{"title":"The Effects of Excessive Arousing Video Gaming on vmHRV During Sleep in Habitual Gamers.","authors":"André Alesi, Kristina Klier, Benedict Herhaus, Klara Brixius, Ingo Froböse, Matthias Wagner, Katja Petrowski","doi":"10.1007/s10484-025-09723-z","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study examines the impact of highly arousing video gaming compared to passive digital media consumption on vagally-mediated heart rate variability (vmHRV) and heart rate (HR) during subsequent sleep in healthy young men. Using a randomized, counterbalanced within-subject design, 31 habitual gamers (mean age: 23 years; BMI: 25.68; gaming experience: 8.69 years; daily gaming time: 1.96 h) alternated between two conditions: 120 min of evening video gaming or watching a nature film of equivalent duration, on two consecutive days per condition. Electrocardiogram (ECG) data collected during sleep revealed that while both conditions were associated with an increase in vmHRV, indicative of parasympathetic recovery, this increase was significantly greater following the film condition (RMSSD: t(446.1) = 2.05, p = 0.04; HF-HRV: t(446.1) = 2.00, p = 0.05). The marginal R<sup>2</sup> values (RMSSD: 0.051, HF-HRV: 0.042) indicate that while the effect is present, it is moderate. No significant differences in HR were detected between conditions, supporting the idea that vmHRV is a more sensitive marker of autonomic modulation than HR. These findings underscore the potential of evening digital activity to modulate autonomic recovery processes. Specifically, highly stimulating gaming may impede parasympathetic activation, compared to the restorative effects of passive media consumption. This study contributes to the understanding of physiological responses to digital engagement and highlights the importance of mindful pre-sleep activities.</p>","PeriodicalId":47506,"journal":{"name":"Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4000,"publicationDate":"2025-07-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback","FirstCategoryId":"102","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10484-025-09723-z","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"PSYCHOLOGY, CLINICAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
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Abstract
This study examines the impact of highly arousing video gaming compared to passive digital media consumption on vagally-mediated heart rate variability (vmHRV) and heart rate (HR) during subsequent sleep in healthy young men. Using a randomized, counterbalanced within-subject design, 31 habitual gamers (mean age: 23 years; BMI: 25.68; gaming experience: 8.69 years; daily gaming time: 1.96 h) alternated between two conditions: 120 min of evening video gaming or watching a nature film of equivalent duration, on two consecutive days per condition. Electrocardiogram (ECG) data collected during sleep revealed that while both conditions were associated with an increase in vmHRV, indicative of parasympathetic recovery, this increase was significantly greater following the film condition (RMSSD: t(446.1) = 2.05, p = 0.04; HF-HRV: t(446.1) = 2.00, p = 0.05). The marginal R2 values (RMSSD: 0.051, HF-HRV: 0.042) indicate that while the effect is present, it is moderate. No significant differences in HR were detected between conditions, supporting the idea that vmHRV is a more sensitive marker of autonomic modulation than HR. These findings underscore the potential of evening digital activity to modulate autonomic recovery processes. Specifically, highly stimulating gaming may impede parasympathetic activation, compared to the restorative effects of passive media consumption. This study contributes to the understanding of physiological responses to digital engagement and highlights the importance of mindful pre-sleep activities.
期刊介绍：
Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback is an international, interdisciplinary journal devoted to study of the interrelationship of physiological systems, cognition, social and environmental parameters, and health. Priority is given to original research, basic and applied, which contributes to the theory, practice, and evaluation of applied psychophysiology and biofeedback. Submissions are also welcomed for consideration in several additional sections that appear in the journal. They consist of conceptual and theoretical articles; evaluative reviews; the Clinical Forum, which includes separate categories for innovative case studies, clinical replication series, extended treatment protocols, and clinical notes and observations; the Discussion Forum, which includes a series of papers centered around a topic of importance to the field; Innovations in Instrumentation; Letters to the Editor, commenting on issues raised in articles previously published in the journal; and select book reviews. Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback is the official publication of the Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback.
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