IMPACT OF STRESS ON HEART RATE VARIABILITY

Abstract

The present article traces the impacts of stress on Heart Rate Variability (HRV). The stress can be caused either through sports or a 3D serious game that simulates real life situations. The study aims to perform an analysis and evaluation of HRV in both cases. One approach is to track the impact of running on HRV. It has been found that sport increases HRV by increasing sympathetic activity. At the same time, it has been proven that professional athletes and special forces have both a high sympathetic tone and a higher parasympathetic tone than ordinary people. Another approach to a stressful situation is through Virtual Reality (VR). Not everyone can be subjected to physical exertion for various reasons; therefore the use of virtual reality in medical diagnosis is important. Two virtual reality systems can be used in medical diagnosis: systems with and without immersion. Science has proven that the greater the immersion in virtual reality, the greater the sympathetic tone. Therefore, the sympathetic tone is most active in VR immersion systems such as Head Mounted Display (HMD).