Change in heart rate variability following orthostasis relates to volume of exercise in healthy women

Physically active individuals demonstrate increased heart rate variability (HRV) during rest compared to sedentary individuals, but the impact of different volumes of regular exercise on the HRV response to postural change is not well understood. This study investigates change in HRV following orthostasis in seventy-two young women who exercise at low (LV) or high (HV) volumes of physical activity. Supine and standing R-R intervals were analysed by time domain, frequency domain and Poincare plot methods. All methods revealed greater change in the vagal response in the HV group, indicating that HRV following postural change is modulated by volume of exercise. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.