Heart rate variability related to effort at work

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Psychophysiology
• Occupational Health

Background:

• Autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysfunction is linked to work stress, increasing cardiovascular risks.
• Heart rate variability (HRV) is a key indicator of ANS function.
• Understanding the relationship between work stress, emotions, and HRV is crucial for occupational health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between chronic work stress, daily emotions, and HRV measures.
• To evaluate novel HRV-based relaxation metrics in relation to work stress and emotions.
• To explore the impact of effort-reward imbalance on cardiac autonomic function.

Main Methods:

• Nineteen healthy hospital workers participated in a two-day study.
• Continuous monitoring of heart rate and physical activity.
• Validated questionnaires for chronic work stress (Effort-Reward Imbalance) and daily emotions (stress, irritation, satisfaction).
• Analysis of various HRV metrics and novel neural network-based relaxation measures.

Main Results:

• Seventeen participants reported chronic work stress (Effort-Reward Imbalance ratio > 1).
• Higher work effort correlated with lower daytime HRV and reduced relaxation.
• Daily emotions like stress and satisfaction were associated with specific HRV patterns during work and nighttime.
• Nighttime relaxation was significantly higher than daytime or work time relaxation.

Conclusions:

• Chronic work stress, particularly high effort, significantly impacts cardiac autonomic function.
• Daily emotions experienced at work are correlated with HRV.
• Novel HRV-based relaxation measures show promise for stress research in real-world settings.
• Findings emphasize the link between psychological work environment and cardiovascular health.