30th Annual Student Research Conference
A 1:2 Inhalation-To-Exhalation Ratio Does Not Increase Heart Rate Variability During 6-BPM Breathing
Nicholas W. Gravett
Dr. Fred Shaffer, Faculty Mentor
The present within-subjects randomized controlled trial examined whether a 1:2 inhalation-to-exhalation (I/E) ratio produces greater heart rate variability than a 1:1 ratio. Sixteen undergraduates (8 men and 8 women), ages 18-22, participated in this study. Investigators monitored ECG, respiration, temperature, and skin conductance and randomly assigned subjects to begin with one of two 5-min I/E ratio conditions (either a 1:1 or 1:2) and then cross over to the other condition Breathing ratio did not affect autonomic (heart rate, skin conductance, temperature), HRV time domain (HR Max – HR Min, NN50, pNN50, RMSSD), frequency domain (LFnu, HFnu), or nonlinear measurements (DFalpha1, SampEn). The authors recommend that clinicians select the I/E ratio that their clients prefer since this parameter did not affect HRV when participants breathed at 6 bpm. Future research should replicate these findings at each individual’s resonance frequency.
Keywords: heart rate variability, respiration
Topic(s):Psychology
Presentation Type: Poster
Session: 13-
Location: GEO - SUB
Time: