Relationship between heart rate and sinus arrhythmia in air traffic controllers at work

Sinus arrhythmia and mean heart rate were calculated from continuous electrocardiogram recordings of ten air traffic controllers. The telemetric recordings were carried out during 1 day of work and the following day's night shift. The individual variations of sinus arrhythmia were very large. The different situations (rest, relaxed work, intense work, eating, movements within the control room) had no specific effect on sinus arrhythmia. For each subject and for each group it was the value of the mean heart rate and its temporal variations that had the greatest influence on variations of sinus arrhythmia.