivity: actions such as visiting places that you have connections with from the past, bonding with pets, and surrounding oneself with family.
 * Stimulation of the senses: surroundings oneself with the colors, sounds, views, and lighting from nature.
 * Activities (or exercise): applying oneself to learning new things and performing manual tasks.


 * An escape from reality: spending time with family and spending time alone to clear the head.

Note: I did not write the original paragraph. I just explained the four principles that they put up there.