Abstract
Background: People often feel comfort and relaxation during low-altitude mountain tourism below 1500 meters above sea level (MASL). But the real effects of low-altitude mountain tourism on humans are not well understood. Methods: Three different low-altitude locations (30, 520 and 1080 MASL) were chosen for Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and hemodynamic analyses in 49 healthy adults. Results: The Heart Rate (HR) and Blood Pressures (BP) were decreased, whereas the Standard Deviation (SDRR) and Coefficient of Variation (CVRR) of RR intervals, Total Power (TP), Low-Frequency Power (LFP) and High-Frequency Power (HFP) of HRV were increased at 520 and 1080 MASL, as compared with those at 30 MASL. The age of subjects correlated negatively with SDRR, CVRR, TP and HFP, and correlated positively with normalized very-low-frequency power as altitude increased. Male subjects had a higher SDRR, CVRR, TP and LFP at 520 MASL, and a lower Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP) at 1080 MASL. The SBP, mean arterial blood pressure and pulse pressure were significantly decreased when the old subjects ascended from 30 MASL to a higher altitude. This phenomenon was not found in the young subjects. The BP of the old subjects can be decreased to more extent than the young subjects by traveling in the low-altitude mountain area. Conclusion: Low-altitude wilderness tourism within 1080 MASL can lead to a decrease in HR and BP, and an increase in overall HRV. The greatest decrease in HR and BP and the greatest increase in overall HRV occur at around 520 MASL. Male subjects have higher overall HRV and low-frequency components than females at 520 MASL. Travel in low-altitude mountain area may be good to physiological fitness for healthy adults in terms of automatic nervous modulation and blood pressure regulation, especially in the older people.
Highlights
Wilderness tourism is popular all over the world
Page 5 of 10 age correlated significantly and positively with the nVLFP at 3 altitudes (Table 4). These results indicated that older subjects had smaller Standard Deviation of RRI (SDRR), Coefficient of Variation of RRI (CVRR), Total Power (TP), and High-Frequency Power (HFP), but a larger nVLFP, no matter what altitude they were located at
As altitude was increased from 30 meters above sea level (MASL) to 520 MASL and 1080 MASL, the Heart Rate (HR) and Blood Pressures (BP) were decreased, while the overall Heart Rate Variability (HRV) (SDRR, CVRR and TP), the Vagal Modulation (HFP) and sympatho-vagal modulation (LFP) were increased
Summary
Travellers exposed to high-altitudes could result in severe illness [1]. Previous studies indicated that acute mountain sickness (AMS) can occur to trekkers during rapid ascent when they were exposed to low partial pressure oxygen at altitudes higher than 1500 meters above sea level (MASL) [2]. Different with high-attitude trekkers, most sea-level residents seldom travel to the altitudes higher than 1500 MASL. Contrary to the possible illness at higher altitudes, most sea-level residents seem to experience more relaxation and comfort in their “low-altitude” mountain tourism [5]. People often feel comfort and relaxation during low-altitude mountain tourism below 1500 meters above sea level (MASL). The real effects of low-altitude mountain tourism on humans are not well understood
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