Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The association between heart rate variability, reaction time, and indicators of workplace fatigue in wildland firefighters

  • Original Article
  • Published:
International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

To understand the association between heart rate variability and indices of fatigue, total sleep time, and reaction time in shift workers.

Methods

Ten participants from the British Columbia Wildfire Service management team were examined over a 14-day active fire-line period. Daily measures of subjective fatigue, sleepiness, and alertness were recorded using a visual analog scale. Daily total sleep time was recorded using a wrist actigraph. Cardiac autonomic modulation was examined each morning using heart rate variability (HRV). Three measures of reaction time (simple reaction time, choice reaction tie, and discriminatory reaction time) was examined on days 1, 5, 10, and 14. Multiple linear regression analysis was utilized to examine the association between HRV and indices of fatigue, total sleep time, and reaction time.

Results

Mean shift duration was 13.8 ± 0.77 h. Significant inverse associations were observed between HRV and sleepiness [r = − 0.60, p = 0.000] and fatigue [r = − 0.55, p = 0.000], and a positive association with total sleep time (min) [r = 0.28, p = 0.009]. There were no significant relationships between HRV and simple reaction time (ms) [r = − 0.32, p = 0.182], choice reaction time (ms) [r = − 0.10, p = 0.850], or discriminatory reaction time (ms) [r = − 0.09, p = 0.881].

Conclusions

HRV displayed significant associations with indices of fatigue and sleep, whereby demonstrating its utility as a practical tool for monitoring the development of fatigue in wildland firefighters and for providing insight when to make lifestyle modifications to preserve alertness.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abhishekh HA, Nisarga P, Kisan R, Meghana A, Chandran S, Raju T et al (2013) Influence of age and gender on autonomic regulation of heart. J Clin Monit Comput 27(3):259–264

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Åkerstedt T, Wright KP (2009) Sleep loss and fatigue in shift work and shift work disorder. Sleep Med Clin 4(2):257–271

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Belenky G, Wesensten NJ, Thorne DR, Thomas ML, Sing HC, Redmond DP et al (2003) Patterns of performance degradation and restoration during sleep restriction and subsequent recovery: a sleep dose-response study. J Sleep Res 12(1):1–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bonnefond A, Härmä M, Hakola T, Sallinen M, Kandolin I, Virkkala J (2006) Interaction of age with shift-related sleep-wakefulness, sleepiness, performance, and social life. Exp Aging Res 32(2):185–208

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chua EC-P, Tan W-Q, Yeo S-C, Lau P, Lee I, Mien IH et al (2012) Heart rate variability can be used to estimate sleepiness-related decrements in psychomotor vigilance during total sleep deprivation. Sleep 35(3):325–334

    Google Scholar 

  • Coker RH, Murphy CJ, Johannsen M, Galvin G, Ruby BC (2019) Wildland firefighting: adverse influence on indices of metabolic and cardiovascular health. J Occup Environ Med 61(3):e91

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Delaney J, Brodie D (2000) Effects of short-term psychological stress on the time and frequency domains of heart-rate variability. Percept Mot Skills 91(2):515–524

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Forte G, Favieri F, Casagrande M (2019) Heart rate variability and cognitive function: a systematic review. Front Neurosci 13:710

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gaughan DM, Siegel PD, Hughes MD, Chang CY, Law BF, Campbell CR et al (2014) Arterial stiffness, oxidative stress, and smoke exposure in wildland firefighters. Am J Ind Med 57(7):748–756

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Groot E, Caturay A, Khan Y, Copes R (2019) A systematic review of the health impacts of occupational exposure to wildland fires. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 32(2):121–140

    Google Scholar 

  • Heil DP (2002) Estimating energy expenditure in wildland fire fighters using a physical activity monitor. Appl Ergon 33(5):405–413

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Henelius A, Sallinen M, Huotilainen M, Müller K, Virkkala J, Puolamäki K (2014) Heart rate variability for evaluating vigilant attention in partial chronic sleep restriction. Sleep 37(7):1257–1267

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jeklin AT, Hugh HW, Bredin SSS, Hives B, Mean L, Perrotta AS et al (2020) Fatigue and sleep patterns amongst canadian wildland firefighters during a 17-day fire line deployment. J Occup Environ Hyg 29:1–8

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaikkonen P, Lindholm H, Lusa S (2017) Physiological load and psychological stress during a 24-hour work shift among Finnish firefighters. J Occup Environ Med 59(1):41–46

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee KA, Hicks G, Nino-Murcia G (1991) Validity and reliability of a scale to assess fatigue. Psychiatry Res 36(3):291–298

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Luque-Casado A, Perales JC, Cárdenas D, Sanabria D (2016) Heart rate variability and cognitive processing: the autonomic response to task demands. Biol Psychol 113:83–90

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mander BA, Winer JR, Walker MP (2017) Sleep and human aging. Neuron 94(1):19–36

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Marquie JC, Foret J (1999) Sleep, age, and shiftwork experience. J Sleep Res 8(4):297–304

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McGillis Z, Dorman SC, Robertson A, Lariviere M, Leduc C, Eger T et al (2017) Sleep quantity and quality of Ontario wildland firefighters across a low-hazard fire season. J Occup Environ Med 59(12):1188

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Navarro KM, Kleinman MT, Mackay CE, Reinhardt TE, Balmes JR, Broyles GA et al (2019) Wildland firefighter smoke exposure and risk of lung cancer and cardiovascular disease mortality. Environ Res 173:462–468

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Peltola MA (2012) Role of editing of R-R intervals in the analysis of heart rate variability. Front Physiol 3:1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Penttilä J, Helminen A, Jartti T, Kuusela T, Huikuri HV, Tulppo MP et al (2001) Time domain, geometrical and frequency domain analysis of cardiac vagal outflow: effects of various respiratory patterns. Clin Physiol 21(3):365–376

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Perrotta AS, Jeklin AT, Hives BA, Meanwell LE, Warburton DER (2017) Validity of the elite HRV smartphone application for examining heart rate variability in a field-based setting. J Strength Cond Res 31(8):2296–2302

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rodríguez-Marroyo JA, López-Satue J, Pernía R, Carballo B, García-López J, Foster C et al (2012) Physiological work demands of Spanish wildland firefighters during wildfire suppression. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 85(2):221–228

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saus E-R, Johnsen BH, Eid J, Riisem PK, Andersen R, Thayer JF (2006) The effect of brief situational awareness training in a police shooting simulator: an experimental study. Mil Psychol 18(sup1):S3–S21

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Slater JA, Botsis T, Walsh J, King S, Straker LM, Eastwood PR (2015) Assessing sleep using hip and wrist actigraphy. Sleep Biol Rhythms 13(2):172–180

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sol JA, Ruby BC, Gaskill SE, Dumke CL, Domitrovich JW (2018) Metabolic demand of hiking in wildland firefighting. Wilderness Environ Med 29(3):304–314

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taelman J, Vandeput S, Spaepen A, Van Huffel S (2009) Influence of mental stress on heart rate and heart rate variability. 4th European conference of the international federation for medical and biological engineering. Springer. pp.1366–9.

  • Takase B, Akima T, Satomura K, Mastui T, Ishihara M, Kurita A (2004) Effects of chronic sleep deprivation on autonomic activity by examining heart rate variability, plasma catecholamine, and intracellular magnesium levels. Biomed Pharmacother 58:S35–S39

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thayer JF, Hansen AL, Saus-Rose E, Johnsen BH (2009) Heart rate variability, prefrontal neural function, and cognitive performance: the neurovisceral integration perspective on self-regulation, adaptation, and health. Ann Behav Med 37(2):141–153

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Togo F, Takahashi M (2009) Heart rate variability in occupational health—a systematic review. Ind Health 47(6):589–602

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Torquati L, Mielke GI, Brown WJ, Kolbe-Alexander T (2018) Shift work and the risk of cardiovascular disease. A systematic review and meta-analysis including dose-response relationship. Scand J Work Environ Health 44(3):229–238

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Dongen HPA, Rogers NL, Dinges DF (2003) Sleep debt: theoretical and empirical issues. Sleep Biol Rhythms 1(1):5–13

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Variability HR (1996) Standards of measurement, physiological interpretation, and clinical use. Task force of the European Society of Cardiology and the North American Society of pacing and electrophysiology. Circulation 93:1043–1065

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vincent GE, Aisbett B, Wolkow A, Jay SM, Ridgers ND, Ferguson SA (2018) Sleep in wildland firefighters: what do we know and why does it matter? Int J Wildland Fire 27(2):73–84

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Völker I, Kirchner C, Bock OL (2016) Relation between multiple markers of work-related fatigue. Saf Health Work 7(2):124–129

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Warburton D, Jamnik VK, Bredin S, Gledhill N (2014) The 2014 physical activity readiness questionnaire for everyone (Par-Q+) and electronic physical activity readiness medical examination (ePARmed-X+). Health Fit J Can 7:80–83

    Google Scholar 

  • West MR, Costello S, Sol JA, Domitrovich JW (2020) Risk for heat-related illness among wildland firefighters: job tasks and core body temperature change. Occup Environ Med 77(7):433–438

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williams-Bell FM, Aisbett B, Murphy BA, Larsen B (2017) The effects of simulated wildland firefighting tasks on core temperature and cognitive function under very hot conditions. Front Physiol 8:815

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williamson A, Friswell R (2011) Investigating the relative effects of sleep deprivation and time of day on fatigue and performance. Accid Anal Prev 43(3):690–697

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the support, dedication, and contributions from each participant. The results of the current study do not constitute endorsement of the products utilized by the authors or the International Archives of Occupational of Environmental Health.

Funding

This research was supported by funding from the Workers’ Compensation Board of British Columbia and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (grant number NSERC RGPIN-2018-04613).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cardiovascular Physiology and Rehabilitation Laboratory, University of British Columbia, Lower Mall Research Station, Room 208, 2259 Lower Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada

    Andrew T. Jeklin & Darren E. R. Warburton

  2. Faculty of Medicine, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Andrew T. Jeklin & Dion A. Paul

  3. Department of Kinesiology, Langara College, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Andrew S. Perrotta

  4. School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Hugh W. Davies

  5. School of Kinesiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Shannon S. D. Bredin & Darren E. R. Warburton

Authors
  1. Andrew T. Jeklin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Andrew S. Perrotta
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Hugh W. Davies
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Shannon S. D. Bredin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Dion A. Paul
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Darren E. R. Warburton
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

AJ and AP contributed to the conception and design of the research. AJ contributed to the acquisition of data. Analysis and interpretation of the data was done by AP. Drafting of the manuscript was done by AJ and DP and critically revised by AP, HD, SB, and DW.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Darren E. R. Warburton.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare they have not competing interests.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants in the study.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Jeklin, A.T., Perrotta, A.S., Davies, H.W. et al. The association between heart rate variability, reaction time, and indicators of workplace fatigue in wildland firefighters. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 94, 823–831 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-020-01641-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-020-01641-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation