Using Heart Rate Variability Methods for Health-Related Outcomes in Outdoor Contexts: A Scoping Review of Empirical Studies

Jonah D’Angelo, Stephen D. Ritchie (), Bruce Oddson, Dominique D. Gagnon, Tomasz Mrozewski, Jim Little and Sebastien Nault
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Jonah D’Angelo: School of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON P3E 2C6, Canada
Stephen D. Ritchie: School of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON P3E 2C6, Canada
Bruce Oddson: School of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON P3E 2C6, Canada
Dominique D. Gagnon: Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, 40014 Jyväskylä, Finland
Tomasz Mrozewski: Digital Scholarship Infrastructure Department, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada
Jim Little: School of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON P3E 2C6, Canada
Sebastien Nault: School of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON P3E 2C6, Canada

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 2, 1-19

Abstract: Heart rate variability (HRV) is a psychophysiological variable that is often used in applied analysis techniques to indicate health status because it provides a window into the intrinsic regulation of the autonomic nervous system. However, HRV data analysis methods are varied and complex, which has led to different approaches to data collection, analysis, and interpretation of results. Our scoping review aimed to explore the diverse use of HRV methods in studies designed to assess health outcomes in outdoor free-living contexts. Four database indexes were searched, which resulted in the identification of 17,505 candidate studies. There were 34 studies and eight systematic reviews that met the inclusion criteria. Just over half of the papers referenced the 1996 task force paper that outlined the standards of measurement and physiological interpretation of HRV data, with even fewer adhering to recommended HRV recording and analysis procedures. Most authors reported an increase in parasympathetic (n = 23) and a decrease in systematic nervous system activity (n = 20). Few studies mentioned methods-related limitations and challenges, despite a wide diversity of recording devices and analysis software used. We conclude our review with five recommendations for future research using HRV methods in outdoor and health-related contexts.

Keywords: Heart Rate Variability (HRV); RR Interval; Autonomic Nervous System (ANS); outdoors; nature; wilderness; health; well-being; wellness; scoping review (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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