Cardiac autonomic disturbance following sprint-interval exercise in untrained young males: Does exercise volume matter?

Abstract

Objectives This study examined the influences of the volume of all-out sprint-interval exercise (SIE) on acute post-exercise heart rate variability (HRV) recovery. Methods HRV recovery following a session of (i) 2 × 30-s SIE (SIE 2 ), (ii) 4 × 30-s SIE (SIE 4 ), and (iii) non-exercising control (CON) were compared in 15 untrained young males. Time domain [standard deviation of normal-to-normal intervals, root mean square of successive R-R differences] and frequency domain [low frequency (0.04–0.14 Hz), high frequency (0.15–0.40 Hz)] measures of HRV were assessed every 20 min for 140 min after the exercise, and every hour during the first 4 h of actual sleep time at immediate night. All trials were scheduled at 19:00. Results In comparison to CON, both SIE 2 and SIE 4 attenuated the HRV markedly ( p < 0.05), while the declined HRV restored progressively during recovery. Although the sprint repetitions of SIE 4 was twice as that of SIE 2 , the declined HRV indices at corresponding time points during recovery were not different between the two trials ( p > 0.05). Nevertheless, the post-exercise HRV restoration in SIE 2 appeared to be faster than that in SIE 4 . Regardless, nocturnal HRV measured within 10 h following the exercise was not different among the SIE and CON trials ( p > 0.05). Conclusion Such findings suggest that the exercise volume of the SIE protocol may be a factor affecting the rate of removal of the cardiac autonomic disturbance following the exercise. In addition, rest for ∼10 h following either session of the SIE protocol appears to be appropriate for the cardiovascular system to recover.

The Effects of Alpha-Glycerylphosphorylcholine on Heart Rate Variability and Hemodynamic Variables Following Sprint Interval Exercise in Overweight and Obese Women

“…In our study, the SIE protocol reduced HRV variables while increasing hemodynamic variables, which confirms our original hypothesis and the findings of previous studies [ 13 ]. For example, Stuckey et al (2011) and Ye et al (2022), demonstrated that SIE protocols (Wingate base) were associated with imposing significant stress on ANS and hemodynamic variables, which might lead to increased risk of cardiac events after these supramaximal exercises [ 9 , 13 ]. Previous studies have shown that vigorous exercise is associated with stimulation of sympathetic activation leading to increased catecholamine production [ 32 , 33 ].…”

“…Sprint interval exercise (SIE), because of its time efficiency and physiological benefits, has attracted much attention in the last decade among both healthy people and patients with chronic diseases such as obesity [ 10 , 11 , 12 ]. However, SIE might acutely cause an enhanced risk of cardiac events during exercise and the recovery period through overactivation of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and impairment of cardiac function and hemodynamic responses [ 9 , 13 ]. Stuckey et al (2012) compared cardiac autonomic and hemodynamic responses to single (one Wingate) and multiple sprint intervals (four bouts of Wingates) and found similar responses in HRV and hemodynamic variables; though, the recovery of HRV and hemodynamic variables took longer after four bouts compared to one bout [ 9 ].…”

“…Stuckey et al (2012) compared cardiac autonomic and hemodynamic responses to single (one Wingate) and multiple sprint intervals (four bouts of Wingates) and found similar responses in HRV and hemodynamic variables; though, the recovery of HRV and hemodynamic variables took longer after four bouts compared to one bout [ 9 ]. Similarly, Ye et al (2022) recently demonstrated that both two and four bouts of SIE (Wingate test) disturbed HRV and hemodynamic variables similarly in young sedentary individuals [ 13 ]. However, there is a dearth of information on the effects of SIE on cardiac autonomic function and hemodynamic variables during exercise and recovery in people with obesity.…”

Training History, Cardiac Autonomic Recovery from Submaximal Exercise and Associated Performance in Recreational Runners

“…Kiviniemi considered this parasympathetic rebound period after prolonged exertion as the optimal training period for attaining cardiorespiratory adaptations; however, it may also lead to overreaching [ 32 ]. Based on these findings, many studies provided evidence in support of the usefulness of HRV recording during chronic exercise to optimize training adaptations and enhance gain in performance [ 12 , 49 ]. According to the results of our study, in line with Peçcanha et al [ 16 ] and Ballinger [ 8 ], vagal reactivation, reflecting in HRR, and vagal modulation, reflected in cPS cardiac indices and HR after exercise, could potentially reveal the difference between both possible scenarios; however, performance and fatigue are still proposed as major parameters distinguishing between both states [ 8 ], confirming the complexity of physiological mechanisms involved.…”

The effects of acute exercise and a nap on heart rate variability and memory in young sedentary adults

“…Parasympathetic reactivation after aerobic exercise also appears dependent on exercise modality with faster recovery following cycling than running as it involves a lower muscular activity (Cunha et al, 2015;Michael et al, 2017). In general, research findings regarding the acute effects of daytime or evening exercises at low-to-moderate intensity on cardiac autonomic modulation are mixed, with some studies reporting no alteration (Dias et al, 2021;Peçanha et al, 2014;Prodel et al, 2017;Yuda et al, 2018) and others showing decreases (Hynynen et al, 2010;Nie et al, 2022;Oda & Shirakawa, 2014;Ye et al, 2022;Yoshida et al, 2018) in HRV indices during the post-exercise recovery period. Dias et al (2021), for example, observed no differences in HRV indices expressed in natural logarithms in the rest period after a morning moderate-intensity ergometer cycling compared with a control condition in 11 sedentary young men.…”