ArticleScientific reports2022
Investigating the role of auditory and visual sensory inputs for inducing relaxation during virtual reality stimulation.
Article in Scientific reports, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 15 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
15 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 38 citations in OpenAlex.
- Physiological Responses to Virtual Reality-Based Stress Regulation and Relaxation Interventions: A Systematic Review.Stress and health : journal of the International Society for the Investigation of Stress · 2026Pooled it
- Enhancing Psychophysiological Well-Being Through Nature-Based Soundscapes: An Examination of Heart Rate Variability in a Cross-Over Study.Psychophysiology · 2025Trial
- The synergistic application of virtual reality and music therapy: a scoping review.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026Review
- Virtual reality for relaxation in intensive care unit patients: feasibility, acceptability and intervention adaptation.Pilot and feasibility studies · 2025Article
- Designing a Smartphone-Based Virtual Reality App for Relaxation: Qualitative Crossover Study.JMIR formative research · 2025Article
- Digital Technologies and Student Mental Health: Risks of Social Media and the Promise of Virtual Reality and Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response Interventions.Psychology research and behavior management · 2025Article
- Contrasting cognitive, behavioral, and physiological responses to breathwork vs. naturalistic stimuli in reflective chamber and VR headset environments.PLOS mental health · 2025Article
- More relaxing than nature? The impact of ASMR content on psychological and physiological measures of parasympathetic activity.Neuroscience of consciousness · 2025Article
- Music-based interventions using digital technology for individuals with acquired brain injuries: a scoping review.Frontiers in psychology · 2025Review
- The Immediate Effects of Immersive Virtual Reality on Autonomic Nervous System Function in Patients with Disorders of Consciousness after Severe Acquired Brain Injury: A Pilot Study.Journal of clinical medicine · 2023Article
- Sensorimotor Uncertainty of Immersive Virtual Reality Environments for People in Pain: Scoping Review.Brain sciences · 2023Article
- Creating Custom Immersive 360-Degree Videos for Use in Clinical and Nonclinical Settings: Tutorial.JMIR medical education · 2023Article
- Article
- Daily exposure to virtual nature reduces symptoms of anxiety in college students.Scientific reports · 2023Article
- Effects of immersive virtual reality on sensory overload in a random sample of critically ill patients.Frontiers in medicine · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Stress is a part of everyday life which can be counteracted by evoking the relaxation response via nature scenes presented using immersive virtual reality (VR). The aim of this study was to determine which sensory aspect of immersive VR intervention is responsible for the greatest relaxation response. We compared four conditions: auditory and visual combined (audiovisual), auditory only, visual only, and no artificial sensory input. Physiological changes in heart rate, respiration rate, and blood pressure were recorded, while participants reported their preferred condition and awareness of people, noise, and light in the real-world. Over the duration of the stimulation, participants had the lowest heart rate during the audiovisual and visual only conditions. They had the steadiest decrease in respiration rate and the lowest blood pressure during the audiovisual condition, compared to the other conditions, indicating the greatest relaxation. Moreover, ratings of awareness indicated that participants reported being less aware of their surroundings (i.e., people, noise, light, real environment) during the audiovisual condition versus the other conditions (p < 0.001), with a preference for audiovisual inputs. Overall, the use of audiovisual VR stimulation is more effective at inducing a relaxation response compared to no artificial sensory inputs, or the independent inputs.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.