scholarly journals Stress Watch: The Use of Heart Rate and Heart Rate Variability to Detect Stress: A Pilot Study Using Smart Watch Wearables

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 151
Author(s):  
Taryn Chalmers ◽  
Blake Anthony Hickey ◽  
Phillip Newton ◽  
Chin-Teng Lin ◽  
David Sibbritt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Heart Rate Variability ◽  
Stress Response ◽  
General Population ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Acute Stress ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Biological Stress ◽  
Stress States ◽  
The Individual

Stress is an inherent part of the normal human experience. Although, for the most part, this stress response is advantageous, chronic, heightened, or inappropriate stress responses can have deleterious effects on the human body. It has been suggested that individuals who experience repeated or prolonged stress exhibit blunted biological stress responses when compared to the general population. Thus, when assessing whether a ubiquitous stress response exists, it is important to stratify based on resting levels in the absence of stress. Research has shown that stress that causes symptomatic responses requires early intervention in order to mitigate possible associated mental health decline and personal risks. Given this, real-time monitoring of stress may provide immediate biofeedback to the individual and allow for early self-intervention. This study aimed to determine if the change in heart rate variability could predict, in two different cohorts, the quality of response to acute stress when exposed to an acute stressor and, in turn, contribute to the development of a physiological algorithm for stress which could be utilized in future smartwatch technologies. This study also aimed to assess whether baseline stress levels may affect the changes seen in heart rate variability at baseline and following stress tasks. A total of 30 student doctor participants and 30 participants from the general population were recruited for the study. The Trier Stress Test was utilized to induce stress, with resting and stress phase ECGs recorded, as well as inter-second heart rate (recorded using a FitBit). Although the present study failed to identify ubiquitous patterns of HRV and HR changes during stress, it did identify novel changes in these parameters between resting and stress states. This study has shown that the utilization of HRV as a measure of stress should be calculated with consideration of resting (baseline) anxiety and stress states in order to ensure an accurate measure of the effects of additive acute stress.

Perceived Social Support and Heart Rate Variability: An Integrative Review

2021 ◽  
pp. 019394592110289
Author(s):  
Madison P. Goodyke ◽  
Patricia E. Hershberger ◽  
Ulf G. Bronas ◽  
Susan L. Dunn
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Heart Rate ◽  
Heart Rate Variability ◽  
Stress Response ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Acute Stress ◽  
Perceived Social Support ◽  
Included Study ◽  
Integrative Review ◽  
Stress Buffering

The purpose of this integrative review is to explore and synthesize literature about the relationship between perceived social support and cardiac vagal modulation, measured by heart rate variability (HRV), during phases of an acute stress response to assess this potential relationship underlying the stress-buffering effects of perceived social support. A systematic search of seven databases was conducted, including MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsychINFO, Embase, ProQuest, medRxiv, and clinicaltrials.gov. Eight studies met the inclusion criteria and were systematically synthesized. A quality appraisal was completed for each included study. Majority of studies focused on time and frequency domain measures of HRV thought to reflect parasympathetic modulation of heart rate and identified them as positively associated with perceived social support during rest, stress induction, and recovery from an acute stressor. Results highlight the importance for nurses and other health care professionals to assess patients’ perceived social support, as increased perceived social support may contribute to an adaptive stress response.

scholarly journals Binary symbolic dynamics analysis to detect stress-associated changes of nonstationary heart rate variability

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Conrad Spellenberg ◽  
Peter Heusser ◽  
Arndt Büssing ◽  
Andreas Savelsbergh ◽  
Dirk Cysarz
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Heart Rate Variability ◽  
Psychological Stress ◽  
Symbolic Dynamics ◽  
Acute Stress ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Autonomic Regulation ◽  
Rr Interval ◽  
Cardiac Autonomic Regulation ◽  
Acute Psychological Stress

Abstract Psychological stress may have harmful physiological effects and result in deteriorating health. Acute psychological stress acts also on cardiac autonomic regulation and may lead to nonstationarities in the interbeat interval series. We address the requirement of stationary RR interval series to calculate frequency domain parameters of heart rate variability (HRV) and use binary symbolic dynamics derived from RR interval differences to overcome this obstacle. 24 healthy subjects (12 female, 20–35 years) completed the following procedure: waiting period, Trier Social Stress Test to induce acute psychological stress, recovery period. An electrocardiogram was recorded throughout the procedure and HRV parameters were calculated for nine 5-min periods. Nonstationarities in RR interval series were present in all periods. During acute stress the average RR interval and SDNN decreased compared to rest before and after the stress test. Neither low frequency oscillations (LF), high frequency oscillations (HF) nor LF/HF could unambiguously reflect changes during acute stress in comparison to rest. Pattern categories derived from binary symbolic dynamics clearly identified acute stress and accompanying alterations of cardiac autonomic regulation. Methods based on RR interval differences like binary symbolic dynamics should be preferred to overcome issues related to nonstationarities.

scholarly journals Working Memory Performance Under Stress

2020 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
pp. 132-139
Author(s):  
Petra Luers ◽  
Malgorzata Schloeffel ◽  
Jens C. Prüssner
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Acute Stress ◽  
Memory Performance ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Trier Social Stress Test ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Individual ◽  
And Function

Abstract. Acute stress and chronic stress change the physiology and function of the individual. As one facet, stress and its neuroendocrine correlates – with glucocorticoids in particular – modulate memory in a concerted action. With respect to working memory, impairing effects of acute stress and increased levels of glucocorticoids could be expected, but empirical evidence on moderating effects of cortisol on working memory is ambiguous in human studies. In the current study, we thus aimed to investigate cortisol stress responses and memory performance. Older men and women (32 men, 43 women, aged 61–67 years) underwent the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) and performed the 2-back task before and after exposure to acute stress. In line with theoretical assumptions, we found that higher cortisol stress responses led to a decline of working memory performance in men. However, the opposite was evident for women, who appeared to benefit from higher stress responses. This effect was evident for accuracy, but not for reaction time. In conclusion, cortisol might mediate working memory alterations with stress in a sex-specific manner in older people. Possible mechanisms and causes for these sex differences put a focus on endocrine changes in the aging population that might lead to differential effects across the lifespan.

scholarly journals Modeling autonomic regulation of cardiac function and heart rate variability in human endotoxemia

2011 ◽  
Vol 43 (16) ◽  
pp. 951-964 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeremy D. Scheff ◽  
Panteleimon D. Mavroudis ◽  
Steven E. Calvano ◽  
Stephen F. Lowry ◽  
Ioannis P. Androulakis
Keyword(s):  
Mathematical Model ◽  
Heart Rate ◽  
Heart Rate Variability ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Acute Stress ◽  
Inflammatory Diseases ◽  
Biological Processes ◽  
Cellular Mechanisms ◽  
Human Endotoxemia ◽  
The Relationship

Heart rate variability (HRV), the quantification of beat-to-beat variability, has been studied as a potential prognostic marker in inflammatory diseases such as sepsis. HRV normally reflects significant levels of variability in homeostasis, which can be lost under stress. Much effort has been placed in interpreting HRV from the perspective of quantitatively understanding how stressors alter HRV dynamics, but the molecular and cellular mechanisms that give rise to both homeostatic HRV and changes in HRV have received less focus. Here, we develop a mathematical model of human endotoxemia that incorporates the oscillatory signals giving rise to HRV and their signal transduction to the heart. Connections between processes at the cellular, molecular, and neural levels are quantitatively linked to HRV. Rhythmic signals representing autonomic oscillations and circadian rhythms converge to modulate the pattern of heartbeats, and the effects of these oscillators are diminished in the acute endotoxemia response. Based on the semimechanistic model developed herein, homeostatic and acute stress responses of HRV are studied in terms of these oscillatory signals. Understanding the loss of HRV in endotoxemia serves as a step toward understanding changes in HRV observed clinically through translational applications of systems biology based on the relationship between biological processes and clinical outcomes.

scholarly journals Evaluation of the socially evaluated cold-pressor group test (SECPT-G) in the general population

PeerJ ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. e7521 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda Becker ◽  
Ursula Schade ◽  
Nicolas Rohleder
Keyword(s):  
General Population ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Acute Stress ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Cold Pressor ◽  
Group Test ◽  
Cortisol Responses ◽  
Measurement Time Point ◽  
Cortisol Increase ◽  
Ice Water

Background In stress research, economic instruments for introducing acute stress responses are needed. In this study, we investigated whether the socially evaluated cold-pressor group test (SECPT-G) induces salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) and/or cortisol responses in the general population and whether this is associated with anthropometric, experimental, and lifestyle factors. Methods A sample of 91 participants from the general population was recruited. Salivary cortisol and sAA levels were assessed prior to (t0), immediately after (t1), and 10 min after the SECPT-G (t2). Results A robust cortisol increase was found immediately after the SECPT-G, which further increased between t1 and t2. This was independent of most of the control variables. However, men showed a trend toward higher cortisol increases than women (p = 0.005). No sAA responses were found at all. However, sAA levels were dependent on measurement time point with highest levels between 9 pm and 9:30 pm. Participants who immersed their hands into the ice water for the maximally allowed time of 3 min showed higher sAA levels at all time points than participants who removed their hands from the water earlier. Conclusions We conclude that the SECPT-G is a good means of an acute stress test when cortisol—but not necessarily sAA—responses are intended.

scholarly journals Monitorization of Autonomic Stress Response of Nurse Students in Hospital Clinical Simulation

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Isabel Beltrán-Velasco ◽  
Paula Sánchez-Conde ◽  
Domingo Jesús Ramos-Campo ◽  
Vicente Javier Clemente-Suárez
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Heart Rate Variability ◽  
Stress Response ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Purpose In Life ◽  
Autonomic Response ◽  
Psychological Profile ◽  
Clinical Simulation ◽  
Nurse Students

The aims of this study were to analyze the autonomic stress response of nurse degree students during a hospital clinical simulation and to analyze differences in the autonomic stress response of nurse degree students during a hospital clinical simulation depending on their psychological profile. We analyzed in 45 nurse students their psychological profile (purpose in life, coping flexibility, perceived stress, Framingham Type A Behavior, and personality) and the autonomic modulation by the heart rate variability in a hospital clinical simulation. Students presented decreased heart rate variability and different autonomic stress responses depending on the different psychological parameters evaluated. We concluded that a hospital clinical simulation produced a large sympathetic modulation of nurse students that was maintained during the entire clinical simulation. The autonomic response was modulated by the psychological profile of students, showing higher purpose in life, perceived stress, and neuroticism, presenting higher parasympathetic modulation.

scholarly journals Physiological Resonance in Empathic Stress: Insights from Nonlinear Dynamics of Heart Rate Variability

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 2081 ◽  
Author(s):  
Estelle Blons ◽  
Laurent M. Arsac ◽  
Eric Grivel ◽  
Veronique Lespinet-Najib ◽  
Veronique Deschodt-Arsac
Keyword(s):  
Nonlinear Dynamics ◽  
Heart Rate ◽  
Heart Rate Variability ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Resonance State ◽  
Trier Social Stress Test ◽  
Resonance Phenomenon ◽  
Multiscale Entropy

Because most humans live and work in populated environments, researchers recently took into account that people may not only experience first-hand stress, but also second-hand stress related to the ability to empathically share another person’s stress response. Recently, researchers have begun to more closely examine the existence of such empathic stress and highlighted the human propensity to physiologically resonate with the stress responses of others. As in case of first-hand stress, empathic stress could be deleterious for health if people experience exacerbated activation of hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal and autonomic nervous systems. Thus, exploring empathic stress in an observer watching someone else experiencing stress is critical to gain a better understanding of physiological resonance and conduct strategies for health prevention. In the current study, we investigated the influence of empathic stress responses on heart rate variability (HRV) with a specific focus on nonlinear dynamics. Classic and nonlinear markers of HRV time series were computed in both targets and observers during a modified Trier social stress test (TSST). We capitalized on multiscale entropy, a reliable marker of complexity for depicting neurovisceral interactions (brain-to-heart and heart-to-brain) and their role in physiological resonance. State anxiety and affect were evaluated as well. While classic markers of HRV were not impacted by empathic stress, we showed that the complexity marker reflected the existence of empathic stress in observers. More specifically, a linear model highlighted a physiological resonance phenomenon. We conclude on the relevance of entropy in HRV dynamics, as a marker of complexity in neurovisceral interactions reflecting physiological resonance in empathic stress.

scholarly journals Evaluation of the socially evaluated cold-pressor group test (SECPT-G) in the general population

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda Becker ◽  
Ursula Schade ◽  
Nicolas Rohleder
Keyword(s):  
General Population ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Acute Stress ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Cold Pressor ◽  
Alpha Amylase ◽  
Salivary Alpha Amylase ◽  
Group Test ◽  
Cortisol Responses ◽  
Cortisol Increase

Background. In stress research, economic instruments for introducing acute stress responses are needed. In this study, we investigated whether the socially evaluated cold-pressor group test (SECPT-G) induces salivary alpha-amylase and/or cortisol responses in the general population and whether it is associated with anthropometric, experimental, and lifestyle factors. Methods. A total of 91 participants was recruited. Salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase levels were assessed prior (t0), immediately after (t1), and ten minutes after the SECPT-G (t2). Results. A strong cortisol increase was found immediately after the SECPT-G, which further increased between t1 and t2. This was independent of most of the control variables. However, men showed stronger cortisol increases than women. No sAA responses were found at all. Conclusions. We conclude that the SECPT-G is a good means of an acute stress test when cortisol – but not necessarily sAA – responses are intended.

scholarly journals Neuroendocrine responses to a psychosocial stress test for larger groups of participants: comparison of two test exposures

2020 ◽  
Vol 54 (4) ◽  
pp. 255-259
Author(s):  
Jakub Rajcani ◽  
Petra Solarikova ◽  
Igor Brezina ◽  
Daniela Jezova
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Psychosocial Stress ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Anxiety State ◽  
Stress Tests ◽  
Social Evaluative Threat ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Neuroendocrine Responses ◽  
The Individual

Abstract Objective. Individual stress tests characterized by social evaluative threat and uncontrollability are known to elicit strong neuroendocrine responses. We tested whether a psychosocial stressor submitted to a larger group of participants (up to 60) may elicit comparable stress responses. Methods. A total of 59 adult subjects (33 women, 26 men) participated in the study, whereas 24 of them suffered from allergy and 35 were healthy. The stress test consisted of a distraction stress task followed by a speech task, in which the participants were randomly subjected to questions related to a topic that they had to prepare as well as arithmetic questions in front of their peers and a committee that responded in standardized and non-supporting manner. State and trait anxiety inventory (STAI) for anxiety state was administrated before and after the test and salivary samples taking. The test was repeated after five months. Results. The results showed that the shared psychosocial stress application in a larger group of subjects was prosperous. The larger group test (LGST) resulted in an enhanced subjectively experienced stress and an intensive sympathetic nervous system activation, reflected by elevated salivary alpha-amylase activity and the heart rate. The cortisol increment after exposure to the stress test was not significant. Repeated exposure to the test failed to reproduce the original stress responses with exception of the heart rate rise. Conclusions. In a larger group of subjects, the psychosocial stress test did elicit stress responses similar to the individual stress tests. Our data indicate that the above-mentioned stress test is apparently not an appropriate approach for the repeated use.

scholarly journals Evaluation of the socially evaluated cold-pressor group test (SECPT-G) in the general population

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda Becker ◽  
Ursula Schade ◽  
Nicolas Rohleder
Keyword(s):  
General Population ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Acute Stress ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Cold Pressor ◽  
Alpha Amylase ◽  
Group Test ◽  
Cortisol Responses ◽  
Measurement Time Point ◽  
Ice Water

Background. In stress research, economic instruments for introducing acute stress responses are needed. In this study, we investigated whether the socially evaluated cold-pressor group test (SECPT-G) induces salivary alpha-amylase and/or cortisol responses in the general population and whether this is associated with anthropometric, experimental, and lifestyle factors. Methods. A sample of 91 participants from the general population was recruited. Salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase (sAA) levels were assessed prior to (t0), immediately after (t1), and ten minutes after the SECPT-G (t2). Results. A robust cortisol increase was found immediately after the SECPT-G, which further increased between t1 and t2. This was independent of most of the control variables. However, men showed a trend towards higher cortisol increases than women (p = .005). No sAA responses were found at all. However, sAA levels were dependent on measurement time point with highest levels between 9 pm and 9:30 pm. Participants who immersed their hands into the ice water for the maximally allowed time of three minutes showed higher sAA levels at all time points than participants who removed their hands from the water earlier. Conclusions. We conclude that the SECPT-G is a good means of an acute stress test when cortisol – but not necessarily sAA – responses are intended.

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