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International Journal of Behavioral Medicine

Published in:

01-02-2015

Daily Positive Affect and Nocturnal Cardiac Activation

Authors: Andreas R. Schwerdtfeger, Peter Friedrich-Mai, Ann Kathrin S. Gerteis

Published in: International Journal of Behavioral Medicine | Issue 1/2015

Abstract

Background

Positive affect (PA) has been suggested to benefit health via psychobiological pathways. Studies found higher cardiac vagal tone in individuals who exhibit a positive emotional style.

Purpose

This study aimed to examine the relationship between momentary-assessed PA and nocturnal heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) in everyday life.

Methods

Participants were 60 healthy adults who provided multiple ratings of activated (e.g., dynamic, activated) and deactivated PA (e.g., relaxed, even-tempered) and negative affect (NA) throughout one day. HR and HRV were recorded the subsequent night.

Results

Aggregated deactivated PA throughout the day was associated with higher nocturnal HRV and lower HR. Activated PA and NA were unrelated with both cardiac variables. Findings were independent of other demographic and behavioral confounds.

Conclusions

Feeling relaxed, calm, content, and even-tempered throughout the day might have beneficial effects on the heart during sleep, although the causality of this effect remains speculative because of the correlational design of this study.

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Title: Daily Positive Affect and Nocturnal Cardiac Activation
Authors: Andreas R. Schwerdtfeger
Peter Friedrich-Mai
Ann Kathrin S. Gerteis
Publication date: 01-02-2015
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: International Journal of Behavioral Medicine / Issue 1/2015
Print ISSN: 1070-5503
Electronic ISSN: 1532-7558
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12529-014-9396-4

2024 ASCO Annual Meeting

Springer Medicine

Daily Positive Affect and Nocturnal Cardiac Activation

Abstract

Background

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusions

2024 ASCO Annual Meeting

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusions

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