High-Frequency Heart Rate Variability Reactivity and Trait Worry Interact to Predict the Development of Sleep Disturbances in Response to a Naturalistic Stressor
Abstract
BACKGROUND: High-frequency heart rate variability (HF-HRV) reactivity was proposed as a vulnerability factor for stress-induced sleep disturbances. Its effect may be amplified among individuals with high trait worry or sleep reactivity. PURPOSE: This study evaluated whether HF-HRV reactivity to a worry induction, sleep reactivity, and trait worry predict increases in sleep disturbances in response to academic stress, a naturalistic stressor. METHOD: A longitudinal study following 102 undergraduate students during an academic semester with well-defined periods of lower and higher academic stress was conducted. HF-HRV reactivity to a worry induction, trait worry using the Penn State Worry Questionnaire, and sleep reactivity using the Ford Insomnia Stress Reactivity Test were measured during the low stress period. Sleep disturbances using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index were assessed twice during the lower stress period and three times during the higher stress period. RESULTS: Greater reductions in HF-HRV in response to the worry induction predicted increases in sleep disturbances from the lower to the higher academic stress period. Trait worry moderated this association: individuals with both higher trait worry and greater HF-HRV reactivity to worry had larger increases in stress-related sleep disturbances over time, compared to participants with lower trait worry and HF-HRV reactivity. A similar, but marginally significant effect was found for sleep reactivity. CONCLUSION: This study supports the role of HF-HRV reactivity as a vulnerability factor for stress-induced sleep disturbances. The combination of high trait worry and high HF-HRV reactivity to worry might identify a subgroup of individuals most vulnerable to stress-related sleep disturbances.
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Ten of the 34 studies were included after study authors provided clarifications, statistics, or additional data by email.
“Ten of the 34 [29,35-43] studies were included after study authors provided clarifications, statistics, or additional data by email.”
From A systematic review and meta-analysis of poor sleep, insomnia symptoms and stress in undergraduate students (2022) · cites this paper as [42]
The majority of studies were cross-sectional (n=32), with only two longitudinal studies including one intervention study.
“The majority of the studies were cross-sectional (n=32) with only two longitudinal studies [37,42] including one intervention study [37].”
From A systematic review and meta-analysis of poor sleep, insomnia symptoms and stress in undergraduate students (2022) · cites this paper as [42]
Students who demonstrated increased sleep disturbances during more demanding periods were characterised by higher trait worry paired with greater high-frequency heart rate variability.
“The students that demonstrated increased sleep disturbances during more demanding periods were characterised by higher trait worry paired with greater high-frequency heart rate variability.”
From A systematic review and meta-analysis of poor sleep, insomnia symptoms and stress in undergraduate students (2022) · cites this paper as [42]
One included study demonstrated an increase in stress and self-reported sleep disturbances as students progressed from periods of low to higher stress.
“Indeed, one of the included studies demonstrated the expected increase in stress and self-reported sleep disturbances as the students progressed from periods of low to higher stress [42].”
From A systematic review and meta-analysis of poor sleep, insomnia symptoms and stress in undergraduate students (2022) · cites this paper as [42]
Nineteen studies included measures of anxiety and/or depression.
“Nineteen studies (n=19) included measures of anxiety and/or depression [35,39,41-44,50,5254,56-60,63,64,66,69] .”
From A systematic review and meta-analysis of poor sleep, insomnia symptoms and stress in undergraduate students (2022) · cites this paper as [42]
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- Authors
- MacNeil, S., Deschênes, S. S., Caldwell, W., Brouillard, M., Dang-Vu, T.-T., & Gouin, J.-P.
- Affiliations
- Concordia University (CA)
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute (CA)
- Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Gouin, Jean-Philippe
- Venue
- Annals of Behavioral Medicine
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2017-05-19
- Volume
- 51
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 912-924
- ISSN
- 0742-5554 (ISSN-L)
- 0883-6612
- 1532-4796
- OpenAlex
- W2615688291
- Cited by
- 24
- References
- 38
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 2
- FWCI
- 2.85
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Annals of Behavioral Medicine (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Spectrum Research Repository (Concordia University) (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- Canada Research Chairs (Secretariat)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Sleep and related disorders
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Heart Rate Variability and Autonomic Control
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Keywords
- high-frequency heart rate variability, trait worry, sleep disorders, sleep reactivity, academic stress, vulnerability factors, insomnia, university students
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Anxiety, Autonomic Nervous System, Female, Heart Rate, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Personality, Sleep Wake Disorders, Stress, Psychological, Young Adult
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