A Pragmatic Controlled Trial of Forest Bathing Compared with Compassionate Mind Training in the UK: Impacts on Self-Reported Wellbeing and Heart Rate Variability

Forest Bathing, where individuals use mindfulness to engage with nature, has been reported increase heart rate variability and benefit wellbeing. To date, most Bathing studies have conducted in Asia. Accordingly, this paper reports the first pragmatic controlled trial of United Kingdom, comparing a control comprising an established wellbeing intervention also known called Compassionate Mind Training. Sixty-one university staff students (50 females, 11 males) were allocated (i) (ii) Training or (iii) combined Wellbeing measured at baseline, post-intervention three-months follow-up. There improvements positive emotions, mood disturbance, rumination, nature connection compassion 57% participants showed variability. no significant differences between conditions, showing that had equivalence intervention. The findings will help healthcare providers policy makers understand effects implement it as feasible social prescription improve Future research needs involve clinical populations assess fully powered randomised trial.