The negative impact of a prolonged state of psycho-emotional stress negatively affects not only the efficiency of an employee, but also health and wellbeing. In addition to purely psychological methods for assessing the level of psycho-emotional stress and its negative effects on humans, there is an array of studies of psychophysiological markers related to heart rate variability (HRV).

We conducted a study of the effectiveness of Virry technology for a short conscious break in the headquarters of HeadHunter Group (HH.ru).

The study was conducted in summer at HeadHunter headquarters.
47 people took part in the study of the instantaneous impact of a conscious break experience in virtual reality. 21 people took part in the longitudinal study of the effects of a conscious break in virtual reality that lasted over 4 weeks. All participants took part in the study on a voluntary basis, had normal or corrected to normal vision, were mentally healthy, had no cardiac or neurological diseases, and did not take any medication during the study period that could significantly affect the brain and heart work.

For data recording we used the VNS-Micro NeuroSoft Neuropathy Analyzing System (Neurosoft LLC, Russia). The heart rate measurement procedure was performed in the study three times: before and after the first immersion in the virtual savannah with Virry Life and after 10 visits to the virtual savannah.

Apart from the VNS-Micro testing used self-report analysis. Throughout the series of initial screening, employees could go online using their own devices by clicking on the link virry.life/tests_before/en, to fill in the application form and pass the tests in the beginning and the end of research and also everyday

The results of a study at HeadHunter Headquarters show the positive effect of the conscious breaks on the psycho-emotional state of employees, as indicated by the following psychophysiological markers: heart rate decreases statistically significantly after a single visit to the virtual savannah when measured in a calm position, the HRV frequency indicators show an increase in the activity of the parasympathetic system after a single conscious break.

Dementia is one of the major causes of disability and dependency among older people worldwide (World Health Organisation, 2021). The behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia - including agitation, aggression, apathy and depression - can present severe problems for caregivers, patients, societies and health services (Finkel, 2000). There is an urgent need to explore non-pharmacological options to maximise the quality of life of those living with the disease, such as by improving mood. In this longitudinal study we examine the use of an immersive VR intervention tool, used daily during short breaks in a senior care home, and its effects on residents diagnosed with dementia. The VR experience immerses the user in the African savannah to give them the psychological benefits that exposure to nature can bring in a healthcare setting (Ulrich, 1984). The study found improvements in participant’s memory, mood, subjective pain levels and overall satisfaction with life.

Study design 
This study was of pre-post study design. A VR intervention was conducted in a senior care home in Malakhovka, Russia. Approval was obtained from the Senior Care Home. Data was collected from patients during the period between November to December 2018 and February to May 2019. The study design was created by Katerina Murashova and Elena Sergienko. 
Participants
The study sample was a convenience sample recruited from a senior care home residence. Participants were considered for inclusion if they met the following criteria: a current resident of the aforementioned geriatric center, medical diagnosis of dementia and varying levels of cognitive function preservation, with an MMSE score of at least 24. This condition was set due to the study’s requirement for interaction with and feedback from the participants. Informed consent was obtained through participants or their next of keen to participate in this study. 
Intervention
The Virry VR platform offers interactive immersive video experiences of natural thematic, allowing the participants to experience contact with nature and wild animals. Each experience immerses the viewer in the world of the African savannah for periods of 2 to 6 minutes. Participants were able to choose an interaction from the selection available for each visit to the Virry VR site, such as an interaction with an elephant that runs up to the viewer, an interaction with a lioness being fed by the viewer, and a trip down a river.
Data collection and monitoring
We conducted assessments of participants before and after the VR intervention. Assessments included: (1) emotional state and mood using the Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (Angold and Costello, 1987); (2) memory, fatigue and attention using A. Luria’s "10 words method"; (3) visual memory and short-term memory using a pictorial test based on Benton’s visual retention test (Benton, 1991); (4) Paired-associate learning test (Arndt, 2012); (5) subjective age was assessed using a questionnaire (Barak, 2009) and; (6) psycho-emotional state using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (Spielberger, et al., 1983). 
The first stage of the intervention was conducted over ten days. Participants who met the inclusion criteria were required to attend the Virry VR site a minimum of six times within this period. Following the first stage, participants were monitored for a further four months where a minimum of three visits per week to the Virry VR site were required. All interaction with the Virry VR was monitored by the research team’s specialist George Makhmutov, Researcher. 
Statistical analysis
Statistical analyses were performed using a combination of R and Jasp software. Before analysis of data, assumptions of normality in the data were made using the Shapiro-Wilk test (> 0.05) and visualisations of normality histograms and Q-Q plots. Data was not found to be normally distributed, therefore non-parametric testing was deemed appropriate. Continuous data are expressed as mean ± standard deviation (SD) or median and interquartile ranges (IQR). Categorical data are expressed as a number of observations and frequencies (n, %). Descriptive statistics were calculated to evaluate anthropometric characteristics of participants. A Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to identify significant differences between pre and post data. Significance for all analyses was defined as p≤ 0.05.  

The positive effect of embedding a visit to a virtual savanna in the everyday routine of care home residents with dementia was noted. Over the course of the study, the mood of the participants improved significantly and their satisfaction with life increased after each immersion in the virtual reality environment. Their level of pain also decreased and through long-term observation, it became apparent that a visit to the virtual savannah has a cumulative effect associated with a decrease in the subjective level of pain.

There was a clear improvement in memory test results. It should be noted that the inclusion of a new type of activity in an elderly person’s environment gives them a stimulating experience and it is highly probable that this has a positive effect on cognitive abilities that decline with age. It can be assumed that visiting the savannah via VR arouses interest in the new and re-orientates the entire cognitive system with knowledge, whilst also having an immediate positive impact on the individual’s wellbeing, setting a positive emotional scene that enables a different attitude to life. A break with Virry VR has, for many participants, become an integral part of their life in the care home. Furthermore, VR experience has also become a communicative platform for discussing new topics with new people.