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Aquatic immersion has been reported to produce a significant number of physiological changes in blood pressure, heart rate variability (HRV), autonomic nervous system (ANS), and core temperature in young healthy subjects. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of water immersion in younger and older populations, determining whether there are age related differences for ANS regulation measures in cool, neutral, and warm water. Vitals and ANS measures were collected from two samples representing different age-groups in the general population. It was found that water immersion produced a significant number of important physiologic responses such as decreased blood pressure and increased SVB during the warm water cycle. These changes are important components of ANS bioregulation and clearly seem to be influenced by water temperature during immersion. There was a statistically significant relationship between ANS activity manifested by heart rate variability and water temperatures. Aquatic immersion has been reported to produce a significant number of physi ological changes including changes in blood pressure, heart rate variability (HRV), autonomic nervous system (ANS), and core temperature in young healthy subjects (Becker, Hildenbrand, Whitcomb, & Sanders, 2009). In our previous study, we examined these physiologic changes across three different temperatures: cool (31.1 °C), neutral (36 °C), and warm (39 °C). A decrease in both mean blood pressure and diastolic pressures was seen in immersion states and was most pronounced in warm water. Heart rate also increased significantly in warm water when compared with cool and neutral water. Core temperature increased significantly in warm water compared with the other immersion temperatures. These changes appeared to have been influenced by immersion temperature, impacting the relationship between ANS activity and HRV. Warm water immersion can produce increases in sympathetic power with small drops in sympathovagal balance from baseline. A rise in sympathovagal balance is associated with stress reduction, positive emotions, relaxation, and meditation (Thayer & Lane, 2000; Thayer & Siegle, 2002; Thayer, Newman, & McClain, 1994). Such physiologic |
