The impact of audiovisual interaction in coastal spaces on environmental perception and stress recovery

Coastal urban environments grant residents opportunities to engage with nature and serve as potential settings for restorative experiences. To enhance their health benefits, this study investigated how various audiovisual stimuli in coastal environments influence individuals’ environmental perception and stress alleviation. Using virtual reality technology, eight different landscapes were created. The heart rate variability (HRV) and electroencephalography of 40 young university students were measured, and subjective evaluations were collected. The findings revealed that audiovisual stimuli in coastal spaces were generally satisfactory and contributed to stress recovery. Total mood disturbance decreased by 22.46–42.41%, and under ocean wave sound, boardwalk and park spaces exhibited better perceived restoration. Following audiovisual stimulation, HRV results indicated a shift toward parasympathetic regulation. Overall power decreased by 8.89–24.51%, while α relative power, related to relaxation, significantly increased by 26.35–40.11%. The restorative effect of ocean wave sound was superior to that of music, especially in boardwalk and park spaces. Notably, the stress-reducing effects of audiovisual stimuli differed among participants, as evidenced by 40.91–65.91% showing neural avalanche activity approaching criticality, in contrast to the baseline. Coastal audiovisual environments may enhance positive environmental perception, which is associated with improved mood recovery and reduced stress; this psychological restoration is accompanied by parasympathetic autonomic regulation, increased relaxation-related alpha activity, and a shift toward more balanced, lower-load neural dynamics. This study provides preliminary evidence that immersive coastal virtual environments combined with natural sounds may promote short-term psychophysiological restoration among young university students.