Automotive Health: Cardiopulmonary effects of Mindfulness Interventions while Driving

IF 4.4 2区工程技术 Q1 PSYCHOLOGY, APPLIED

Transportation Research Part F-Traffic Psychology and Behaviour Pub Date : 2025-09-05 DOI:10.1016/j.trf.2025.07.034

Lukas Nikolaus Ullmann , Carsten Starke , Michael Czaplik , Carina Barbosa Pereira

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

Mindfulness interventions, used to enhance attentional and emotional regulation in clinical settings, may benefit individuals in everyday stressful situations like driving. However, their real-world applicability and objective effectiveness in improving physiological mindfulness-associated measures need further study.

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of in-drive mindfulness interventions on mean breathing rate (Mean BR), mean heart rate (Mean HR), and the heart rate variability metric of root mean square of successive RR interval differences (RMSSD) throughout various environments.

Methods

Eighteen participants performed mindfulness exercises while driving in rural, suburban, and urban environments under naturalistic conditions on public roads. Mean HR, Mean BR, and RMSSD were monitored and compared between control and intervention drives whilst adjusting for breath-altering instructions. Correlational analysis between Mean BR and RMSSD was conducted to investigate respiratory sinus arrhythmia influences.

Results

In rural environments (n = 14), statistically significant decreases in Mean HR, Mean BR, and increases in RMSSD were observed during intervention drives compared to control drives. In suburban environments (n = 15), statistically significant decreases in Mean BR and increases in RMSSD were found. No significant differences were observed in urban environments (n = 11).

Correlations between Mean BR and RMSSD were found only during control drives in rural and suburban environments. No correlations were found in urban environments.

Conclusions

Mindfulness interventions improved physiological parameters during rural and suburban drives but were ineffective during urban drives. The decorrelation of Mean BR and RMSSD suggests effectiveness beyond mere breathing adjustments influence on RMSSD, indicating parasympathetic dominance during effective interventions. High mental load or stress may cause similar decoupling in urban drives.

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汽车健康：驾驶时正念干预对心肺的影响

正念干预，用于增强临床环境中的注意力和情绪调节，可能对日常压力情况（如开车）的个体有益。然而，它们在改善生理正念相关措施方面的现实适用性和客观有效性需要进一步研究。目的探讨驾驶中正念干预对不同环境下平均呼吸频率（mean BR）、平均心率（mean HR）和连续RR间隔差均方根变异性指标（RMSSD）的影响。方法18名参与者在乡村、郊区和城市环境中，在自然条件下的公共道路上驾驶时进行正念练习。监测平均HR，平均BR和RMSSD，并比较对照和干预驱动，同时调整呼吸改变指令。对平均BR和RMSSD进行相关性分析，探讨呼吸性窦性心律失常的影响。结果在农村环境中（n = 14），与对照组相比，干预驾驶期间平均HR、平均BR下降，RMSSD增加。在郊区环境中（n = 15），平均BR下降，RMSSD增加，具有统计学意义。在城市环境中未观察到显著差异（n = 11）。平均BR和RMSSD之间的相关性仅在农村和郊区环境的控制驱动器中发现。在城市环境中没有发现相关性。结论正念干预改善了农村和郊区驾驶时的生理参数，但在城市驾驶时效果不佳。平均BR和RMSSD的去相关表明，呼吸调节对RMSSD的影响不仅仅是有效的，这表明在有效的干预中副交感神经占主导地位。在城市驾驶中，高精神负荷或压力也可能导致类似的脱钩。

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

Transportation Research Part F-Traffic Psychology and Behaviour Multiple-

CiteScore

7.60

自引率

14.60%

发文量

239

审稿时长

71 days

期刊介绍： Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour focuses on the behavioural and psychological aspects of traffic and transport. The aim of the journal is to enhance theory development, improve the quality of empirical studies and to stimulate the application of research findings in practice. TRF provides a focus and a means of communication for the considerable amount of research activities that are now being carried out in this field. The journal provides a forum for transportation researchers, psychologists, ergonomists, engineers and policy-makers with an interest in traffic and transport psychology.