An interventional study of Moderate-Intensity Physical Activity (PA) and Breathing Training - Cyclic Sighing (CS) in Stress, sponsored by Poznan University of Physical Education. Recruiting at 1 site in Poland. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 35 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-08-03.
Sponsored by Poznan University of Physical Education · Not applicable, Interventional, and Basic science
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:
A one-week washout period between sessions is planned to minimise carry-over effects and to ensure participants' physiological state is similar before the next session. During this week, participants will wear Polar Ignite wrist-worn devices to monitor physical activity and sleep.
A total of 30 participants (you adults) will be enrolled.
Measurements performed before and after each intervention include:
Baseline questionnaires completed by participants the day before the study:
The study aims to understand how brief interventions like moderate exercise and breathing techniques affect stress, cognitive performance, and physiological responses in young adults.
Poznan University of Physical Education is the lead sponsor of 90 studies on the registry; 27 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Exclusion Criteria:
Participants perform 15 minutes of stationary cycling at moderate intensity.
Behavioral: Moderate-Intensity Physical Activity (PA)
Participants perform 15 minutes of cyclic sighing.
Behavioral: Breathing Training - Cyclic Sighing (CS)
Participants perform 15 minutes of stationary cycling at moderate intensity.
Participants perform 15 minutes of cyclic sighing (a breathing technique).
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.
Time frame: 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.
Time frame: 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).
Mean EEG spectral power in theta, alpha, low beta, high beta, and gamma frequency bands during N-back task
Mean spectral power in theta, alpha, low beta, high beta, and gamma frequency bands derived from EEG recordings collected during performance of the N-back cognitive task. Spectral power will be calculated separately for each frequency band and averaged across all EEG channels.
Time frame: 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
Mean spectral power in theta, alpha, low beta, high beta, and gamma frequency bands derived from EEG recordings collected during the intervention session. Spectral power will be calculated separately for each frequency band and averaged across all EEG channels.
Time frame: During intervention session (periprocedural, averaged over entire session)
Perceived Stress measured with the Subjective Units of Distress Scale (SUDS)
Participants rate their perceived stress using the Subjective Units of Distress Scale (SUDS), a self-reported scale ranging from 0 (no stress) to 100 (extreme stress), where higher scores indicate higher perceived stress.
Time frame: Baseline: immediately before each intervention session; Post-intervention: immediately after each intervention session
Cognitive Performance (N-back)
Working memory assessed using N-back test with Emotiv app.
Time frame: Baseline: immediately before each intervention session; Post-intervention: immediately after each intervention session
Blood Pressure
Systolic and diastolic blood pressure measured using standard protocols.
Time frame: Baseline: immediately before each intervention session; Post-intervention: immediately after each intervention session
Pain Threshold
Pain threshold measured using a dolorimeter (algorimeter)
Time frame: Baseline: immediately before each intervention session; Post-intervention: immediately after each intervention session
Positive and Negative Affect measured with the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule - Short Form (PANAS-SF)
Participants complete the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule - Short Form (PANAS-SF), a self-reported scale assessing positive and negative affect. Each subscale contains 10 items rated from 1 (very slightly or not at all) to 5 (extremely), giving a possible score range of 10-50 for each subscale. Higher scores indicate higher levels of positive or negative affect, depending on the subscale.
Time frame: Baseline: immediately before each intervention session; Post-intervention: immediately after each intervention session
Heart Rate
Heart rate measured using standard protocols.
Time frame: Baseline: immediately before each intervention session; Post-intervention: immediately after each intervention session
Psychological Well-Being measured with the Short Version of Ryff's Psychological Well-Being Scale
Participants complete the Short Version of Ryff's Psychological Well-Being Scale, a self-reported questionnaire assessing psychological well-being across multiple dimensions. Items are rated on a scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 6 (strongly agree), giving a total possible score range of 18-108, where higher scores indicate higher levels of psychological well-being.
Time frame: Day before first intervention.
Trait Mindfulness measured with the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS)
Participants complete the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), a self-reported questionnaire measuring trait mindfulness. Items are rated on a scale from 1 (almost always) to 6 (almost never), with total scores ranging from 15 to 90. Higher scores indicate higher levels of trait mindfulness.
Time frame: Day before first intervention.
Coping with Stress measured with the Brief COPE Inventory (mini-COPE)
Participants complete the Brief COPE Inventory (mini-COPE), a self-reported questionnaire assessing coping strategies and stress management. Each item is rated on a scale from 1 (I haven't been doing this at all) to 4 (I've been doing this a lot), with total subscale scores ranging from 2 to 8, depending on the subscale. Higher scores indicate greater use of the specific coping strategy.
Time frame: Day before first intervention.
Chronotype measured with the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ)
Participants complete the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ) to assess chronotype, indicating morningness-eveningness preference. Items are scored to give a total score ranging from 16 to 86, where higher scores indicate greater morningness and lower scores indicate greater eveningness.
Time frame: Day before first intervention.
Global Physical Activity measured with the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ)
Participants complete the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) to assess baseline physical activity levels. Responses are used to calculate total physical activity expressed in MET-minutes per week, with higher scores indicating higher levels of physical activity.
Time frame: Day before first session.
Sleep Quality and Duration (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index)
Participants complete the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) to assess sleep quality and average sleep duration.
Time frame: Day before first session.
Objective Sleep and Physical Activity (Polar Ignite)
Participants wear Polar Ignite wrist-worn devices to monitor sleep quality and duration, as well as daily physical activity levels.
Time frame: During the 1-week washout period between intervention sessions.
Plan to share: Yes — De-identified individual participant data (IPD) will be shared in the RepOD repository after study completion. An embargo of up to 36 months may apply to allow for publication of primary study results. Data will be available for scientific research purposes.
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Poznan University of Physical Education