Effects of voluntary slow breathing on heart rate and heart rate variability: A systematic review and a meta-analysis.

Voluntary slow breathing (VSB) is used as a prevention technique to support physical and mental health, given it is suggested to influence the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). However, to date, no comprehensive quantitative review exists to support or refute this claim. We address this through a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of VSB on heart rate variability (HRV). Specifically, we focus on HRV parameters indexing PNS activity regulating cardiac functioning, referred to as vagally-mediated (vm)HRV: (1) during the breathing session (i.e., DURING), (2) immediately after one training session (i.e., IM-AFTER1), as well as (3) after a multi-session intervention (i.e., AFTER-INT). From the 1842 selected abstracts, 223 studies were suitable for inclusion (172 DURING, 16 IM-AFTER1, and 49 AFTER-INT). Results indicate increases in vmHRV with VSB, DURING, IM-AFTER1, and AFTER-INT. Given the involvement of the PNS in a large range of health-related outcomes and conditions, VSB exercises could be advised as a low-tech and low-cost technique to use in prevention and adjunct treatment purposes, with few adverse effects expected.

[Psychological characteristics of stress in nursing student]. / Déterminants psychologiques du stress chez les étudiants en soins infirmiers.

BACKGROUND: Student nurses have perceived stress higher than students taking other training courses. The objective of this work was to investigate psychological characteristics of nursing students in an attempt to understand why they are more subject to stress than others. METHODS: We carried out a self-administered questionnaire survey to compare students taking various training courses (i.e., sport sciences, psychology, medicine, and nursing). Perceived stress and health, high-risk behaviors, different psychological determinants of stress (i.e. coping, emotional skills, resilience, self-esteem, personality, chronotype) were assessed. RESULTS: Multiple linear regression analysis yielded a model showing that seven independent variables were correlated with perceived stress among students: perceived health, neuroticism, stress tolerance, active coping, understanding of one's own emotions, chronotype amplitude, and use of one's own feelings. Moreover, medicine and nursing students were more stressed and perceived their health in a more negative way than students taking other training courses. Nursing students were also less stress tolerant. CONCLUSION: The regression model suggests that psychological characteristics influence stress level among students. Moreover, the results show that medicine and nursing students differ from other students on resilience in stress tolerance dimension as well as on a set of behaviors. Practical perspectives are discussed.

The effect of slow-paced breathing on stress management in adolescents with intellectual disability.

BACKGROUND: Intellectual disabilities often create a state of chronic stress for both the person concerned and their significant others (family, caregivers). The development of stress management methods is therefore important for the reduction of stress in persons with intellectual disability. The aim of this experiment was to investigate the effect of slow-paced breathing on stress symptoms experienced by adolescents with intellectual disabilities during a cognitive task under time pressure. METHOD: Fourteen adolescents with intellectual disabilities (Mage  = 17.39 years, range 15-19 years) took part in two laboratory sessions - a slow-paced breathing session (experimental condition) and an audiobook session (control condition) - the order of which was counterbalanced across participants. Vagal tone was measured through heart rate variability to index stress management. RESULTS: No difference in vagal tone was observed at baseline between experimental and control conditions. Compared with the control condition, vagal tone was significantly higher during the experimental condition. CONCLUSIONS: The slow-paced breathing task enhanced stress management to a greater extent than did listening to an audiobook. Slow-paced breathing seems to be an easy to learn stress management technique that appears as an effective auxiliary method of lowering stress in adolescents with intellectual disabilities.

Emotional intelligence in sport and exercise: A systematic review.

This review targets emotional intelligence (EI) in sport and physical activity. We systematically review the available literature and offer a sound theoretical integration of differing EI perspectives (the tripartite model of EI) before considering applied practice in the form of EI training. Our review identified 36 studies assessing EI in an athletic or physical activity context. EI has most often been conceptualized as a trait. In the context of sport performance, we found that EI relates to emotions, physiological stress responses, successful psychological skill usage, and more successful athletic performance. In the context of physical activity, we found that trait EI relates to physical activity levels and positive attitudes toward physical activity. There was a shortage of research into the EI of coaches, officials, and spectators, non-adult samples, and longitudinal and experimental methods. The tripartite model proposes that EI operates on three levels - knowledge, ability, and trait - and predicts an interplay between the different levels of EI. We present this framework as a promising alternative to trait and ability EI conceptualizations that can guide applied research and professional practice. Further research into EI training, measurement validation and cultural diversity is recommended.

Combination of gradual and rapid weight loss: effects on physical performance and psychological state of elite judo athletes.

The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of a combination of gradual and rapid body mass loss on the physical performance and psychological state of elite judo athletes. Participants were divided into two groups: the experimental (diet) group needed to reduce body mass by 2-6%, whereas the control group did not need to lose body mass. Body mass, percentage of body fat, vertical jump, repetitions of judo movements, rowing with additional loads, and the Profile of Mood States were assessed at 4 weeks before a championship and again one day before the same championship. Compared with 4 weeks before the championship, the experimental group showed a significant decrease in body mass (-4 +/- 1.1%, P < 0.05), estimated body fat (-10 +/- 4.0%, P < 0.05), and judo movement repetitions over 30 s (-4.5 +/- 2.7, P < 0.05), and an increase in scores for confusion (-14.6 +/- 7.9, P < 0.05) and tension (-10.1 +/- 12.5, P < 0.05), but a decrease in vigour (11.3 +/- 8.5, P < 0.05), one day before the championship. There was no difference in squat jump or countermovement jump performance or in judo movement repetitions over 5 s. Our results show that for the experimental group some aspects of performance were impaired one day before a competition, but performance of judo movements over 5 s was not affected.

Circadian rhythms during cycling exercise and finger-tapping task.

The aim of this study was to follow the circadian fluctuation of the spontaneous pedal rate and the motor spontaneous tempo (MST) in a sample of highly trained cyclists. Ten subjects performed five test sessions at various times of day. During each test session, subjects were required to perform (i) a finger-tapping task, in order to set the MST and (ii) a submaximal exercise on a cycle ergometer for 15 min at 50% of their Wmax. For this exercise, pedal rate was freely chosen. Spontaneous pedal rate and heart rate (HR) were measured continuously. The results demonstrated a circadian variation for mean oral temperature, HR, and MST. Under submaximal exercise conditions, HR showed no significant time-of-day influence although spontaneous pedal rate changed significantly throughout the day. Circadian rhythm of oral temperature and pedal rate were strongly correlated. Moreover, a significant positive correlation was found between MST and pedal rate. Both parameters may be controlled by a common brain oscillator. MST, rest HR, and pedal rate changes follow the rhythm of internal temperature, which is considered to be the major marker in chronobiology, therefore, if there is a relation between MST and pedal rate, we cannot rule out partial dependence of both parameters on body temperature.