Active clinical trials for "Stress, Psychological"

To investigate the effects of cortisol on alcohol craving and stress reactivity in alcohol addicted subjects. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over, single administration of study medication. Study hypothesis: Cortisol has an inhibiting effect on alcohol craving and stress reactivity in alcohol dependent subjects.

Background: - People who have an allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) need help as they recover. Being a caregiver can be stressful to the body and mind. Researchers want to find ways to reduce this stress. Objective: - To see how a stress reduction intervention affects the stress levels and health of an HSCT caregiver. Eligibility: - Adults age 18 and older who plan to be an active caregiver for a person having their first allogeneic HSCT at the NIH Clinical Center. An active caregiver is someone who will be caring for the person from just before admission for the HSCT until at least 6 weeks after. Design: Participants will be put in either the intervention group or the control group. All participants will get the usual caregiver education given to all patients and caregivers having a stem cell transplant at the NIH Clinical Center. All participants will have 2 study visits. They will give blood samples. They will have health assessments and brief physical exams. They will fill out study questionnaires and have an exit interview. The intervention group will get an MP3 player. It will have an audio file with a stress reduction intervention on it. Participants will do this intervention daily. It takes 20 minutes. They will do gentle stretches and breathing exercises. They will get a diary to track their practice. The intervention group also will have follow-up phone calls 2 and 4 weeks after their first clinic visit. The person getting the HSCT will not be actively involved in the study. The study will last about 2 months.

Assess the effects of adding theanine to a caffeinated beverage on changes in blood pressure during acute mental stress.

To develop and test a 4-session program to teach resiliency skills to Medical Interpreters.

The present study was a randomized controlled trial that explored the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of short-term mindfulness training among adolescents. The primary purpose was to investigate the effectiveness of two main Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction components-sitting meditation and hatha yoga-on working memory, stress, anxiety and mindfulness. The influence of daily home practice compliance on intervention outcomes was also examined.

The goal of clinical trial is to evaluate the effect of one month of consumption of mineral water rich in magnesium or not on perceived stress, duration and quality of sleep in healthy consumers having magnesium daily intakes below the recommended dietary allowance (RDA).

Breastfeeding has various benefits for the mother and infant. It has the capability of reducing the risk of short term and long term problems for the infant, such as gastroenteritis, respiratory infections, type II diabetes and obesity, and of providing benefits for neurodevelopment. Breast milk offers even greater benefits for preterm infants. Some of the advantages of breastfeeding are related to the constituents of breast milk such as the macronutrients and bioactive factors, the hormones associated with breastfeeding such as oxytocin, and the behavioural aspects of breastfeeding (maternal sensitivity to infant cues). Despite these advantages, breastfeeding rates are below target levels mainly due to the challenges that women face that hinder breastfeeding success. Interventions aimed at improving policies, practices, and maternal support have been developed. However, other interventions that target specific modifiable barriers to breastfeeding can be useful. The aim of this study is to investigate a simple support intervention for breastfeeding mothers of late preterm and early term infants on maternal stress reduction and infant weight gain. The investigators also aim to study the potential mechanisms by which this effect could be achieved (breast milk composition and volume, mother and infant behaviour).

The purpose of this study is to explore the efficacy and feasibility of an integrated, prescriptive, and trackable wellness intervention combining five wellness elements including exercise, mindfulness, sleep, social connectedness, and nutrition.

The purpose of the current study is to test the efficacy of two brief, behavioral interventions intended to improve burnout among doctoral-level graduate students (n = 102). Specifically, individuals will be randomly assigned to one of three intervention conditions: 1) Reward: a brief intervention to help participants increase engagement in healthy and rewarding values-driven behaviors, 2) Approach: a brief intervention to help participants identify and decrease emotion-driven avoidance of important goals, or 3) Control: a control condition that involves monitoring only. Multilevel modeling will be used to assess changes in burnout, mood, and stress, following the interventions, controlling for participants' individual baseline levels of these variables.

While the stress response, characterised by an increase in heart rate, blood pressure, and cortisol, has evolved to ensure the survival of the organism in face of danger, chronic stress due to psychological stressors can be harmful. The opposite of the stress response is the "relaxation response". Mind-body techniques such as meditation, guided imagery and music therapy are thought to induce this response. The relaxation response is characterized as a wakeful hypometabolic state, where a decrease in central nervous system arousal is observed. Some studies reported a reduction in stress hormones, and in symptoms of anxiety and depression following the use of mind-body relaxation techniques. Other studies noted a reduction in stress measured using physiological measurements such as heart rate and blood pressure. Light therapy is another technique that is suggested to induce physiological changes similar to those seen in the relaxation response. Some studies have shown a reduction in heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production following exposure to blue light. These relaxation therapies can be useful for the general population and for vulnerable groups where alternative therapies, such as medication and psychotherapy, are difficult. Limited amount of studies have quantified the decrease in stress in physiological measurements such as heart rate and blood pressure. The aim of this study is to investigate which relaxation technique among five different interventions (and one control) is the most effective in improving relaxation and reducing stress in adult women of reproductive age (18-45 years). The results of this study will be used to inform the intervention of a study testing the impact of relaxation therapy on breastfeeding outcomes in mothers of late preterm infants.