Effect of Stress on Autonomic and Cardiovascular Systems in Military Population: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Stress is regulated by the autonomous nervous system, increasing the sympathetic modulation when a threat is perceived. A multifactorial response usually leads to significant behavioural modifications and alterations on homeostasis and physical and psychological status. Moreover, stress is an emotional response that can lead to psychosocial and psychophysiological adversity. Regarding military population, military operations and combat exposure are important stressors that influence acute and chronic stress response in soldiers, affecting their performance and health. A bibliographic search was carried out between April and May 2019, focusing on recent studies (2013–2019) that analysed psychophysiological response, stress, stress regulation, heart rate, heart rate variability, and posttraumatic stress disorder in military population. Autonomic and cardiovascular chronic stress seems to be modulated by experience and previous specific training of each military unit. Physical exercise, music embedded with binaural beat technology, bidirectional sensory motor rhythm training, heart rate variability biofeedback, and transcutaneous vagal nerve stimulation are the main techniques applied to balance stress and to recover body homeostasis. Since military population are usually exposed to multiple stressors, knowing previous training and experience, together with developing techniques to balance stress, is the main practical application in this field of study to balance autonomic and cardiovascular systems.

Effect of Physiotherapy Treatment in the Autonomic Activation and Pain Perception in Male Patients with Non-Specific Subacute Low Back Pain

“…The effects of stress through autonomic system analysis have been studied in several groups of subjects. A recent systematic review from Bustamante et al [ 54 ] focused on the effects of stress in the military population and the consequences for their autonomic balance, enhancing the necessity for finding coping strategies [ 55 , 56 , 57 ]. Other authors have also explored autonomic balance in several sports [ 47 , 58 , 59 , 60 , 61 , 62 , 63 , 64 ], enhancing the importance of PNS activation in performance.…”

Impact of Real and Simulated Flights on Psychophysiological Response of Military Pilots

“…The sympathetic activation could induce increased anaerobic metabolism or increased anxiety and stress perceptions among other psychophysiological effects [ 17 ]. Autonomic modulation analysis was used in a military population as a stress marker, showing how different military manoeuvres, independently of land or flight units, produced an increased sympathetic modulation [ 18 ]. Moreover, the fatigue induced by flights can also be detected by spirometry, handgrip strength, and stress and exertion rates as previous authors showed in this special population [ 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 ].…”

Portable Biosensors for Psychophysiological Stress Monitoring of a Helicopter Crew

“…Furthermore, the HR and SatO2 increased after the crane rescue maneuver, showing the organic adaptive response to the cardiorespiratory demands of the maneuver. This response was contrary to the low-altitude flight and other military combat situations where SatO2 decreased in the interventions [3,5,[7][8][9][10][11]13,27]. The higher demands of the crane rescue maneuver could be responsible for the decreases in the horizontal jump, FEV1, PEF, and ST • , which are signals of fatigue [5].…”

“…This response is in line with results obtained in armies and militaries in different combat maneuvers (asymmetrical, symmetrical, urban combat, etc. ), highlighting the importance of HRV control and the application of correct training to improve the autonomic response in these high-stress situations [27].…”