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Objective: This study aimed to examine the effects of binaural beat music (BBM) on sleep quality, heart rate variability, and depression in older people with poor sleep quality in a long‐term care institution. Methods: A single‐blind randomized controlled trial design was employed, and 64 older participants with poor sleep quality were recruited from a long‐term care institution in Taiwan. Participants were randomized into the BBM group or control group and received 14 days of intervention. During the intervention period, participants in the experimental group listened to 20 min of Taiwanese Hokkien oldies embedded with BBM once in the morning and afternoon three times a week. Participants in the control group only listened to Taiwanese Hokkien oldies. Questionnaires and heart rate variability analysis were used to assess participants' sleep quality, heart rate variability, and depressive symptoms. Results: Significant improvements were observed in sleep quality, along with an increase in heart rate variability means of heart rate and normal sinus beats, and a decrease in low‐frequency normalized units and depression severity in the BBM group after the intervention. In the control group, effects on sleep quality were inconsistent, heart rate variability showed significant improvements in some autonomic nervous function regulation, and depression severity was significantly decreased. Furthermore, the BBM group showed a significant improvement in sleep quality and a significant reduction in sympathetic nervous activity compared with the control group. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that 14 days of BBM intervention, a non‐invasive intervention, could improve sleep quality and depression in older people with poor sleep quality in long‐term care institutions. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2024; 24: 297–304. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: Snoring is a cardinal symptom of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and has been suggested to potentially increase sympathetic activity. On the other hand, sleep itself usually leads to a decrease in sympathetic activity. Heart rate variability (HRV) analysis is a non-invasive technique used to assess autonomic nervous system function. However, there is limited research on the combined impact of sleep and snoring on sympathetic activity in individuals with OSA, particularly during the first hour of sleep (non-rapid eye movement sleep). The current study aims to investigate the net effect of sleep and snoring on sympathetic activity and explore factors that might contribute to increased sympathetic activity in individuals with OSA during the first hour of sleep. (2) Methods: The participants were referred from the outpatient department for OSA diagnosis and underwent whole-night polysomnography (PSG). Electrocardiogram (EKG) data from the PSG were downloaded for HRV analysis. HRV measurements were conducted in both the time and frequency domain, including the root mean square of successive differences between normal heartbeats (RMSSD) and the ratio of the absolute power of the low-frequency (LF) band (0.04–0.15 Hz) to the absolute power of the high-frequency (HF) band (0.15–0.4 Hz) (LF/HF ratio), respectively. (3) Results: A total of 45 participants (38 men and 7 women) were included in the analysis. The RMSSD gradually increased from 0–5 min to 50–60 min (p = 0.024), while the LF/HF ratio decreased (p < 0.001) during the first hour of sleep (non-rapid eye movement sleep). The LF/HF ratios of the "S" (snoring) episodes were compared with those of the pre-S episodes. An elevated LF/HF ratio during the S episode was associated with the first snoring episode occurring more than 20 min after lying down to sleep (Odds ratio, OR = 10.9, p = 0.004) and with patients diagnosed with severe OSA (OR = 5.01, p = 0.045), as determined by logistic regression. (4) Conclusions: The study observed an increase in the value of RMSSD and a decrease in the value of the LF/HF ratio during the first hour of sleep for patients with OSA. Higher LF/HF ratios were associated with the first occurrence of snoring while lying down for more than 20 min and with patients with severe OSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to examine the correlation of heart rate variability (HRV) and meridian electrical conductance among middle-aged women during an 8-week period of auricular acupressure (AA) treatment for weight reduction. Methods: Sixty (60) subjects were randomized either to a control group ( n=30) or to a treatment group with AA ( n=30). Anthropometric parameters, HRV indices, and meridian levels were measured before treatment, at the 5th week, and 1 week after the 8-week treatment period. Results: Although no significant changes were observed in body weight (BW) and body-mass index (BMI) from baseline to 1 week after AA treatment, a significant decrease in Waist Circumference (WC) was observed in the acupressure group. In contrast, the subjects' BW, BMI, and WC were significantly increased from baseline to the 9th week in the control group. With adjustment for baseline low frequencies (LF) of HRV, the LF at the 5th and 9th weeks in the acupressure groups was generally lower than that in the control group, with a p-value=0.027 using the mixed linear model. The meridian levels for Spleen, Bladder, and Gallbladder were significantly lower in the group subjected to acupressure than in the control group at the 5th week. Conclusions: The results of the present study indicate that AA tends to inactivate the sympathetic nervous activity demonstrated by both HRV and meridian electrical conductance changes. As a result, AA may modulate the autonomic nervous system to exert its physiological effect through the pathway of the meridian system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We sought to evaluate cerebral hemodynamic responses to betel chewing. Thirty healthy male volunteers (mean age = 35 years), ten new chewers, ten occasional chewers, and ten chronic chewers were included in this study. We used carotid duplex sonography and transcranial Doppler to measure the flow velocities and flow volume (FV) of the common carotid (CCA), internal carotid (ICA), external carotid (ECA) arteries, and the flow velocity of middle cerebral artery (MCA). Blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) were recorded simultaneously. All subjects were asked to chew fruit-flavored chewing gum for 10 minutes. Blood flows of the above vessels were measured four times at baseline and at the 2nd, 6th, and 12th minute after chewing. A repeated study was followed in the same subject but substituted with betel nut. Chronic chewers had delayed onset time and shortened vanishing time of facial-flushing sensation. Systolic and diastolic BPs were mildly elevated during gum chewing (p = 0.008 and 0.015, respectively), whereas diastolic BP was dropped during betel chewing (p = 0.008). Heart rate increased prominently during betel chewing (p < 0.0001), especially in new and occasional chewers. The peak systolic, end diastolic velocities, and FV in ECA and CCA increased significantly during betel chewing (p < 0.0001). The blood flows in the ICA and MCA had no significant changes during gum or betel chewing. Betel chewing has a central sympathetic effect resulting in accelerated HR, increased blood flows in ECA and CCA, but has a peripheral cholinergic effect resulting in a drop of diastolic BP. Intracranial cerebral hemodynamics is not affected during betel chewing. The inotropic and chronotropic effect to the heart from betel chewing is probably an unfavorable risk for patients with ischemic heart disease.