Effect of cold water immersion on postexercise parasympathetic reactivation

Authors

Martin Buchheit
Jeremiah Peiffer, Edith Cowan University
Chris Abbiss, Edith Cowan UniversityFollow
Paul Laursen, Edith Cowan University

Document Type

Journal Article

Publisher

American Physiological Society

Faculty

Faculty of Computing, Health and Science

School

School of Exercise, Biomedical and Health Science / Centre for Exercise and Sports Science Research

RAS ID

8550

Comments

Buchheit, M., Peiffer, J. J., Abbiss, C. R., & Laursen, P. B. (2009). Effect of cold water immersion on postexercise parasympathetic reactivation. American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology, 296(2), H421-H427. Available here

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of cold water immersion (CWI) on postexercise parasympathetic reactivation. Ten male cyclists (age, 29 ± 6 yr) performed two repeated supramaximal cycling exercises (SE₁ and SE₂) interspersed with a 20-min passive recovery period, during which they were randomly assigned to either 5 min of CWI in 14°C or a control (N) condition where they sat in an environmental chamber (35.0 ± 0.3°C and 40.0 ± 3.0% relative humidity). Rectal temperature (T_re) and beat-to-beat heart rate (HR) were recorded continuously. The time constant of HR recovery (HRRτ) and a time (30-s) varying vagal-related HR variability (HRV) index (rMSSD_30s) were assessed during the 6-min period immediately following exercise. Resting vagal-related HRV indexes were calculated during 3-min periods 2 min before and 3 min after SE₁ and SE₂. Results showed no effect of CWI on T_re (P = 0.29), SE performance (P = 0.76), and HRRτ (P = 0.61). In contrast, all vagal-related HRV indexes were decreased after SE₁ (P < 0.001) and tended to decrease even further after SE₂ under N condition but not with CWI. When compared with the N condition, CWI increased HRV indexes before (P < 0.05) and rMSSD_30s after (P < 0.05) SE₂. Our study shows that CWI can significantly restore the impaired vagal-related HRV indexes observed after supramaximal exercise. CWI may serve as a simple and effective means to accelerate parasympathetic reactivation during the immediate period following supramaximal exercise.

DOI

10.1152/ajpheart.01017.2008

Access Rights

free_to_read