Gum chewing modulates heart rate variability under noise stress

Area of Science:

• Physiology
• Psychology
• Stress Research

Background:

• Heart-rate variability (HRV) is a key indicator of autonomic nervous system activity and stress.
• The potential stress-relieving effects of gum chewing remain largely unproven.
• Investigating gum chewing's impact on HRV under acute stress is crucial for understanding its physiological effects.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the influence of gum chewing on heart-rate variability (HRV) during an acute stressor.
• To determine if gum chewing can mitigate physiological stress responses.

Main Methods:

• A crossover study involving 47 healthy young adults.
• Participants underwent a 5-minute noise stressor (75 dBA) with and without gum chewing.
• Heart-rate variability (HRV) and self-reported stress (VAS, STAI-s) were measured before and during the stressor.

Main Results:

• Gum chewing during stress was associated with lower high-frequency (HF) HRV and higher low-frequency (LF) and LF/HF ratios compared to no gum chewing.
• Despite HRV changes, gum chewing did not significantly alter self-reported stress levels (VAS, STAI-s) compared to the no-gum group.
• Gum chewing alone (without stress) did not show significant HRV changes.

Conclusions:

• Gum chewing appears to modulate autonomic nervous system activity, as indicated by HRV changes during acute stress.
• The findings suggest that gum chewing may not effectively alleviate the subjective experience of acute stress induced by noise.
• Further research is needed to elucidate the complex relationship between gum chewing, HRV, and perceived stress.