Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 18, 2026

Autonomic Function Following Concussion in Youth Athletes: An Exploration of Heart Rate Variability Using 24-hour Recording Methodology
05:48

Autonomic Function Following Concussion in Youth Athletes: An Exploration of Heart Rate Variability Using 24-hour Recording Methodology

Published on: September 21, 2018

Circadian rhythm of heart rate and heart rate variability

M M Massin1, K Maeyns, N Withofs

  • 1Division of Pediatric Cardiology, CHR Citadelle (University of Liège), Boulevard du 12(è) de Ligne, 1, B-4000 Liège, Belgium. martial.massin@chrcitadelle.be

Archives of Disease in Childhood
|July 25, 2000
PubMed

Insights

Children exhibit a daily rhythm in heart rate and heart rate variability (HRV) starting in infancy, linked to sleep maturation and autonomic nervous system development.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Cardiology
  • Autonomic Nervous System Physiology
  • Chronobiology

Background:

  • Heart rate variability (HRV) is a key indicator of cardiac autonomic function.
  • Understanding circadian rhythms in HRV is crucial for pediatric health assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the daily variations in heart rate and HRV in children.
  • To explore the relationship between these rhythms and sleep maturation.

Main Methods:

  • Ambulatory 24-hour Holter monitoring in 57 healthy children (2 months–15 years).
  • Analysis of heart rate and HRV parameters (time and frequency domains) using chronobiological methods.
  • Inclusion of teenagers with diabetes and vagal neuropathy for comparative analysis.

Main Results:

  • Significant circadian rhythms in heart rate and HRV were observed from late infancy/early childhood.
  • Rhythms were characterized by increased variability during sleep, except for the low to high frequency ratio.
  • Circadian variations were associated with sleep maturation and normalized in diabetic patients.

Conclusions:

  • A distinct circadian rhythm of heart rate and HRV exists in children.
  • These findings support the progressive maturation of the autonomic nervous system.
  • Sleep organization and associated sympathetic withdrawal are likely drivers of these observed rhythms.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Calculating Heart Rate Variability from ECG Data from Youth with Cerebral Palsy During Active Video Game Sessions08:12

Calculating Heart Rate Variability from ECG Data from Youth with Cerebral Palsy During Active Video Game Sessions

Published on: June 5, 2019

BrainBeats as an Open-Source EEGLAB Plugin to Jointly Analyze EEG and Cardiovascular Signals08:22

BrainBeats as an Open-Source EEGLAB Plugin to Jointly Analyze EEG and Cardiovascular Signals

Published on: April 26, 2024

Related Concept Videos

Circadian Rhythms and Gene Regulation02:19

Circadian Rhythms and Gene Regulation

The biological clock is involved in many aspects of regulating complex physiology in all animals. It was in 1935 when German zoologists, Hans Kalmus and Erwin Bünning, discovered the existence of circadian rhythm in Drosophila melanogaster. However, the internal molecular mechanisms behind the circadian clock remained a mystery until 1984, when Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Rosbash, and Michael W. Young discovered the expression of the Per gene oscillating over a 24-hour cycle. In subsequent years,...
Factors Influencing Heart Rate01:30

Factors Influencing Heart Rate

The heart rate, or pulse rate, is a vital indicator of cardiovascular health. It reflects the number of times the heart beats per minute. Various physiological and environmental factors influence heart rate, increasing or decreasing cardiac output. Understanding these factors is crucial for assessing heart function and identifying potential health issues.
Let us explore the significant factors affecting heart rate, including age, body temperature, posture, acute pain, chemical influences,...
Conduction System of the Heart01:19

Conduction System of the Heart

Autorhythmicity is a term that refers to the heart's inherent ability to generate electrical signals and instigate muscle contractions. This self-regulating conduction system within the heart consists of two key components: the pacemaker cells and specialized conducting cells.
The pacemaker cells are located in two primary nodes: the sinoatrial (SA) node and the atrioventricular (AV) node. The SA node pacemaker cells can autonomously depolarize, triggering an action potential that leads to the...
Correlation between ECG and Cardiac Cycle01:25

Correlation between ECG and Cardiac Cycle

The electrical signals recorded on an electrocardiogram (ECG) occur before the mechanical processes of contraction and relaxation during the cardiac cycle.
A cardiac action potential originates in the SA node and spreads throughout the atria and the AV node in approximately 0.03 seconds. This results in the P wave in an ECG and triggers atrial contraction. The action potential is then briefly slowed at the AV node, allowing the atria to contract and fill the ventricles with blood before...
Regulation of Heart Rates01:31

Regulation of Heart Rates

The regulation of heart rate is a complex process controlled by the autonomic nervous system (ANS), hormonal influences, and intrinsic cardiac mechanisms. The ANS has two main components: the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS).
The SNS increases heart rate through the release of norepinephrine and epinephrine, which act on beta-1 adrenergic receptors in the heart. This action increases the rate of depolarization in the sinoatrial (SA) node, the heart's...
Conduction System of the Heart01:20

Conduction System of the Heart

The cardiac conduction system produces and transmits electrical impulses that prompt myocardial contraction, ensuring efficient heart function. This intricate system ensures that the heart beats in a coordinated and efficient manner, beginning with the atria and then the ventricles. The conduction system optimizes cardiac output by maintaining this precise sequence, which is crucial for adequate blood circulation.
This system relies on the unique properties of nodal and Purkinje cells:...