Examining the effect of terpene exposure on stress-related outcomes in adults

Abstract

Nature contact has been shown to improve psychological and physiological stress-related outcomes, although the underlying mechanisms are less understood. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of terpene exposure on stress-related outcomes in adults following a seated forest exposure. In a double-blind, randomized crossover trial, participants were exposed to a seated forest intervention with terpenes filtered out of the air and an identical session without the filtration of terpenes. The sessions were separated by an eight-day washout period. The primary outcome measured was the high frequency (HF) component of heart rate variability (HRV). Secondary outcomes included measures of blood pressure, skin conductance levels, heart rate, self-reported stress and affect, and levels of inflammatory cytokines in serum. Outcomes were measured via mobile physiology equipment, self-report questionnaires, and serum samples. This is the first study to investigate the effect of terpene exposure during a seated forest exposure in adults in a randomized crossover trial and furthers scientific understanding of the role that olfactory stimuli and terpene exposure play in the multisensory pathways that link well-being and forest exposure.