A Spa-resort Tour in Japan Relieves Mental and Physical Stress and Corrects Serum Cortisol Levels / 日本温泉気候物理医学会雑誌
The Journal of The Japanese Society of Balneology, Climatology and Physical Medicine
; : 70-77, 2019.
Article
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| WPRIM
| ID: wpr-758106
Responsable en Bibliothèque :
WPRO
ABSTRACT
Objective: Beppu city is a world-famous resort. Spa bathing has been reported to yield psychophysiological relaxation. Beppu city office planned a health-promoting tour including spa-bathing activities in Beppu for the aging population, which is growing rapidly in Japan. This tour provided spa-bathing experiences, walks through urban districts where old townscapes remain, yoga, mountain hikes and shrine visits. We investigated whether such a short tour brought about a detectable medical effect toward health promotion for the elderly. Methods: Twenty applicants (mean age: 67.7±3.5 years; male, n=9 [mean age, 68.9±2.9 years]; female, n=11 [mean age, 66.7±3.7 years]), joined the tour. These voluntary participants, who were over 60 years of age, participated in a five-day-tour in Oita prefecture. Health checks were conducted on the first and last days of the tour. This tour was conducted in areas containing a gulf, mountain areas, lakeside areas, forests and shrines. Participants visited these areas during the tour. Outcome Measures: The following parameters of the participants were measured at the beginning and end of tour: stress score, blood pressure, salivary amylase level, serum C-reactive protein level, and serum cortisol level. The results were compared and analyzed by a paired t-test and a simple regression analysis. Results: The mean values of the following parameters (pre-intervention and post-intervention) showed significant changes after the program: stress score (43.7±8.05 and 39.4±6.57; p-value=0.005); systolic blood pressure (131±17.8 mmHg and 125±16.2 mmHg; p=0.018); diastolic blood pressure (73±7.3 mmHg and 70±6.6 mmHg; p=0.016); serum cortisol (7.7±3.16 µg/dL and 6.1±1.82 µg/dL; p=0.027). Moreover, the participants’ cortisol levels tended to converge into a normal range. Conclusion: Tourism in a spa resort can relieve mental and physical stress, reducing blood pressure and correcting the adrenocortical function.
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WPRIM
langue:
En
Texte intégral:
The Journal of The Japanese Society of Balneology, Climatology and Physical Medicine
Année:
2019
Type:
Article