Heart rate variability and occupational stress-systematic review

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Cardiovascular Physiology
• Psychophysiology

Background:

• Workplace stress is a significant public health concern.
• Heart rate variability (HRV) is a key indicator of autonomic nervous system function.
• Understanding the relationship between occupational stress and HRV is crucial for employee well-being.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review existing literature on the association between occupational stress and HRV during work.
• To synthesize findings regarding how job-related stress affects physiological stress responses.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search across major databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Cinahl, PsycINFO) from January 2005 to September 2017.
• Included 10 peer-reviewed studies (9 cross-sectional, 1 longitudinal).
• Analyzed studies based on design, population, occupational stress assessment (e.g., JCQ, ERI), and HRV measurement (Holter ECG, time/frequency-domain analysis).

Main Results:

• Heightened occupational stress was consistently associated with lowered HRV.
• Specifically, reduced parasympathetic nervous system activation was observed.
• This was evidenced by decreases in RMSSD, HF power, and an increase in the LF/HF ratio.

Conclusions:

• Occupational stress negatively impacts autonomic regulation, as reflected by HRV.
• Findings suggest a need for interventions to mitigate workplace stress and protect cardiovascular health.
• Methodological diversity in assessing stress and HRV warrants consideration in future research.