Research on HRV

Research Review
  •  Low HRV is correlated with increased likelihood of anxiety/depression

    • Grippo, A. J., Carter, C. S., McNeal, N., Chandler, D. L., LaRocca, M. A., Bates, S. L., & Porges, S. W. (2011). 24-hour autonomic dysfunction and depressive behaviors in an animal model of social isolation: implications for the study of depression and cardiovascular disease. Psychosomatic medicine, 73(1), 59.

      o   Taylor, C. B. (2010). Depression, heart rate related variables and cardiovascular disease. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 78(1), 80-88.

  • People with low HRV are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease
    • Liao, D., Carnethon, M., Evans, G. W., Cascio, W. E., & Heiss, G. (2002). Lower heart rate variability is associated with the development of coronary heart disease in individuals with diabetes. Diabetes, 51(12), 3524-3531.
  •   People with high heart rate variability are less likely to give up on difficult tasks, even when they initially fail or receive critical feedback

    • Geisler, F., & Kubiak, T. (2009). Heart rate variability predicts self‐control in goal pursuit. European Journal of Personality, 23(8), 623-633.

      o   Segerstrom, S. C., & Nes, L. S. (2007). Heart rate variability reflects self-regulatory strength, effort, and fatigue. Psychological science, 18(3), 275-281.

  • People with high heart rate variability are better at ignoring distractions, delaying gratification, and dealing with stressful situations
    • Thayer, J. F., Hansen, A. L., Saus-Rose, E., & Johnsen, B. H. (2009). Heart rate variability, prefrontal neural function, and cognitive performance: the neurovisceral integration perspective on self-regulation, adaptation, and health. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 37(2), 141-153.
  •  People with low HRV had a more difficult time coping when they experienced a stressful event
    •  Gouin, J. P., Deschênes, S. S., & Dugas, M. J. (2014). Respiratory sinus arrhythmia during worry forecasts stress-related increases in psychological distress. Stress, 17(5), 416-422.
  • People with high HRV have better impulse control
    • Madsen, P. L., Hasselbalch, S. G., Hagemann, L. P., Olsen, K. S., Bülow, J., Holm, S., … & Lassen, N. A. (1995). Persistent Resetting of the Cerebral Oxygen/Glucose Uptake Ratio by Brain Activation: Evidence Obtained with the Kety—Schmidt Technique. Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism, 15(3), 485-491.
  • Heart rate variability is such a good index of willpower that you can use it to predict who will resist temptation, and who will give in.  For example, recovering alcoholics whose heart rate variability goes up when they see a drink are more likely to stay sober.  Recovering alcoholics who show the opposite response – their heart rate variability drops when they see a drink – have a greater risk of relapse

    •  Ingjaldsson, J. T., Laberg, J. C., & Thayer, J. F. (2003). Reduced heart rate variability in chronic alcohol abuse: relationship with negative mood, chronic thought suppression, and compulsive drinking. Biological psychiatry, 54(12), 1427-1436.

  • Low HRV is correlated with increased markers of metabolic syndrome such as elevated fasting glucose, elevated hbA1c, dysfunctional cortisol, and increased inflammatory compounds

    •  Thayer, J. F., & Sternberg, E. (2006). Beyond heart rate variability. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1088(1), 361-372.

      o   Haensel, A., Mills, P. J., Nelesen, R. A., Ziegler, M. G., & Dimsdale, J. E. (2008). The relationship between heart rate variability and inflammatory markers in cardiovascular diseases. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 33(10), 1305-1312.

      o   Liao, D., Sloan, R. P., Cascio, W. E., Folsom, A. R., Liese, A. D., Evans, G. W., … & Sharrett, A. R. (1998). Multiple metabolic syndrome is associated with lower heart rate variability: the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study. Diabetes care, 21(12), 2116-2122.

      o   Liao, D., Evans, G. W., Chambless, L. E., Barnes, R. W., Sorlie, P., Simpson, R. J., & Heiss, G. (1996). Population-based study of heart rate variability and prevalent myocardial infarction: The atherosclerosis risk in communities study. Journal of electrocardiology, 29(3), 189-198.

      o   Buccelletti, E., Gilardi, E. M. A. N., Scaini, E., Galiuto, L. E. O. N., Persiani, R. O. B. E., Biondi, A. L. B. E., … & Silveri, N. G. (2009). Heart rate variability and myocardial infarction: systematic literature review and metanalysis. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci, 13(4), 299-307.

  •       HRV can be used to predict overtraining in physically active individuals and can help guide exercise prescription
        • Bosquet, L, et al. “Is heart rate a convenient tool to monitor over-reaching? A systematic review of the literature.” British journal of sports medicine 42.9 (2008): 709-714.
        • Morales, J., Álamo, J. M., García-Massó, X., López, J. L., Serra-Añó, P., & González, L. M. (2013). The Use Of Heart Rate Variability In Monitoring Stress And Recovery In Judo Athletes. Journal of strength and conditioning research/National Strength & Conditioning Association. 
        • Seiler, Stephen, Olav Haugen, and Erin Kuffel. “Autonomic recovery after exercise in trained athletes: intensity and duration effects.” Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 39.8 (2007): 1366.

      o   Kiviniemi, A. M., Hautala, A. J., Kinnunen, H., & Tulppo, M. P. (2007). Endurance training guided individually by daily heart rate variability measurements. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 101(6), 743-751.

      o   Vesterinen, V., Häkkinen, K., Laine, T., Hynynen, E., Mikkola, J., & Nummela, A. (2015). Predictors of individual adaptation to high‐volume or high‐intensity endurance training in recreational endurance runners. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports.

      o   Le Meur, Y., Pichon, A., Schaal, K., Schmitt, L., Louis, J., Gueneron, J., … & Hausswirth, C. (2013). Evidence of parasympathetic hyperactivity in functionally overreached athletes. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 45(11), 2061-71.

      o   Flatt, A. A., & Esco, M. R. (2016). Evaluating individual training adaptation with Smartphone-derived heart rate variability in a collegiate female soccer team. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 30(2), 378-385.

      o   Hallman, D. M., Srinivasan, D., & Mathiassen, S. E. (2015). Short-and long-term reliability of heart rate variability indices during repetitive low-force work. European journal of applied physiology, 115(4), 803-812.

  • Higher HRV scores are correlated with higher self-reported Quality of Life (QOL) scores
    • Gonçalves, T. R., Farinatti, P. D. T. V., Gurgel, J. L., & da Silva Soares, P. P. (2015). Correlation between cardiac autonomic modulation in response to orthostatic stress and indicators of quality of life, physical capacity, and physical activity in healthy individuals. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 29(5), 1415-1421.
  • Higher HRV is correlated with superior athletic performance in sports competition

    •    D’ascenzi, F., Alvino, F., Natali, B. M., Cameli, M., Palmitesta, P., Boschetti, G., … & Mondillo, S. (2014). Precompetitive assessment of heart rate variability in elite female athletes during play offs. Clinical physiology and functional imaging, 34(3), 230-236.

      o   Flatt, AA, and Esco, MR. Endurance performance relates to resting heart rate and its variability: A case study of a collegiate male cross-country athlete. J Austral Strength Cond, 22:48-52, 2014.

  • ·         Low HRV is correlated with an increased likelihood of impaired libido
    • Stanton, A. M., Lorenz, T. A., Pulverman, C. S., & Meston, C. M. (2015). Heart rate variability: A risk factor for female sexual dysfunction. Applied psychophysiology and biofeedback, 40(3), 229-237
  • High HRV is correlated with superior marriage quality
    • Smith, T. W., Cribbet, M. R., Nealey-Moore, J. B., Uchino, B. N., Williams, P. G., MacKenzie, J., & Thayer, J. F. (2011). Matters of the variable heart: respiratory sinus arrhythmia response to marital interaction and associations with marital quality. Journal of personality and social psychology, 100(1), 103.
  • ·Low HRV is correlated with increased risk of mortality
    • o   Zulfiqar, U., Jurivich, D. A., Gao, W., & Singer, D. H. (2010). Relation of high heart rate variability to healthy longevity. The American journal of cardiology, 105(8), 1181-1185.