Relationships Between Resting Heart Rate Variability, Maximal Heart Rate, And VO2peak Among Active-duty Firefighters

Abstract Introduction Depression and anxiety are among the most prevalent mental health outcomes in the military population with rates ranging between 11% and 15% in Army active duty service members (ADSMs). Oftentimes both maladies are comorbid with insomnia and other sleep-related disorders. We explored the association between self-reported depression and anxiety levels and resting heart rate variability (HRV) metrics during sleep using a wearable device, the Oura ring. Methods We conducted a longitudinal, naturalistic assessment of fit-for-duty ADSMs (N=44; 21-40 years of age, 38 males) attending the Naval Postgraduate School. Depression was assessed by the Beck Depression Inventory; anxiety was assessed by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. HRV (average nightly HRV and average nightly HRVmaximal during sleep) was assessed with the Oura devices during a period of MD=8 days (range 8–18). Results The median BDI score was 5.50 (IQR=9.50; range 0–23). Most participants had minimal depression (36, 81.8%) with seven (16.9%) having mild depression and one (2.27%) moderate depression. The median state anxiety score was 29.5 (IQR=16.8; range 20 – 56), whereas the median trait anxiety score was 31.0 (IQR=15.8; range 21–56). Correlation analysis (Spearman’s rho) showed that lower depression and anxiety scores were associated with higher nightly HRV during sleep. Specifically, average nightly HRV was correlated with BDI scores (rho=-0.384, p=0.010), state anxiety scores (rho=-0.343, p=0.023), and trait anxiety (rho=-0.356, p=0.018). Average nightly HRVmaximal was negatively correlated with BDI scores (rho=-0.435, p=0.003), state anxiety scores (rho=-0.339, p=0.024), and trait anxiety (rho=-0.339, p=0.025). Conclusion Our findings suggest that HRV during sleep is associated with self-reported depression and anxiety levels in this sample of ADSMs. Further research is needed to assess the utility and limitations of the Oura devices to collect data in field settings. Support (if any):

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Regional Frontal Lobe Response Magnitudes During Affective Shifting Covary With Resting Heart Rate Variability in Healthy Volunteers

Journal of Psychophysiology ◽

10.1027/0269-8803/a000166 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 30 (4) ◽

pp. 165-174 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Ryan Smith ◽

John J.B. Allen ◽

Julian F. Thayer ◽

Richard D. Lane

Keyword(s):

Heart Rate ◽

Heart Rate Variability ◽

Healthy Subjects ◽

Emotional Reactivity ◽

Bold Signal ◽

Resting Heart Rate ◽

Functional Magnetic Resonance ◽

Absolute Value ◽

Cardiac Vagal Control ◽

Resting Heart Rate Variability

Abstract. We hypothesized that in healthy subjects differences in resting heart rate variability (rHRV) would be associated with differences in emotional reactivity within the medial visceromotor network (MVN). We also probed whether this MVN-rHRV relationship was diminished in depression. Eleven healthy adults and nine depressed subjects performed the emotional counting stroop task in alternating blocks of emotion and neutral words during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The correlation between rHRV outside the scanner and BOLD signal reactivity (absolute value of change between adjacent blocks in the BOLD signal) was examined in specific MVN regions. Significant negative correlations were observed between rHRV and average BOLD shift magnitude (BSM) in several MVN regions in healthy subjects but not depressed subjects. This preliminary report provides novel evidence relating emotional reactivity in MVN regions to rHRV. It also provides preliminary suggestive evidence that depression may involve reduced interaction between the MVN and cardiac vagal control.

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