Restorative natural experiences in immersive landscapes and waterscapes during virtual reality exercise for mental health promotion

BACKGROUND: Immersive natural environments in virtual reality can capture involuntary attention, thereby contributing to improved health-promoting practices according to the Attention Restoration Theory. Landscapes and waterscapes provide restorative environments that foster a sense of connection with nature and create a peaceful and relaxing atmosphere. This study investigated the health effects of VR exercise in two specific implementations: professionally produced waterscapes and self-recorded landscapes. METHODS: The study design was a randomized controlled trial conducted between September 2022 and June 2023. Forty eligible participants were randomly assigned to a waterscape group, and 32 participants were allocated to a landscape group. All participants received identical exercise program sessions of 30 min each conducted weekly for 12 weeks. The virtual reality headsets displayed two different series of non-repetitive 360° videos of professionally produced waterscapes or self-recorded landscapes. Data were collected at the pre- and post-test periods through a body composition analyzer and self-administered questionnaires. RESULTS: The comprehensive and mental quality of life, skeletomuscular index, and fat-free mass of participants in the waterscape group improved, while their body mass index decreased. Participants in the waterscapes group revealed a greater experience in perceived restorativeness and less virtual reality sickness than those in the landscapes group. CONCLUSION: Professionally produced VR waterscapes yielded superior mental and physical health outcomes compared to self-recorded landscapes. Virtual reality exercise in immersive natural environments is recommended as a restorative experience for health promotion.