Exposure to Nature During Lunch BreaksNCT02124837
Intervention Study on Break Activities and Workers´ Psychological and Physiological Health & Performance
A study testing Park walk during lunch break and Relaxation during lunch break in people with Exposure to Nature During Lunch Breaks and Relaxation Exercises During Lunch Breaks, run by Tampere University at 1 site in Finland.
Trial summary
The objective of this research project is to understand and to improve workers´ recovery from work stress. Although recovery during lunch breaks is the most common within-workday break, it has received only minor research attention. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 70 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Exposure to Nature During Lunch Breaks, Relaxation Exercises During Lunch Breaks
- What is being tested?
- Park walk during lunch break and Relaxation during lunch break
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 200 participants
- Where
- 1 siteFinland
- Study dates
- Apr 2014to Nov 2014
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 70 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Being able to speak and understand Finnish language
- Paid work for at least 24 hours per week
Who cannot join
- Shift work, highly irregular working hours
- Serious illness or allergies that prevent participants from walking in nature
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: An Intervention Study to Investigate the Effect of Different Types of Break Activities on Workers´ Psychological and Physiological Health & Job Performance
The objective of this research project is to understand and to improve workers´ recovery from work stress. Although recovery during lunch breaks is the most common within-workday break, it has received only minor research attention. Therefore, we will study whether lunch breaks including a relaxation session or exposure to nature have more favorable outcomes than usually spent lunch breaks concerning: a) recovery processes, b) health, c) well-being, d) job performance and e) creativity. We approach recovery by combining the theoretical frameworks of work and environmental psychology.
Read the detailed description
We conduct an intervention study in a sample of 200 knowledge-workers who engage in different lunch break activities for 15-minutes per day, two weeks in a row. We randomly assign participants to three experimental conditions: 1) exposure to nature, 2) relaxation and 3) control group (lunch break spent as usual). Online questionnaires before and after the intervention assess long term changes regarding recovery processes and the major outcome variables. Before, during and after the intervention, SMS and paper-pencil questionnaires measure the same constructs four times a day with fewer items. We also measure blood pressure and collect saliva samples to map cortisol excretion across the intervention period. A timed experimental task (i.e., the Alternative Uses Task) is used to examine differences in creativity between the three groups after the intervention period.
By combining the knowledge of work and environmental psychology about recovery and restorative experiences, by merging three recovery perspectives (settings, processes, and outcomes) and by using data triangulation, we produce valid results that broaden our view on mechanisms underlying recovery and enhance our understanding about their links to psychological, behavioural and physiological outcomes, resulting in a more comprehensive picture of work stress recovery in general.
- Being tested
- Park walk during lunch break, Relaxation during lunch break
- Keywords
- lunch breaks, recovery, nature, park walking, relaxation
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Park walk during lunch breakBehavioural
Relaxation during lunch breakBehavioural
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Control group | No intervention | Participants continue their normal lunch routine. |
| Relaxation exercise during lunch break | Experimental | Participants perform relaxation exercises during each lunch break during work for a period of 2 working weeks. Receives: Behavioral: Relaxation during lunch break |
| Park walk during lunch break | Experimental | Participants go for a walk in the closest park nearby each lunch break during work for a period of 2 working weeks. Receives: Behavioral: Park walk during lunch break |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Well-being
Questionnaire data
Measured: 7 weeks
Job performance
Questionnaire data
Measured: 7 weeks
Creativity
Questionnaire data
Measured: 7 weeks
Health
Questionnaire data
Measured: 7 weeks
Salivary cortisol
Collection of saliva samples, 3 times per day, 2 times a week for a period of 7 weeks
Measured: 7 weeks
Blood pressure
Self-administered blood pressure measurements, 3 times per day, 2 days per week for a period of 7 weeks
Measured: 7 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted28 Apr 2014 (estimated)
- Study startApr 2014
- Primary completionNov 2014
- Study completionNov 2014
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Exposure to Nature During Lunch BreaksStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Factorial
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 200 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Tampere University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Jessica de Bloom, Tampere University
- Investigators
- Ulla Kinnunen, Prof., Principal investigator, Tampere UniversityKalevi Korpela, Prof., Principal investigator, Tampere University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT02124837
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 257682SA
- Status last verified
- Dec 2014
- First submitted
- 24 Apr 2014
- Last updated
- 2 Dec 2014
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
Publications
de Bloom J, Kinnunen U, Korpela K. Exposure to nature versus relaxation during lunch breaks and recovery from work: development and design of an intervention study to improve workers' health, well-being, work performance and creativity. BMC Public Health. 2014 May 22;14:488. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-14-488.
PubMed 24885178
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 2 Dec 2014. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- An Intervention Study to Investigate the Effect of Different Types of Break Activities on Workers´ Psychological and Physiological Health & Job Performance
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT02124837
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 257682SA
- Keywords
- lunch breaks, recovery, nature, park walking, relaxation
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 200 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Tampere UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- Apr 2014
- Primary completion
- Nov 2014 (actual)
- Study completion
- Nov 2014 (actual)
- First posted
- 28 Apr 2014 (estimated)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The objective of this research project is to understand and to improve workers´ recovery from work stress. Although recovery during lunch breaks is the most common within-workday break, it has received only minor research attention. Therefore, we will study whether lunch breaks including a relaxation session or exposure to nature have more favorable outcomes than usually spent lunch breaks concerning: a) recovery processes, b) health, c) well-being, d) job performance and e) creativity. We approach recovery by combining the theoretical frameworks of work and environmental psychology.
Detailed description
We conduct an intervention study in a sample of 200 knowledge-workers who engage in different lunch break activities for 15-minutes per day, two weeks in a row. We randomly assign participants to three experimental conditions: 1) exposure to nature, 2) relaxation and 3) control group (lunch break spent as usual). Online questionnaires before and after the intervention assess long term changes regarding recovery processes and the major outcome variables. Before, during and after the intervention, SMS and paper-pencil questionnaires measure the same constructs four times a day with fewer items. We also measure blood pressure and collect saliva samples to map cortisol excretion across the intervention period. A timed experimental task (i.e., the Alternative Uses Task) is used to examine differences in creativity between the three groups after the intervention period.
By combining the knowledge of work and environmental psychology about recovery and restorative experiences, by merging three recovery perspectives (settings, processes, and outcomes) and by using data triangulation, we produce valid results that broaden our view on mechanisms underlying recovery and enhance our understanding about their links to psychological, behavioural and physiological outcomes, resulting in a more comprehensive picture of work stress recovery in general.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Factorial
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 3
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Control group | No intervention | –Participants continue their normal lunch routine. |
| Relaxation exercise during lunch break | Experimental | Behavioral: Relaxation during lunch breakParticipants perform relaxation exercises during each lunch break during work for a period of 2 working weeks. |
| Park walk during lunch break | Experimental | Behavioral: Park walk during lunch breakParticipants go for a walk in the closest park nearby each lunch break during work for a period of 2 working weeks. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 70 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Being able to speak and understand Finnish language
- Paid work for at least 24 hours per week
Key exclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Shift work, highly irregular working hours
- Serious illness or allergies that prevent participants from walking in nature
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Park walk during lunch break | Behavioural | Park walk during lunch break |
| Relaxation during lunch break | Behavioural | Relaxation exercise during lunch break |
Primary outcome
Well-being
Time frame: 7 weeks
Questionnaire data
Job performance
Time frame: 7 weeks
Questionnaire data
Creativity
Time frame: 7 weeks
Questionnaire data
Health
Time frame: 7 weeks
Questionnaire data
Salivary cortisol
Time frame: 7 weeks
Collection of saliva samples, 3 times per day, 2 times a week for a period of 7 weeks
Blood pressure
Time frame: 7 weeks
Self-administered blood pressure measurements, 3 times per day, 2 days per week for a period of 7 weeks
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 2 Dec 2014.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 24885178de Bloom J, Kinnunen U, Korpela K. Exposure to nature versus relaxation during lunch breaks and recovery from work: development and design of an intervention study to improve workers' health, well-being, work performance and creativity. BMC Public Health. 2014 May 22;14:488. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-14-488.
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Ulla Kinnunen, Prof. principal investigator
Tampere University
Kalevi Korpela, Prof. principal investigator
Tampere University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Park walk during lunch break and Relaxation during lunch break in people with Exposure to Nature During Lunch Breaks and Relaxation Exercises During Lunch Breaks, run by Tampere University at 1 site in Finland.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 2 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 2 Dec 2014. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Finland. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Well-being (time frame: 7 weeks). The study lists 6 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT02124837, which also lists 1 linked publication.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 2 Dec 2014.