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The incidence of stress symptoms and heart rate variability during sleep and orthostatic test

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Abstract

This study examined the relation of self-reported stress to cardiac autonomic modulation in real-life conditions. The participants for the study were healthy male (N = 59) and female (N = 40) employees (age 40 ± 10 years). A single-item question and a 14-item questionnaire on perceived stress were administered to the participants before the experimental night. RR-intervals (RRI) were recorded during night sleep and an orthostatic test after awakening at home. The RRI data were analyzed for heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) in time and frequency domains. Nocturnal urinary stress hormone (cortisol, adrenal and noradrenal) secretion was also analyzed. Based on the self-reported stress, the participants were divided into either low or high stress group. The results showed that higher incidence of stress symptoms was significantly associated with lower HRV in the orthostatic test regardless of age and gender. Differences between the stress groups in HRV indices were approximately 20–50 and 30–75% in supine and standing positions, respectively. No difference was found in nocturnal HR, HRV, or stress hormone secretion between the stress groups. Higher incidence of stress symptoms was significantly associated with greater decrease of HRV from night sleep to the orthostatic test, as a response to awakening. In conclusion, the present findings support the view that autonomic modulation measured in the orthostatic test, but not during night sleep, is related to self-reported stress.

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Acknowledgments

This study was funded by grants from TEKES-National Technology Agency of Finland, Juho Vainio Foundation, Finland and Foundation of Sports Institute, Finland. The authors declare that the experiments comply with the current laws of Finland.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. KIHU, Research Institute for Olympic Sports, Rautpohjankatu 6, 40700, Jyväskylä, Finland

    Esa Hynynen, Niilo Konttinen & Heikki Rusko

  2. Department of Psychology, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland

    Ulla Kinnunen

  3. Department of Biology of Physical Activity, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland

    Heikki Kyröläinen & Heikki Rusko

Authors
  1. Esa Hynynen
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  2. Niilo Konttinen
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  3. Ulla Kinnunen
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  4. Heikki Kyröläinen
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  5. Heikki Rusko
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Esa Hynynen.

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Communicated by Dag Linnarsson.

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Hynynen, E., Konttinen, N., Kinnunen, U. et al. The incidence of stress symptoms and heart rate variability during sleep and orthostatic test. Eur J Appl Physiol 111, 733–741 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-010-1698-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-010-1698-x

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