Effects of Moderate Exercise and Cyclic Sighing on Stress, Cognition and Physiological Markers in Young Adults

NCT07379606 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 716/25
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 30
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

This study investigates the effects of moderate physical exercise and cyclic sighing (breathing training) on stress, cognition, and physiological markers in young adults. It is a randomized cross-over trial with two interventions. Each participant will take part in two intervention sessions:

• EEG using Emotiv EPOC Flex Gel (32-channel device): 2 minutes with eyes open, 2 minutes with eyes closed, during the interventions, and while performing cognitive test (N-back).
• Heart rate variability (HRV) using the Polar H10 sensor.
• SUDS - Subjective Units of Disress Scale for perceived stress.
• N-back test for cognitive performance using Emotiv App.
• Blood pressure (systolic and diastolic) and heart rate.
• Pain threshold measured with a dolorimeter.
• PANAS-SF - Positive and Negative Affect Schedule. Baseline questionnaires completed by participants the day before the study:
• PSS-10 - Perceived Stress Scale (Cohen, Kamarck, Mermelstein).
• MAAS - Mindful Attention Awareness Scale
• Psychological well-being - short version
• Mini-COPE - Coping with Stress Inventory
• Sleep quality and average sleep duration
• Chronotype questionnaire (morningness-eveningness)
• GPAQ - Global Physical Activity Questionnaire
• Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index The study aims to understand how brief interventions like moderate exercise and breathing techniques affect stress, cognitive performance, and physiological responses in young adults.

Conditions

Stress

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Mean EEG spectral power in theta, alpha, low beta, high beta, gamma frequency bands during resting-state (eyes-open and eyes-closed)

  Mean spectral power in theta, alpha, low beta, high beta, and gamma frequency bands derived from resting-state EEG recordings collected during eyes-open and eyes-closed conditions. Spectral power will be calculated separately for eyes-open and eyes-closed resting-state conditions.

  Baseline: immediately before intervention; Post-intervention: immediately after completion of the intervention period

• Heart Rate Variability (HRV)

  HRV will be recorded at three time points. Baseline HRV will be calculated as the average over a 5-minute resting-state period immediately before intervention. HRV during the intervention will be calculated as the average over the entire intervention session (periprocedural). Post-intervention HRV will be calculated as the average over a 5-minute resting-state period immediately after intervention.

  Baseline (average over 5-minute resting-state immediately before intervention); During intervention (average over entire session, periprocedural); Post-intervention (average over 5-minute resting-state immediately after intervention).

Secondary Outcomes (8)

• Mean EEG spectral power in theta, alpha, low beta, high beta, and gamma frequency bands during N-back task

  Baseline (during N-back task immediately before each intervention session, periprocedural); Post-intervention (during N-back task immediately after each intervention session, periprocedural)

• Mean EEG spectral power in theta, alpha, low beta, high beta, and gamma frequency bands during intervention session

  During intervention session (periprocedural, averaged over entire session)

• Perceived Stress measured with the Subjective Units of Distress Scale (SUDS)

  Baseline: immediately before each intervention session; Post-intervention: immediately after each intervention session

• Cognitive Performance (N-back)

  Baseline: immediately before each intervention session; Post-intervention: immediately after each intervention session

• Blood Pressure

  Baseline: immediately before each intervention session; Post-intervention: immediately after each intervention session

Other Outcomes (7)

• Psychological Well-Being measured with the Short Version of Ryff's Psychological Well-Being Scale

  Day before first intervention.

• Trait Mindfulness measured with the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS)

  Day before first intervention.

• Coping with Stress measured with the Brief COPE Inventory (mini-COPE)

  Day before first intervention.

Study Arms (2)

Moderate-Intensity Physical Activity (PA)

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants perform 15 minutes of stationary cycling at moderate intensity.

Behavioral: Moderate-Intensity Physical Activity (PA)

Breathing Training - Cyclic Sighing (CS)

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants perform 15 minutes of cyclic sighing.

Behavioral: Breathing Training - Cyclic Sighing (CS)

Interventions

Moderate-Intensity Physical Activity (PA) BEHAVIORAL

Participants perform 15 minutes of stationary cycling at moderate intensity.

Moderate-Intensity Physical Activity (PA)

Breathing Training - Cyclic Sighing (CS) BEHAVIORAL

Participants perform 15 minutes of cyclic sighing (a breathing technique).

Breathing Training - Cyclic Sighing (CS)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 35 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• male or female participants,
• age 18-35,
• without chronic somatic diseases,
• no current episode of psychiatric disorder (no active depression, mania, or psychosis),
• regular sleep schedule in the week prior to the study,
• not taking psychotropic drugs or medications,
• non-smoker,
• not working nightshifts.

You may not qualify if:

• consumption of alcohol or psychoactive substances the day before or on the day of the study,
• intense physical activity less than 2 hours before the study,
• consuming coffee, black tee, energy drinks less than 2 hours before the study,
• contraindications to moderate-intensity physical activity on cycle ergometer (e.g., recent injuries),
• contraindications to EEG (e.g., scalp skin conditions preventing proper electrode placement, hypersensitivity to conductive gels or pastes).

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Poznan University of Physical Education: lead

Central Study Contacts

Jóźwiak

CONTACT

(61) 835 53 49; b.jozwiak@awf.poznan.pl

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: November 19, 2025
• First Posted: January 30, 2026
• Study Start: March 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): June 30, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): August 31, 2026
• Last Updated: January 30, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-01

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share