Stress Biomarkers

The goal of this randomized crossover trial is to compare the differences in psychological and physiological effects of walking in two different outdoor environments (urban/suburban commercial environments vs. urban/suburban nature areas/preserves) in adults with prediabetes. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Do psychological measures of stress, anxiety, and affect improve more in one type of outdoor environment over the other? * Do physiological measures of stress improve more in one type of outdoor environment over the other? As this is a crossover trial, participants will serve as their own controls. Researchers will compare both the psychological and physiological effects walking in the two types of outdoor environments. Participants will: * Walk 150-minutes per week for six weeks in each of the two outdoor conditions. * Visit the clinic four times, including before and after each six-week walking period. * Collect saliva samples immediately proceeding or following the four clinic visits. * Return to their pre-study level of physical activity for a 5-week washout period between each of the two walking interventions.

This study investigates whether the psychophysiological benefits of breathing exercises are driven by a specific physiological rhythm (6 breaths per minute) or by the general psychological experience of performing a structured, mindful activity. Researchers aim to determine if "coherent breathing", which is hypothesized to synchronize heart and respiratory rhythms, offers unique physiological protection against stress compared to breathing at a natural pace or simple resting. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does slow, steady breathing at 6 breaths per minute lower physical stress markers (like heart rate variability and cortisol) better than faster, but structured breathing or just sitting still? * Is the calming effect caused by the specific breathing rhythm or simply by performing a structured, relaxing activity? Researchers will compare three groups to see if the specific rhythm of "coherent breathing" offers unique benefits: 1. Group (Interventional): Coherent Breathing: Slow breathing at 6 breaths per minute. 2. Group (Sham Breathing): Regular breathing at 15 breaths per minute (matching a natural pace). 3. Spontaneous Breathing (Control Group): Natural, unguided breathing. Participants will: * Complete a one-day preparation phase to become familiar with the breathing technique. * Visit the research center for one experimental session. * Perform their assigned breathing method before and after a stress test. * Take the Maastricht Acute Stress Test (MAST), which involves putting a hand in cold water and doing mental math. * Provide saliva samples and have their heart rate variability, and mood measured multiple times.

The goal of this clinical trials is to primary learn if deep relaxation using Virtual Reality (VR) compared to a low stimulus environment can lower perceived and measured stress in healthcare professionals working in the operating room. We aim to determine: * whether the use of a low-stimulus environment significantly lowers the stress response in OR health care workers just before entering the OR; * whether the use of a responsive VR system environment significantly lowers the stress response in OR health care workers just before entering the OR; * Whether the use of a responsive VR environment is both an effective and cost-effective solution compared to the low-stimulus environment, in terms of significantly mitigating stress in OR team members as measured by their biometrics, just before they enter the OR to do their job. Hypothesis * The use of a 10-minute real-time adaptive VR intervention or a low-stimulus environment intervention administered at least 15 minutes before entering the operating room (OR), significantly reduces stress in OR staff, as measured by a within-person reduction in heart rate of at least 10 beats per minute (BPM) over the 10-minute intervention period * The reduction in heart rate over a 10-minute intervention period is significantly greater for the real-time adaptive VR intervention compared to the low-stimulus environment intervention, with an expected mean difference (delta) of 5 BPM, indicating superior stress-reducing effects of the VR intervention. * The use of a real-time adaptive VR intervention and the use of a low stimulus environment intervention of 10 minutes at least 15 minutes before entering the OR significantly reduces perceived stress for OR staff, as measured by Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) stress scores within person.