Overview
This study aims to explore how six short, 15-minute self-regulation techniques affect the body and brain in a female adult with ADHD and stabilized bipolar disorder. The techniques being tested include:
- Aerobic exercise
- Controlled breathing (cyclic sighing)
- Aromatherapy with lavender essential oil
- Listening to specific music (Solfeggio 528 Hz)
- Virtual reality relaxation with forest imagery
- Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) tapping One session of quiet sitting with eyes open serves as a comparison.
The participant will attend one 15-minute session per week for each technique. Before and after each session, the researchers will measure:
- Heart rate and heart rate variability
- Stress levels using Subjective Units of Distress Scale
- Mood using a questionnaire
- Blood pressure
- Brain activity using EEG
- Memory performance with a simple test (N-back)
- Pain sensitivity The goal is to understand how these short, non-invasive techniques influence both physiological and psychological responses. Sessions are safe, short, and designed to involve minimal risk. The findings may help guide future research on relaxation and exercise strategies for people with ADHD and bipolar disorder.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria:
- Diagnosis of ADHD and bipolar disorder (type I or II) in stable remission.
- No active depressive, manic, or psychotic episodes for at least 2 years.
- No use of psychotropic medications, including mood stabilizers, antidepressants, antipsychotics, or ADHD medications, for at least 2 years.
- No chronic somatic diseases (including neurological, cardiovascular, or metabolic disorders).
- Regular sleep-wake rhythm during the week preceding the study.
- Non-smoker.
- No night-shift work in the week preceding the study.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Acute medical conditions that could affect study procedures.
- Use of medications in the past 3 months that influence cardiovascular or neurological parameters.
- Consumption of alcohol or psychoactive substances on the day before or day of the study.
- Intense physical activity on the day before or day of the study.
- Contraindications to moderate-intensity exercise on a cycle ergometer (e.g., recent injuries, chronic musculoskeletal conditions).
- Contraindications to EEG measurement (e.g., scalp skin conditions preventing proper electrode placement, hypersensitivity to conductive gels or pastes).
