Chronic stress is detrimental to physical and mental health. Key antidotes are short-term relaxation and long-term stress resilience. We investigate the psychophysiology of relaxation and recovery, and translate these insights into evidence-based, personalized practices that people can use to build stress resilience.
Explain the psychophysiology of relaxation and recovery.
Personalize and optimize relaxation protocols (based on what works best for whom, and why).
Empower individuals with evidence-based, personalized relaxation practices to promote stress resilience.
A core emphasis is on breath-based approaches, including breathing protocols and breathing meditation.
Theses topics
Bachelor students
Relaxation and cognition (Scoping Review): What is the relationship between relaxation and cognitive control or flexibility?
Interoception and self-regulation (Scoping Review): What is the relationship between interoceptive sensitivity and self-regulatory capacity?
Mindfulness and arousal (Meta-Analysis): What is the effect of mindfulness meditation on physiological arousal markers (e.g., HR, HRV, Temp) across studies?
Master students
Machine learning algorithms to identify relaxation signatures from physiological data (HRV, Resp, Temp, SC) and self-reported acute relaxation (empirical research with existing data).
Machine learning algorithms to identify recovery and strain from neurophysiological data (14-Channel EEG) and self-reported recovery and strain balance of the past week (empirical research with existing data).
Development of a Stress-Resilience Scale with items about self-regulatory capacity and adjustive resources (empirical research without existing data).
Free topic choice: Yes, within the scope of this research focus
