Three-minute bench step exercise as a countermeasure for acute mental stress-induced arterial stiffening

Abstract

Acute mental stress (MS) induces a transient increase in arterial stiffness. We verified whether a single bout of bench step (BS) exercise for 3 minutes counteracts acute MS-induced arterial stiffening. Fifteen healthy young men (mean age, 21.7 ± 0.3 years) underwent two experimental trials: rest (RE) and exercise (EX) trials. Following a 5-minute MS task, the participants in the RE trial rested on a chair for 3 minutes (from 10 to 13 minutes after task cessation), whereas those in the EX trial performed the BS exercise for the same duration. The heart-brachial pulse wave velocity (PWV) (hbPWV), brachial-ankle PWV (baPWV), heart-ankle PWV (haPWV), and the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) were measured at baseline and at 5 and 30 minutes after the task. In both trials, significant increases in hbPWV, haPWV, and CAVI occurred at 5 minutes after the task; these elevations persisted until 30 minutes after the task in the RE trial, but significantly decreased to baseline levels in the EX trial. baPWV was significantly elevated at 30 minutes after the task in the RE trial, but not in the EX trial. This study reveals that a 3-minute BS exercise offsets acute MS-induced arterial stiffening.

Detrimental impacts of acute mental stress on arterial function and exercise as a countermeasure

“…Thus, engagement in feasible short-duration exercise every time a stressful situation arises may be more beneficial than coping with multiple stress exposures using a single exercise bout. As such, in our most recent study 39) , we have revealed that BS exercise for only 3 min is sufficiently effective in reversing an arterial stiffness increase induced by acute MS (Fig. 3).…”

“…In our studies, the 10-min cycling or BS exercise were performed at 35.4% and 38.8% of the heart rate reserve (HRR), respectively 37,38) , which is classified as light-intensity aerobic exercise 44) . On the other hand, in the 3-min BS exercise study, participants exercised to meet a rate of perceived exertion of 11-13 (Borg scale, 6-20), and consequently achieved 49.1% of the HRR 39) ; this corresponds to the moderate-intensity domain 44) . The minimum exercise intensity and duration required to counteract the detrimental vascular impacts of acute MS is currently unknown.…”