Abstract
The direct effect of bathing on R-R interval was examined in six healthy men (mean age, 40±11 years).
Bathing at 37-38°C produced signifficant shortening of mean R-R intervals (mRR) during usual and deep breathing (6times/min), and signifficant decrease of their coefficients of variation (CV; SD/mRR×100) during deep breathing.
In ten minutes after the end of bathing, mRR recovered, but not CV.
These data suggest that the bathing at those temperature might stimulate the sympathetic drive and suppress the parasympathetic drive to the heart.
