Visual and combined auditory-visual features in a relaxation room led to non-significant 15% and 17% reductions in self-reported anxiety compared to control, with no significant differences in physiological or neurological recovery.
RCT (n=80)
Open-label
Randomized
No
Do auditory and visual stimuli improve psychological and physiological recovery from acute stress induction in healthy adults?
Visual and auditory stimuli in a relaxation room did not significantly improve physiological or psychological recovery from acute stress compared to a control environment.
p-value: p=not significant
Workplace stress is one of the main sources of stress for adults, although physiological and cognitive factors may impact each person's stress response. Numerous studies have shown heart rate, heart rate variability, neural activity, and cognitive performance are affected by stress. Additionally, visual and auditory stimuli in one's environment have been shown to affect individuals' reaction to stressful events. To our knowledge, few studies have examined how each of these physiological and cognitive measures relate to one's perception of stress, the ability to recover from stress, and what environmental factors may help with stress recovery. Here, 80 healthy adults performed a laboratory-controlled stress induction task where they experienced and recovered from an acute psychological stressor (Trier Social Stress Test, TSST, using verbal math skills and a public presentation that was videotaped). Throughout the assessment, heart rate, heart rate variability, and neural activity were measured using wearable devices to assess changes before, during, and after the stressor. Additionally, participants were assessed their perceived stress levels at specific times throughout the assessment. After the psychological stressor, participants were randomly assigned to one of four recovery conditions within a multisensory relaxation room: Control (C), Auditory Only (A), Visual Only (V), or Combined Auditory and Visual (AV). During the stressor, anxiety, heart rate, and beta EEG power increased and high-frequency power and heart rate variability decreased, confirming participants reactivity to the stressor (P < 0.01 for all vs. baseline). Only the V and AV conditions led to notable reductions in anxiety (15 and 17%, respectively) vs. the C condition, but these did not reach statistical significance. There was no difference between V and AV, suggesting a stronger impact of V. We observed no differences between conditions during recovery for HR and HRV. Overall, these findings suggest the visual features of the relaxation room impacted self-reported anxiety, however physiological and neurological effects did not demonstrate a statistically meaningful response.
Snyder et al. (Tue,) conducted a rct in Acute stress (n=80). Visual and/or auditory stimuli in a relaxation room vs. Control (no stimuli) was evaluated on Reduction in self-reported anxiety (p=not significant). Visual and combined auditory-visual features in a relaxation room led to non-significant 15% and 17% reductions in self-reported anxiety compared to control, with no significant differences in physiological or neurological recovery.