Cardiorespiratory Responses Induced by Various Military Field Tasks

Typical military tasks include load carriage, digging, and lifting loads. To avoid accumulation of fatigue, it is important to know the energy expenditure of soldiers during such tasks. The purpose of this study was to measure cardiorespiratory responses during military tasks in field conditions. Unloaded (M1) and loaded (M2) marching, artillery field preparation (AFP), and digging of defensive positions (D) were monitored. 15 conscripts carried additional weight of military outfit (5.4 kg) during M1, AFP, and D and during M2 full combat gear (24.4 kg). Absolute and relative oxygen uptake (VO2) and heart rate (HR) of M1 (n = 8) were 1.5 ± 0.1 L min(-1), 19.9 ± 2.7 mL kg(-1) min(-1) (42 ± 7%…

Additional file 1: Table S1. of Physical activity, body mass index and heart rate variability-based stress and recovery in 16 275 Finnish employees: a cross-sectional study

Detection of heart rate variability-based stress and recovery. (DOCX 21 kb)

Additional file 2: Table S2. of Physical activity, body mass index and heart rate variability-based stress and recovery in 16 275 Finnish employees: a cross-sectional study

Characteristics (mean ± SD) of the measures derived from beat-to-beat R-R interval recording, by physical activity groups. Table S3. Characteristics (mean ± SD) of the measures derived from beat-to-beat R-R interval recording, by body mass index groups. Table S4. Characteristics (mean ± SD) of the measures derived from beat-to-beat R-R interval recording, by age groups. (DOCX 31 kb)

Additional file 4: Figure S1. of Physical activity, body mass index and heart rate variability-based stress and recovery in 16 275 Finnish employees: a cross-sectional study

An example (1 of the 3 days) of the feedback from the wellbeing assessment of the participants. (PDF 262 kb)

Unfavorable influence of structured exercise program on total leisure-time physical activity

In randomized controlled trials (RCTs), with customized structured physical exercise activity (SPEA) interventions, the dose of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) should exceed the LTPA dose of the nonexercising control (C) group. This increase is required to substantiate health improvements achievable by exercise. We aimed to compare the dose of SPEA, LTPA, and total LTPA (SPEA + LTPA) between a randomized Nordic walking (NW) group, a power-type resistance training (RT) group, and a C group during a 12-week exercise intervention in obese middle-aged men (n = 144) with impaired glucose regulation. The dose of physical activity was measured with diaries using metabolic equivalents. No sig…

Physical activity, body mass index and heart rate variability-based stress and recovery in 16 275 Finnish employees : a cross-sectional study

Background Physical inactivity, overweight, and work-related stress are major concerns today. Psychological stress causes physiological responses such as reduced heart rate variability (HRV), owing to attenuated parasympathetic and/or increased sympathetic activity in cardiac autonomic control. This study’s purpose was to investigate the relationships between physical activity (PA), body mass index (BMI), and HRV-based stress and recovery on workdays, among Finnish employees. Methods The participants in this cross-sectional study were 16 275 individuals (6863 men and 9412 women; age 18–65 years; BMI 18.5–40.0 kg/m2). Assessments of stress, recovery and PA were based on HRV data from beat-to…

Non-structured leisure-time physical activity predicts waist circumference response to Nordic walking in prediabetes

Recovery of rescuers from a 24-h shift and its association with aerobic fitness.

Objectives: Rescuers work in 24-h shifts and the demanding nature of the occupation requires adequate recovery between work shifts. The purpose of this study has been to find out what kind of changes in autonomic control may be seen during work shift and its recovery period in the case of rescuers. An additional interest has been to see if aerobic fitness is associated with recovery from work shifts. Material and Methods: Fourteen male rescuers (aged 34±9 years old) volunteered to participate in the study. Heart rate variability (HRV) was recorded for 96 h to study stress and recovery, from the beginning of a 24-h work shift to the beginning of the next shift. Aerobic fitness assessment inc…

Acute Effect of Alcohol Intake on Cardiovascular Autonomic Regulation During the First Hours of Sleep in a Large Real-World Sample of Finnish Employees : Observational Study

Background Sleep is fundamental for good health, and poor sleep has been associated with negative health outcomes. Alcohol consumption is a universal health behavior associated with poor sleep. In controlled laboratory studies, alcohol intake has been shown to alter physiology and disturb sleep homeostasis and architecture. The association between acute alcohol intake and physiological changes has not yet been studied in noncontrolled real-world settings. Objective The aim of this study was to assess the effects of alcohol intake on the autonomic nervous system (ANS) during sleep in a large noncontrolled sample of Finnish employees. Methods From a larger cohort, this study included 4098 su…

Additional file 3: Table S5. of Physical activity, body mass index and heart rate variability-based stress and recovery in 16 275 Finnish employees: a cross-sectional study

The number of participants by age, physical activity and body mass index groups. (DOCX 21 kb)

Physiological and autonomic stress responses after prolonged sleep restriction and subsequent recovery sleep in healthy young men

Purpose Sleep restriction is increasingly common and associated with the development of health problems. We investigated how the neuroendocrine stress systems respond to prolonged sleep restriction and subsequent recovery sleep in healthy young men. Methods After two baseline (BL) nights of 8 h time in bed (TIB), TIB was restricted to 4 h per night for five nights (sleep restriction, SR, n = 15), followed by three recovery nights (REC) of 8 h TIB, representing a busy workweek and a recovery weekend. The control group (n = 8) had 8 h TIB throughout the experiment. A variety of autonomic cardiovascular parameters, together with salivary neuropeptide Y (NPY) and cortisol levels, were assessed.…