Heart Rate Variability and Allostatic Load

Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is a measure commonly incorporated into wearable tech, and workplace wellbeing strategies, and a good marker to look at in relation to stress in the workplace. It is the time difference between heart beats, and HRV increases during relaxing activities, and decreases during stress, such as purposeful physical activity, or stressful encounters. In this BMC public health review articles, the researchers looked at the allostatic load in first responders during tactical operations. Articles were classified based on single or repeated stressor exposure and the time of HRV assessment (baseline, during stressor, post stressor). Singular stressful events elicited a reduction in HRV from baseline to during the event. Stressors of greater magnitude reduced HRV for extended durations post stressor. Lower resting HRV was associated with lower situational awareness and impaired decision-making performance in marksmanship and navigation tasks. The authors conclude that a reduction in HRV occurred in response to acute physical and cognitive occupational stressors. A slower rate of recovery of HRV after the completion of acute occupational stressors appears to occur in response to stressors of greater magnitude. The association between lower HRV and lower decision-making performance poses as a useful tool. These results are very useful in the administration of any workplace health program.