Abstract

Experimental research on stress recovery in natural environments is limited, as is study of the effect of sounds of nature. After inducing stress by means of a virtual stress test, we explored physiological recovery in two different virtual natural environments (with and without exposure to sounds of nature) and in one control condition. Cardiovascular data and saliva cortisol were collected. Repeated ANOVA measurements indicated parasympathetic activation in the group subjected to sounds of nature in a virtual natural environment, suggesting enhanced stress recovery may occur in such surroundings. The group that recovered in virtual nature without sound and the control group displayed no particular autonomic activation or deactivation. The results demonstrate a potential mechanistic link between nature, the sounds of nature, and stress recovery, and suggest the potential importance of virtual reality as a tool in this research field. (C) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Keywords

TSST; Cortisol; Green environment; Soundscape; Heart rate variability

Published in

Physiology and Behavior
2013, Volume: 118, pages: 240-250
Publisher: PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

SLU Authors

• Van Den Bosch, Matilda

  • Department of People and Society, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Grahn, Patrik

  • Department of People and Society, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Währborg, Peter

  • Department of People and Society, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology
Environmental Health and Occupational Health
Psychology (excluding Applied Psychology)


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2013.05.023

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/50700