Vagally-Mediated Heart Rate Variability and Indices of Well-Being: Results of a Nationally Representative Study

Objective: High frequency (HF) heart rate variability (HRV) has long been accepted as an index of cardiac vagal control. Recent studies report relationships between HF-HRV and indices of positive and negative affect, personality traits and well-being but these studies generally are based on small an...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Health psychology 2017-01, Vol.36 (1), p.73-81
Main Authors: Sloan, Richard P, Schwarz, Emilie, McKinley, Paula S, Weinstein, Maxine, Love, Gayle, Ryff, Carol, Mroczek, Daniel, Choo, Tse-Hwei, Lee, Seonjoo, Seeman, Teresa
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Cohort Studies
Databases, Factual - trends
Demography
Electrocardiography - trends
Emotional Regulation
Emotions
Emotions - physiology
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Heart Rate
Heart Rate - physiology
Heart Rate Variability
Human
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Midlife
Negative emotions
Parasympathetic Nervous System
Positive emotions
Psychological well being
Questionnaires
Surveys and Questionnaires
United States - epidemiology
Vagus Nerve - physiology
Variability
Well Being
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Summary:Objective: High frequency (HF) heart rate variability (HRV) has long been accepted as an index of cardiac vagal control. Recent studies report relationships between HF-HRV and indices of positive and negative affect, personality traits and well-being but these studies generally are based on small and selective samples. Method: These relationships were examined using data from 967 participants in the second Midlife in the U.S. (MIDUS II) study. Participants completed survey questionnaires on well-being and affect. HF-HRV was measured at rest. A hierarchical series of regression analyses examined relationships between these various indices and HF-HRV before and after adjustment for relevant demographic and biomedical factors. Results: Significant inverse relationships were found only between indices of negative affect and HF-HRV. Relationships between indices of psychological and hedonic well-being and positive affect failed to reach significance. Conclusions: These findings raise questions about relationships between cardiac parasympathetic modulation, emotion regulation, and indices of well-being.
ISSN:0278-6133
1930-7810
DOI:10.1037/hea0000397