A study from the University of Gävle in Sweden, published in npj Urban Sustainability and described in a press release from VIA, followed 45 participants over a period of up to ten months.
Participants had their movements tracked via GPS, while their heart rate was measured at night.
The aim was to determine how daily activities influence the body at rest.
Instead of laboratory experiments, data were collected from the participants’ everyday lives, providing a more realistic picture.
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Researchers focused in particular on two factors: resting heart rate and heart rate variability.
Signals from the body
Heart rate variability refers to the variation between heartbeats.
A high level of variability indicates that the body is better able to relax and recover, while low variability may be a sign of stress.
By measuring these values at night, researchers were able to observe how daytime activities affected the body’s recovery.
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The results showed small but clear day-to-day correlations.
However, more research is needed to understand the long-term effects.
Implications for daily life
The study was conducted in a city with good access to green spaces. This suggests that easy access to nature may play a role in overall health.
Differences between genders were also identified, which researchers have not yet fully explained.
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Days with more movement in natural environments were associated with better recovery at night, particularly among women, as reflected in lower resting heart rates and higher heart rate variability.
Sources: VIA and npj Urban Sustainability.