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. 2017 Jan;36(1):73-81.
doi: 10.1037/hea0000397. Epub 2016 Aug 29.

Vagally-mediated heart rate variability and indices of well-being: Results of a nationally representative study

Richard P Sloan  1 , Emilie Schwarz  2 , Paula S McKinley  1 , Maxine Weinstein  3 , Gayle Love  4 , Carol Ryff  5 , Daniel Mroczek  6 , Tse-Hwei Choo  7 , Seonjoo Lee  7 , Teresa Seeman  8
Affiliations

Vagally-mediated heart rate variability and indices of well-being: Results of a nationally representative study

Richard P Sloan et al. Health Psychol. 2017 Jan.

Abstract

Objective: High frequency (HF) heart rate variability (HRV) has long been accepted as an index of cardiac vagal control. Recent studies report relationships between HF-HRV and indices of positive and negative affect, personality traits and well-being but these studies generally are based on small and selective samples.

Method: These relationships were examined using data from 967 participants in the second Midlife in the U.S. (MIDUS II) study. Participants completed survey questionnaires on well-being and affect. HF-HRV was measured at rest. A hierarchical series of regression analyses examined relationships between these various indices and HF-HRV before and after adjustment for relevant demographic and biomedical factors.

Results: Significant inverse relationships were found only between indices of negative affect and HF-HRV. Relationships between indices of psychological and hedonic well-being and positive affect failed to reach significance.

Conclusions: These findings raise questions about relationships between cardiac parasympathetic modulation, emotion regulation, and indices of well-being. (PsycINFO Database Record

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