Subjective well-being and month-long LF/HF ratio among deskworkers

Abstract

The importance of workers’ well-being has been recognized in recent years. The assessment of well-being has been subjective, and few studies have sought potential biomarkers of well-being to date. This study examined the relationship between well-being and the LF/HF ratio, an index of heart rate variability that reflects sympathetic and parasympathetic nerve activity. Pulse waves were measured using photoplethysmography through a web camera attached to the computer used by each participant. The participants were asked to measure their pulse waves while working for 4 weeks, and well-being was assessed using self-reported measures such as the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS), the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), and the Flourishing Scale (FS). Each of the well-being scores were split into two groups according to the median value, and the LF/HF ratio during work, as well as the number of times an LF/HF ratio threshold was either exceeded or subceeded, were compared between the high and low SWLS, positive emotion, negative emotion, and FS groups. Furthermore, to examine the effects of the LF/HF ratio and demographic characteristics on well-being, a multiple regression analysis was conducted. Data were obtained from 169 participants. The results showed that the low FS group had a higher mean LF/HF ratio during work than the high FS group. No significant differences were seen between the high and low SWLS groups, the high and low positive emotion groups, or the high and low negative emotion groups. The multiple regression analysis showed that the mean LF/HF ratio during work affected the FS and SWLS scores, and the number of times the mean LF/HF ratio exceeded +3 SD had an effect on the positive emotion. No effect of the LF/HF ratio on negative emotions was shown. The LF/HF ratio might be applicable as an objective measure of well-being.

Autonomic function measurements for evaluating fatigue and quality of life in patients with breast cancer undergoing radiation therapy: a prospective longitudinal study

“…A significant negative correlation was observed between ⊿MCS and ⊿log LF/HF from T0 to T1. Prior research suggested that those with lower psychological well-being had higher LF/HF scores [ 37 ], and HF is associated with mental health-related indicators such as anxiety and depression [ 38 ]. Our results were consistent with these findings.…”

Wine tourism market research: Bringing the psychophysiology lab to the field

“…Typically, a spectral (or frequency domain) analysis of the HRV involves decomposing the signal into frequency bands and calculating the absolute power values in each band (Shaffer and Ginsberg 2017). The most common analysis using the frequency bands is based on the Low Frequency (LF)/High Frequency (HF) ratio -also called "balance" -which is used to reveal the amount of sympathovagal modulation of the heart rate (Shiga et al, 2021). In this analysis, a low LF/HF ratio reflects parasympathetic dominance that translates into self-regulating and self-soothing behaviours (Porges 2007), while a high LF/HF ratio indicates sympathetic dominance, which mediates arousal responses (Bootsma et al 1994) or an approach-motivated appetitive state (Shiota et al 2011).…”