Effects of hand-bathing on noise-induced vasoconstriction: A randomized controlled trial

Area of Science:

• Physiology
• Psychophysiology

Background:

• Psychological stress, particularly from noise, can exacerbate sympathetic nervous activity.
• This heightened activity often manifests as peripheral vasoconstriction, leading to reduced blood flow and skin temperature.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of a brief hand-bathing intervention on sympathetic nervous system responses during psychological stress.
• To evaluate changes in peripheral blood flow and skin temperature in response to noise exposure with and without hand-bathing.

Main Methods:

• Twenty-nine university students were divided into a hand-bathing group and a control group.
• Participants were exposed to auditory noise stress for 6 minutes.
• The hand-bathing group immersed one hand in 40°C water for 2 minutes during noise exposure, while physiological measures of the non-immersed hand were recorded.

Main Results:

• Noise exposure initially decreased fingertip skin temperature in both groups, but the effect persisted longer in the control group.
• The hand-bathing group exhibited significantly higher fingertip skin temperature post-exposure (p=.04).
• Participants undergoing hand-bathing reported significantly greater overall body warmth, thermal comfort, and relaxation (p<.001).

Conclusions:

• A 2-minute hand-bathing intervention effectively reversed noise-induced vasoconstriction.
• Hand-bathing significantly improved subjective feelings of warmth, comfort, and relaxation.
• This intervention shows potential for mitigating sympathetic nervous activity triggered by psychological stress.