Effects of Moderate and Heavy Endurance Exercise on Nocturnal HRV

Abstract

This study examined the effects of endurance exercise on nocturnal autonomic modulation. Nocturnal R-R intervals were collected after a rest day, after a moderate endurance exercise and after a marathon run in ten healthy, physically active men. Heart rate variability (HRV) was analyzed as a continuous four-hour period starting 30 min after going to bed for sleep. In relation to average nocturnal heart rate after rest day, increases to 109±6% and 130±11% of baseline were found after moderate endurance exercise and marathon, respectively. Standard deviation of R-R intervals decreased to 90±9% and 64±10%, root-mean-square of differences between adjacent R-R intervals to 87±10% and 55±16%, and high frequency power to 77±19% and 34±19% of baseline after moderate endurance exercise and marathon, respectively. Also nocturnal low frequency power decreased to 56±26% of baseline after the marathon. Changes in nocturnal heart rate and HRV suggest prolonged dose-response effects on autonomic modulation after exercises, which may give useful information on the extent of exercise-induced nocturnal autonomic modulation and disturbance to the homeostasis.

Key words

autonomic nervous system - endurance running - disturbance to homeostasis

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