Past research has shown evidence that the forest environment bring forth a range of positive health benefits including stress reduction and improvement of depression and anxiety. Singapore is one of the only two cities in the world with a rainforest within the city. Blessed with this natural resource, it is unfortunate that we are yet to utilize it to its maximum potential.

The Nature and Mindful Awareness Study (NaMAS) conducted by Mind Science Centre is a qualitative study on the impact of mindful walking in the rainforest on physical, mental, and social health (Chong, Kua & Wee, 2020).

Importance of Nature and the Rainforest

Singapore is reinventing itself as a ‘city in nature’. There is now great interest in how nature can impact the population’s wellbeing.

Mind Science Centre embarked on a project to evaluate the benefits of therapeutic horticulture and therapeutic rainforest on the well-being of the population. Previous studies have shown that taking walks in forested areas and taking walks in the city (with little or no greenery) produce different responses in the brain. Walks in natural settings are associated with significantly reduced activity in the prefrontal area, thus suggesting improved cognitive function (Chong, 2020).

As for therapeutic horticulture, our research found that the intervention promotes physical and mental health, and helps participants develop a personal relationship with nature. Participants also maintained healthy sleep, psychological health and showed improved cognitive functioning over time (Sia et al., 2020). Read more on therapeutic horticulture here.

To find out more on how nature can improve our wellbeing and resilience, also read our book titled Nature. Health. Happiness.

Therapeutic Rainforest: Nature and Mindful Awareness Study (NaMAS)

This pilot study involved a group of retirees who were invited to participate in a guided mindful walk through the Singapore Botanic Gardens rainforest over 10 weekends.

Each session was led by a guide from the National Parks Board (NParks) who helped participants identify the flora and fauna found throughout the rainforest. This was crucial as these guides helped participants to appreciate the botanical abundance, as well as their historical background, medicinal usage, and importance to Singapore’s diverse culture.

Following the walks, participants would come together at a nearby café to socialise. Some time was also allotted for participants to lead short talks on their topic of interest (Chong et al., 2020). 

Why Mindful Walking?

Being “healthy” is not just based on physical wellbeing and the absence of disease. In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as the physical, social, and mental well-being of humanity.

Our Rainforest Mindful Walking programme is designed to target all 3 components. First, exercise, in this case walking, is an important determinant of physical health. Secondly, mindfulness practice has been found to improve mental health. Lastly, walking with a group of people promotes social connectivity and thus social well-being (Chong et al., 2020).

Research found Improvements in All 3 Aspects of Health

Following 10 weeks of mindful walking through the rainforest, participants reported improvements in common physical issues including backache and high blood pressure. Mental health assessments also found improvements in sleep quality and anxiety scores following the sessions. In addition, the group reported increased social connectedness with an improved sense of empathy, belonging, and positivity. 

Interestingly, above improvements in their overall health, participants also showed increased interest in the rainforest and the need to conserve nature for future generations. This was followed by a generous donation to NParks to plant more trees in Singapore (Kua, Wee, Siah & Goh, 2022).

Similar findings were also found when the intervention was implemented on undergraduate students. These findings suggest that Rainforest Mindful Walking can be an effective intervention for both youth and the elderly. In addition, our research also shows that the implementation of such programmes may also have an impact on conserving the rainforest and preventing global warming (Siah, Kua & Goh, 2022).

Extending the Research to our Age Well Everyday (AWE) Programme

Age Well Everyday (AWE) is the translation of our Jurong Ageing Study, a 10-year longitudinal research on dementia and depression prevention. AWE holistically encompasses a series of community activities for seniors to engage in active ageing, including:

• Health education
• Mindfulness practice
• Art and music reminiscence
• Gardening
• Choral Singing
• Exercise

With promising results from this pilot study, Rainforest Mindful Walking will soon be added to that list of activities. Learn more about our Age Well Everyday (AWE) programme here.

References 

Chong, V., Kua, E. H., Wee, S. T. (2020). Nature and Mindful Awareness Study: Fostering Physical, Mental and Social Health. In E. H. Kua, V. Chong, A. Sia, J. Kua (Eds.), Nature. Health. Happiness: Enhancing Well-being and Mental Resilience (pp. 123-135). Write Editions. 

Chong, V., (2020). Therapeutic Rainforest: Restorative Effect of Greenery. In E. H. Kua, V. Chong, A. Sia, J. Kua (Eds.), Nature. Health. Happiness: Enhancing Well-being and Mental Resilience (pp. 123-135). Write Editions.

Sia, A., Tam, W. W. S., Fogel, A., Kua, E. H., Khoo, K., & Ho, R. C. M. (2020). Nature-based activities improve the well-being of older adults. Scientific Reports, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-74828-w

Siah, C.-J. R., Kua, E. H., & Goh, Y.-S. S. (2022). The impact of restorative green environment on mental health of big cities and the role of mental health professionals. Current Opinion in Psychiatry, Publish Ahead of Print. https://doi.org/10.1097/yco.0000000000000778

Kua, E. H., Wee, G. H., Siah, R. , Goh, S. (2022). Therapeutic Rainforest. In E. H. Kua & R. Mahendran (Eds.), Ageing with Dignity: A 10-year Study on Positive Ageing and Dementia Prevention in Singapore (pp. 39-42). Write Editions.