Abstract
In this study, we examined the efficacy of heart rate variability (HRV)-biofeedback on stress and stress-related mental health problems in women. Furthermore, we examined whether the efficacy differed between pregnant and non-pregnant women. Fifty women (20 pregnant, 30 non-pregnant; mean age 31.6, SD = 5.9) were randomized into an intervention (n = 29) or a waitlist condition (n = 21). All participants completed questionnaires on stress, anxiety, depressive symptoms, sleep, and psychological well-being on three occasions with 6-week intervals. Women in the intervention condition received HRV-biofeedback training between assessment 1 and 2, and women in the waitlist condition received the intervention between assessment 2 and 3. The intervention consisted of a 5-week HRV-biofeedback training program with weekly 60–90 min. sessions and daily exercises at home. Results indicated a statistically significant beneficial effect of HRV-biofeedback on psychological well-being for all women, and an additional statistically significant beneficial effect on anxiety complaints for pregnant women. No significant effect was found for the other stress-related complaints. These findings support the use of HRV-biofeedback as a stress-reducing technique among women reporting stress and related complaints in clinical practice to improve their well-being. Furthermore, it supports the use of this technique for reducing anxiety during pregnancy.
Highlights
Stress-related mental health problems are common in Western societies, and include high levels of stress, anxiety, or depression [1,2]
The randomization procedure led to more participants in the heart rate variability (HRV)-biofeedback condition than in the waitlist condition
Participants in the waitlist condition scored somewhat higher on depression than those in the HRV-biofeedback condition (means were 9.81 (SD = 8.55) and 5.45 (SD = 4.42), respectively)
Summary
Stress-related mental health problems are common in Western societies, and include high levels of stress, anxiety, or depression [1,2]. These mental health problems are increasingly contributing to high societal costs [3] through healthcare costs and sick-leave from work. Besides the societal costs, suffering from stress-related mental health problems may lead to poor general well-being and eventually burnout [5] and psychiatric disorders such as major depression and anxiety disorders [6,7]. Stress can lead to poor physical health such as a dysregulated immune system and cardiovascular problems [8,9]. Public Health 2019, 16, 1051; doi:10.3390/ijerph16061051 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph
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