scholarly journals Psychophysiological Reactivity, Postures and Movements among Academic Staff: A Comparison between Teleworking Days and Office Days

Author(s):  
Linda Widar ◽  
Birgitta Wiitavaara ◽  
Eva Boman ◽  
Marina Heiden

The aim of this study was to determine if psychophysiological activity, postures and movements differ during telework (i.e., work performed at home) and work performed at the conventional office. We performed twenty-four-hour pulse recordings and accelerometry measurements on 23 academic teaching and research staff during five consecutive workdays, with at least one day of telework. Additionally, we conducted salivary sampling during one day of telework, and one day of office work. Heart rate and heart rate variability indices, postural exposure and cortisol concentration were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance with Workplace and Time (i.e., before, during and after workhours) as within-subject effects. We found a significant interaction effect of Workplace and Time in heart rate variability indices and in the number of transitions between seated and standing postures. This shows more parasympathetic activity among academic teleworkers during telework than office work, which may indicate more relaxation during telework. They had an overall sedentary behavior at both workplaces but switched between sitting and standing more often during telework, which may be beneficial for their health.

Biofeedback ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 144-149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaclene A. Zauszniewski ◽  
Tsay-Yi Au ◽  
Carol M. Musil

Over one million American grandmothers raise grandchildren, and many experience stress that may be alleviated by biofeedback. This pilot trial of 20 grandmothers used a pretest-posttest design with repeated measures to test the effects of heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback on perceived stress, negative emotions, and depressive cognitions. Significant decreases in stress, negative emotions, and depressive cognitions were found. Biofeedback is thus potentially effective for reducing stress and depressive thoughts and feelings in grandmothers raising grandchildren, and the intervention warrants further testing.


2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (6) ◽  
pp. 904-931 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Scrimin ◽  
Ughetta Moscardino ◽  
Livio Finos ◽  
Lucia Mason

This study investigated early adolescents’ psychophysiological response to a school-related stressor (SRS) as indexed by heart rate variability and examined the unique and interactive effects of heart rate variability and temperament on academic achievement. A total of 91 seventh graders watched an SRS video-clip while their heart rate variability was registered. Temperament and grades were also assessed. Heart rate variability decreased from baseline while watching the video-clip, indicating the activation of a stress response, and returned to basal level when recovering. Regression analyses revealed that among youth with an inhibited temperament, higher heart rate variability in the poststressor phase was related to better performance, whereas socially outgoing students performed well regardless of their recovery rate. These are among the first data to report on the link between early adolescents’ parasympathetic self-regulatory activity in response to an SRS, temperamental profiles, and academic functioning. Implications for theory and educational practice are discussed.


Author(s):  
Abdullah Alansare ◽  
Ken Alford ◽  
Sukho Lee ◽  
Tommie Church ◽  
Hyun Jung

Physically inactive adults are prevalent worldwide. This study compared the effects of short-term high-intensity interval training (HIIT) versus moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) on heart rate variability (HRV) in physically inactive adults as a preliminary study. Thirteen physically inactive male adults (27.5 ± 3.80 years) were randomly assigned to HIIT (N = 7) or MICT (N = 6). The HIIT program consisted of 20 min of interval training with cycling to rest ratio of 10/50 s at ≥90% HRpeak, while the MICT program consisted of 40 min of continuous cycling at 60–75% HRpeak. Both groups completed eight sessions of training within two weeks. Time and frequency domains of HRV were measured for 20 min with Actiwave-Cardio monitor (CamNtech, UK). The number of R-R interval and inter-beat interval (IBI) were significantly improved (p < 0.05) in both HIIT and MICT programs following eight sessions of training. A significant interaction effect for group by time was found in the lnLF/HF ratio (p < 0.05) where it was only improved in the HIIT group from pre- to post-test. The HIIT program is superior to MICT in improving HRV in physically inactive adults. The HIIT program can be applied as a time-efficient program for improving cardiac-autoregulation.


2007 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 371-376 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yvonne Baillie ◽  
Matt Wyon ◽  
Andrew Head

Purpose:This study looked at the physiological effects of performance in Highland-dance competition to consider whether the traditional methods used during class and rehearsal provide an appropriate training stimulus toward this performance.Methods:Nine championship standard, female Highland dancers (age 14.2 ± 1.47 years) had their heart rate and blood lactate concentrations measured before and after 3 dances during a championship competition. Heart rate was also measured during the same 3 dances in rehearsal and during class.Results:Repeated-measures analysis of variance showed significant differences in pre dance lactate concentrations between the first dance (Highland Fling, 1.4 ± 0.3 mM/L), the second dance (Sword dance, 2.3 ± 0.8 mM/L), and the third dance (Sean Truibhas, 3.5 ± 1.8 mM/L; F2,16 = 11.72, P < .01. This, coupled with a significant rise in lactate concentration during the dances (F1,8 = 76.75, P < .001), resulted in a final post dance lactate concentration of 7.3 ± 2.96 mM/L. Heart-rate data during competition, rehearsal, and class (195.0 ± 6.5, 172.6 ± 5.4, and 151.9 ± 7.4 beats/min, respectively) showed significant differences between all 3 (F2,16 = 107.1, P < .001); these are comparable to research on other dance forms.Conclusions:Given the disparity between the anaerobic predominance of competition and the aerobic predominance during class, it is suggested that the class does not provide an appropriate training stimulus as preparation for competitive performance in Highland dance.


2016 ◽  
Vol 106 (1) ◽  
pp. 68-75 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin M Smith ◽  
Simon Geletta ◽  
Travis Langan

Background: Des Moines University College of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery (CPMS) is implementing a cultural competency program for third-year podiatric medical students. This study assessed the effectiveness of the new educational program on cultural competency at CPMS by comparing pretest and posttest scores of students from the CPMS graduating classes of 2013 and 2014.Methods: Students from the class of 2013 completed a 10-week online course on cultural competency, and the class of 2014 students did not. A pretest and posttest survey was used to assess cultural competency. The questions were categorized to assess either knowledge acquisition or attitudinal change. The 2013 students completed the pretest before the course and a posttest after completing the course. Without taking the course, 2014 students completed the same pretest and posttest separated by 10 weeks. A repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to compare the knowledge acquisition scores and attitudinal change scores.Results: The repeated-measures analysis of variance revealed a significant interaction effect of taking the attitudinal change course (F(1,77) = 15.2; P &lt; .001). The course did not show a significant interaction on knowledge acquisition (F(1,77) = 0.72; P &gt; .05).Conclusions: The analysis showed a statistically significant improvement in attitudinal change scores. The study suggests that there needs to be a greater knowledge acquisition component to the cultural competency course at CPMS.


2009 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 261-268 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlene Krueger ◽  
JoHannes H. van Oostrom ◽  
Jonathan Shuster

The purpose of this study was to longitudinally describe changes in heart rate variability (HRV) from 28 to 34 weeks postmenstrual age (PMA). A convenience sample of 31 low-risk preterm infants participated. HRV was quantified using a spectral analysis of heart periods and recorded during seven weekly test sessions from an electrocardiogram (ECG) signal. The total range of frequency components (0.04—2.0 Hz), high-frequency (HF) components (0.30—1.3 Hz), and ratio of low-to-high frequency (LF/HF) components (0.04—0.20/ 0.30—1.3 Hz) were measured. A mixed general linear model analysis revealed no significant change over weekly test sessions for the total, the high, and the ratio of LF/HF components. A significant interaction effect was, however, noted in the HF components for test session × gender (df = 1; F = 4.85; p = .030). With increasing age, the HF components for females increased or displayed a pattern of HRV indicative of a more mature autonomic nervous system (ANS). Study findings warrant further investigation of the impact of gender on normative descriptions of HRV.


2016 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 201-207 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Fazio ◽  
Francesca Arfuso ◽  
Elisabetta Giudice ◽  
Claudia Giannetto ◽  
Giuseppe Piccione

Abstract. The effects of time after birth and of twinning on rectal temperature (RT), heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR) and body weight (BW) values were evaluated in five singleton Comisana lambs (three males and two females), five singleton Maltese Kids (three males and two females), four couples of twin Comisana lambs (four males and four females) and four couples of twin Maltese kids (four males and four females) during the first month of life. For all kids and lambs, RT, HR, RR and BW were recorded after 1 and 24 h from birth and every 2 days until the 30th day of life. The application of two-way repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed a statistically significant effect of time (P < 0.0001) on RT, HR, RR and BW values in all lambs and kids during the first month of life. Any significant effect of twinning (P > 0.05) on all studied parameters was found in lambs, whereas statistically significant differences in BW, RT and HR values (P < 0.01) were found between twin and singleton kids throughout the first month of life. The results obtained in this study make a contribution to the knowledge of homeostatic, cardiorespiratory and thermoregulatory adaptations occurring in singleton lambs and kids and in twin lambs and kids during the first 30 days of life. Our findings indicate that the BW, RT, HR and RR values, whose homeostasis is still evolving in newborn, should be interpreted dynamically as a function of the period of postnatal adaptation and also of twinning.


Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 2372
Author(s):  
Nicolas W. Clark ◽  
Chad H. Herring ◽  
Erica R. Goldstein ◽  
Jeffrey R. Stout ◽  
Adam J. Wells ◽  
...  

This study examined the cardiac autonomic responses, as measured by heart rate variability (HRV), during cycling exercise and short-term rest after energy drink consumption. Seventeen participants (seven males and 10 females; age: 22.8 ± 3.5 years; BMI: 24.3 ± 3.3 kg/m2) completed this double-blind, placebo-controlled, counterbalanced crossover design study. Participants received an energy drink formula containing 140 mg of caffeine and a placebo in a randomized order before completing a 10-min steady-state warm up (WUP) and a graded exercise test to exhaustion (GXT) followed by a 15-min short-term rest (STR) period. Heartbeat intervals were recorded using a heart rate monitor. Data were divided into WUP, GXT, and STR phases, and HRV parameters were averaged within each phase. Additionally, root mean square of the standard deviation of R–R intervals (RMSSD) during GXT was analyzed to determine the HRV threshold. Separate two-way (sex (male vs. female) x drink (energy drink vs. placebo)) repeated measures ANOVA were utilized. Significant increases in high frequency (HF) and RMSSD were shown during WUP after energy drink consumption, while interactions between drink and sex were observed for HRV threshold parameters (initial RMSSD and rate of RMSSD decline). No significant differences were noted during STR. Energy drink consumption may influence cardiac autonomic responses during low-intensity exercise, and sex-based differences in response to graded exercise to exhaustion may exist.


Author(s):  
Joel S. Burma ◽  
Sarah Graver ◽  
Lauren N. Miutz ◽  
Alannah Macaulay ◽  
Paige V. Copeland ◽  
...  

Background: Ultra-short-term (UST) heart rate variability (HRV) metrics have increasingly been proposed as surrogates for short-term HRV metrics. However, the concurrent validity, within-day reliability, and between-day reliability of UST HRV have yet to be comprehensively documented. Methods: Thirty-six adults (18 males, age: 26 ± 5 years, BMI: 24 ± 3 kg/m2) were recruited. Measures of HRV were quantified in a quiet-stance upright orthostatic position via three-lead electrocardiogram (ADInstruments, FE232 BioAmp). All short-term data recordings were 300-seconds in length and five UST time points (i.e., 30-seconds, 60-seconds, 120-seconds, 180-seconds, and 240-seconds) were extracted from the original 300-second recording. Bland-Altman plots with 95% limits of agreement, repeated measures ANOVA, and two-tailed paired t-tests demarcated differences between UST and short-term recordings. Linear regressions, coefficient of variation, intraclass correlation coefficients, and other tests examined the validity and reliability in both time- and frequency-domains. Results: No group differences were noted between all short-term and UST measures, for either time- (all p>0.202) or frequency-domain metrics (all p>0.086). A longer recording duration was associated with augmented validity and reliability, that was less impacted by confounding influences from physiological variables (e.g., respiration rate, carbon dioxide end-tidals, and blood pressure). Conclusively, heart rate, time-domain, and relative frequency-domain HRV metrics were acceptable with recordings greater or equal to 60s, 240s, and 300s, respectively. Conclusions: Future studies employing UST HRV metrics, should thoroughly understand the methodological requirements to obtain accurate results. Moreover, a conservative approach should be utilized regarding the minimum acceptable recording duration, which ensures valid/reliable HRV estimates are obtained.


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