Four Sessions of Combining Wearable Devices and Heart Rate Variability (HRV) Biofeedback are Needed to Increase HRV...

Area of Science:

• Behavioral interventions
• Autonomic nervous system regulation
• Cardiorespiratory synchronization

Background:

• Heart rate variability biofeedback (HRVB) synchronizes heart rate and breathing using resonance frequency breathing.
• Wearable devices offer a novel approach to delivering HRVB interventions.
• Understanding optimal HRVB duration is crucial for clinical efficacy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the number of HRVB sessions needed to enhance HRV and reduce breathing rates.
• To compare the efficacy of HRVB with relaxation training (RT) on HRV indices and breathing rates.
• To investigate the dose-response relationship of HRVB training duration.

Main Methods:

• Sixty-four participants were randomized into HRVB or RT groups.
• Interbeat intervals (IBIs) and breathing rates were measured at baseline, during, and post-training (weeks 1-4).
• IBIs were analyzed as heart rate variability (HRV) indices, reflecting autonomic nervous system activity.

Main Results:

• The HRVB group showed significantly greater increases in HRV indices and decreases in breathing rates compared to the RT group by week 4.
• Within the HRVB group, significant improvements in HRV and breathing rates were observed by weeks 3 and 4 compared to earlier weeks.
• HRVB demonstrated significant increases in HRV and decreases in breathing rates from mid-training onwards compared to pre-training.

Conclusions:

• Four weeks of wearable HRVB is effective in improving HRV indices and reducing breathing rates compared to RT.
• A minimum of three weeks of HRVB training is required to achieve significant improvements in HRV and breathing rates.
• Wearable HRVB presents a promising intervention for enhancing autonomic regulation.