Is gaming stress or Relaxation? An HRV-Based Investigation of physiological responses in young adults

IF 2.4 3区计算机科学 Q2 COMPUTER SCIENCE, CYBERNETICS

Entertainment Computing Pub Date : 2025-06-20 DOI:10.1016/j.entcom.2025.100981

André Alesi , Kristina Klier , Benedict Herhaus , Klara Brixius , Ingo Froböse , Katja Petrowski , Matthias Wagner

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of video gaming activities versus watching a nature film on heart rate (HR) and vagally-mediated heart rate variability (vmHRV) in healthy young men. Employing a randomized within-subject design, 31 male participants (average age: 23 years; BMI: 25.68; gaming experience: 8.69 years; daily gaming time: 1.96 h) were assigned to either start with playing video games for 120 min on two consecutive days, followed by watching a nature film for the same duration in the following week, or the reverse order. HR and vmHRV were measured via ECG before and after each activity. Results showed that Video gaming activities had no significant effect on HR and vmHRV. It is indicated that video gaming does not appear to have notable physiological impacts on the autonomic nervous system. Conversely, watching a nature film significantly reduced HR and increased vmHRV compared to playing video games. These findings suggest that watching nature films exerts a calming effect and enhances parasympathetic activity, potentially offering health benefits through stress reduction and relaxation. This study contributes important insights into the physiological effects of digital media and underscores the need for further research in this area.

Objective

Playing video games is associated with increased autonomic sympathetic nervous system activity, which may lead to a reduction in vagally-mediated HRV (vmHRV) and Heart Rate (HR). Hence the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the vmHRV and HR in healthy young adults between playing a computer game and watching a nature film.

Methods

The study was designed as a randomized within subject design with N = 31 male players (age: M = 23,00 ± 3,53 years, BMI: M = 25,68 ± 3,34, time of experience: M = 8,69 ± 4,74 years, and daily gaming time: M = 1,96 ± 1,32 h). Group A started in week 1 with two consecutive days of 120 min gaming and in week 2 with two consecutive days of 120 min watching a film. Group B started in the opposite order. HR and HRV were measured with ECG before and after the intervention.

Results

The results demonstrated that playing videogames had no effect on HR (t(55) = 1.80, p = 0.08) and vmHRV measured by HF-HRV (t(55) = -1.57, p = 0.12) and RMSSD (t(55) = -1.48, p = 0.15). In contrast, watching a nature film led to a lower HR (t(561.6) = -7.29, p = 0<.001) and an increase vmHRV measured by HF-HRV (t(561.4) = 4.02, p = 0<.001) and RMSSD (t(561.4) = 4.97, p = 0<.001) compared to playing videogame.

Conclusions

These findings indicate that, among this group of male participants, playing video games did not seem to affect the autonomic nervous system in a manner that notably modified heart rate or vagal tone. Conversely, viewing a nature documentary evokes a sense of calmness and increased parasympathetic activity, which may promote overall health.

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游戏是压力还是放松？基于心率变异的青壮年生理反应研究

本研究调查了视频游戏活动与观看自然电影对健康年轻男性心率（HR）和迷走神经介导的心率变异性（vmHRV）的影响。采用随机受试者内设计，31名男性受试者(平均年龄：23岁；体重指数:25.68;游戏经验：8.69年；每天的游戏时间（1.96小时）被分配到连续两天玩120分钟的视频游戏，然后在接下来的一周看同样时间的自然电影，或者相反的顺序。在每次活动前后通过ECG测量HR和vmHRV。结果显示，电子游戏活动对HR和vmHRV无显著影响。这表明电子游戏似乎对自主神经系统没有显著的生理影响。相反，与玩电子游戏相比，观看自然电影可以显著降低HR，增加vmHRV。这些发现表明，观看自然电影有镇静作用，增强副交感神经活动，可能通过减轻压力和放松对健康有益。这项研究为数字媒体的生理效应提供了重要的见解，并强调了在这一领域进一步研究的必要性。玩电子游戏与自主交感神经系统活动增加有关，这可能导致迷走神经介导的HRV （vmHRV）和心率（HR）的降低。因此，本研究的目的是调查在玩电脑游戏和看自然电影之间，健康年轻人的vmHRV和HR的影响。方法本研究采用随机受试者设计，共有31名男性游戏玩家（年龄：M = 23,00±3,53岁，BMI: M = 25,68±3,34，经验时间：M = 8,69±4,74岁，每日游戏时间：M = 1,96±1,32小时）。A组在第一周开始连续两天玩120分钟的游戏，在第二周连续两天看120分钟的电影。B组以相反的顺序开始。干预前后分别用心电图测量HR、HRV。结果玩电子游戏对HR （t(55) = 1.80, p = 0.08）和vmHRV （t(55) = -1.57, p = 0.12）和RMSSD （t(55) = -1.48, p = 0.15）没有影响。相比之下，观看自然电影会导致较低的HR （t(561.6) = -7.29, p = 0<.001）和更高的vmHRV （t(561.4) = 4.02, p = 0<.001）和RMSSD （t(561.4) = 4.97, p = 0<.001）。这些发现表明，在这组男性参与者中，玩电子游戏似乎并没有以明显改变心率或迷走神经张力的方式影响自主神经系统。相反，观看自然纪录片会唤起一种平静感，增加副交感神经活动，这可能会促进整体健康。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Entertainment Computing Computer Science-Human-Computer Interaction

CiteScore

5.90

自引率

7.10%

发文量

期刊介绍： Entertainment Computing publishes original, peer-reviewed research articles and serves as a forum for stimulating and disseminating innovative research ideas, emerging technologies, empirical investigations, state-of-the-art methods and tools in all aspects of digital entertainment, new media, entertainment computing, gaming, robotics, toys and applications among researchers, engineers, social scientists, artists and practitioners. Theoretical, technical, empirical, survey articles and case studies are all appropriate to the journal.