Decreasing Stress Via Virtual Reality and Binaural Beats in Non-Clinical Adults

Recruiting now · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Stress, Relaxation, Virtual Reality, Binaural Beats

In brief

This study is a non-clinical substudy conducted within the DESTRESS research program (NCT05036538), which investigates the effects of relaxation interventions on physiological and psychological parameters. While the main DESTRESS trial focuses on cardiac surgical patients, this additional study arm examines the same interventions in a non-clinical adult population under controlled conditions, independent of disease-, surgery-, or medication-related influences. Participants are randomly assigned to one of several experimental conditions and take part in a single approximately 30-minute session. Depending on group allocation, the session may include exposure to natural soundscapes, natural soundscapes combined with binaural beats, virtual reality-based natural environments, virtual reality combined with binaural beats, or a control condition without a relaxation intervention. The primary aim of the DESTUD-Study is to assess the feasibility and potential stress-reducing effects of these non-pharmacological relaxation approaches in a non-clinical setting and to support the interpretation of findings from the clinical DESTRESS trial. Physiological responses, including heart rate variability and electrodermal activity, as well as self-reported stress measures, are collected before, during and after the conditions.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT07387107

Run by

Heart and Brain Research Group, Germany

People needed

52

Starts

2026-03-05

Expected to finish

2026-07-15

Last updated by the study team

2026-03-13

Who can join

Age: 18 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Adults aged 18 years or older 2. Ability to understand study procedures and provide written informed consent 3. Sufficient proficiency in the German language to complete questionnaires and follow study instructions 4. Willingness to participate in a single approximately 60-minute study session

You may not qualify if…

• Current or history of neurological or psychiatric disorders that may interfere with data collection (e.g., dementia, major depressive disorder, stroke, epilepsy) 2. Severe visual or hearing impairments that would limit the use of virtual reality equipment or headphones 3. History of adverse reactions to virtual reality

Where it is running

• Kerckhoff-Clinic — Bad Nauheim, Germany (enrolling)

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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