Science White Papers and Publications Scientific Publications Related to Stress, Recovery, Sleep, and Wellbeing

Scientific Publications Related to Stress, Recovery, Sleep, and Wellbeing

The publications section presents studies where Firstbeat solutions have been exploited.  The different scientific contexts include for example occupational health care, sleep research, psychotherapy, behavioral research, and sports coaching. Firstbeat methods have been used for research in over 100 universities and research institutions across Europe, North America, and Australia.

Title Author Year Journal/Proceedings Study design & Population Category Physiological parameter(s) Insights on findings
Motivation, stress, recovery, and physical activity of teachers: discoveries with the Reiss Motivation Profile® and the Firstbeat® measurement Tuominen PPA & Mayor P 2023 Journal of Public Health: 1-11 Cross-sectional study; primary school teachers, N = 66 Applied use Stress and recovery; sleep; physical activity Motives such as Acceptance, Eating, Family, Physical Activity, Power, Tranquillity, and Vengeance were found to have a relationship with Firstbeat-measured outcomes like physical activity, sedentary behaviour, stress, recovery and sleep among teachers.
Mindfulness-Based Intervention effect on the psychophysiological marker of self-regulation in women with endometriosis-related chronic pain Moreira MF, Gamboa OL & Oliveira MAP 2023 The Journal of Pain Randomized Controlled Trial (pilot), N = 54 Measurement RR-intervals Firstbeat Sports heart rate belt was used to collect data in a study exploring the impact of mindfullness intervention in helping to ease pain symptoms with women having endometriosis.
Exploring the interplay of stress, recovery, and physical activity among teachers, nursing staff, and ICT workers: a comparative study. Tuominen PPA 2023 Journal of Public Health Cross-sectional study; teachers, nursing staff, ICT workers, N = 211 Applied use Stress and recovery; sleep; physical activity Stress, physical activity and recovery needs between different working groups were studied using Firstbeat methods.
Can you feel the excitement? Physiological correlates of students’ self-reported emotions Ketonen EE, Salonen V, Lonka K & Salmela‐Aro K 2023 British Journal of Educational Psychology 93, S1, 113-129. Case-study; high school students, N = 136 Applied use HR; HRV Firstbeat Lifestyle Assessment was used in a study exploring the physiological correlates of students’ self-reported emotions by combining biosignal data and experience sampling method data.
Increased physical workload in home care service is associated with reduced recovery from work Mänttäri S, Säynäjäkangas P, Selander K & Laitinen J 2023 International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health 96, (5), 651-660. Cross-sectional study; home care service workers, N = 95 Applied use HR; MET; VO2; Energy expenditure Firstbeat methods were used to study physical workload and recovery in home care service workers. Higher occupational physical workload reduced the HRV of home care workers during the workday, leisure time, and sleep.
Protocol for an observational study of working conditions and musculoskeletal health in Swedish online retail warehousing from the perspective of gender and race/ethnicity Jackson J, Mathiassen, SE, Rydström K & Johansson K 2023 BMC Public Health Longitudinal Study Protocol The aim of the 3-year study is to describe working conditions and musculoskeletal health in online retail warehousing. The study plan includes Firstbeat methods.
Physiological evidence of escalating stress during COVID-19: a longitudinal assessment of child welfare workers Griffiths, A, Link, K, Haughtigan, K, Beer, O W J, Powell, L, & Royse, D 2023 Journal of Public Child Welfare Observational study; child welfare professionals, N = 32 Applied use Stress and recovery; HRV The study used Firstbeat Firstbeat Bodyguard 2 over a four-month period to assess the stress of child welfare professionals during COVID-19 pandemic. The study revealed that HRV remained below the norms for a healthy population as participants experienced consistent and prolonged physiological stress. When examined relatively to the agency’s lifting of COVID restrictions and returning to face-to-face service delivery, stress levels began to further rise and the participants’ ability to achieve a state of physiological relaxation significantly decreased.
Heart Rate Variability Measurement through a Wearable Device: Another Breakthrough for Personal Health Monitoring? Li K, Cardoso C, Moctezuma-Ramirez A, Elgalad A & Perin E 2023 Preprints 2023, 2023080732. Review The study presented Firstbeat Sports as one potential wearable device for HRV monitoring. The study reviewed the recent progress in HRV tracking with wearable devices and the value of HRV in health monitoring and disease diagnosis.
A Narrative Review of Commercial Platforms Offering Tracking of Heart Rate Variability in Corporate Employees to Detect and Manage Stress McLachlan CS & Truong H 2023 Journal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease, 10(4), 141. Narrative review The study presented a narrative of some commercial stress management platforms based on physiological HRV measurements, some COVID-19 related findings, and utilization of HRV in general.
Zoom-Based Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement Plus Just-in-Time Mindfulness Practice Triggered by Wearable Sensors for Opioid Craving and Chronic Pain Garland EL, Gullapalli BT, Prince KC, Hanley AW, Sanyer M, Tuomenoksa M & Rahman T  2023 Mindfulness, 14(6), 1329-1345. Randomized controlled trial pilot; opioid-treated chronic pain patiens, N =63 Applied use stress and recovery Firstbeat analysis of stress via Garmin Vivosmart device was tested in study utilizing Mindfullness-Oriented Recovery Enchancement and Just-In-Time Adaptive Intervention for opioid-treated chronic pain patients.
Association of physical activity and heart rate variability in people with overweight and obesity: A systematic review Sinha MK, Vaishali K, Arun GM, Shivashankar KN, Shashikiran U & Ravi SN 2023 F1000 research, 12, 156. Review The review considered the association of physical activity, obesity and HRV. The presented studies included also Firstbeat methods.
Assessing the efficacy of a job rotation for improving occupational physical and psychosocial work environment, musculoskeletal health, social equality, production quality and resilience at a commercial laundromat: protocol for a longitudinal case study Jackson JA, Sund M, Barlari Lobos G, Melin L & Mathiassen SE 2023 BMJ Open 13(5): e067633 Study protocol The study aims to develop a job rotation with company stakeholders, perform a process evaluation of the implementation, and determine the extent to which the intervention improves the physical and psychosocial work environment, indicators of health, gender and social equality among workers and production quality and resilience. Firstbeat methods will be used.
Effects of walking football on adherence, safety, quality of life and physical fitness in patients with prostate cancer: Findings from the PROSTATA_MOVE randomized controlled trial Capela A, Antunes P, Coelho CA, Garcia CL, Custódio S, Amorim R, Costa T, Vilela E, Teixeira M, Amarelo A, Silva J, Joaqum A, Viomonte S, Brito J & Alves AJ 2023 Frontiers in Oncology, 13, 1129028 Randomized clinical trial; male cancer patients, N = 50 Measurement HR Firstbeat Sports was used for HR data collection in a study regarding the feasibility and impact of a walking football program on quality of life, cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle strength, and balance program in men with prostate cancer under androgen deprivation therapy.
Effects of exercise training on cardiac toxicity markers in women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy with anthracyclines: a randomized controlled trial Antunes P, Joaquim A, Sampaio F, Nunes C, Ascensão A, Vilela E, Teixera M, Capela A, Marques C, Viamonte S, Alves A & Esteves D  2023 European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, 30(9), 844-855. Randomized controlled trial; women with early-state breast cancer, N = 93 Measurement HR Firstbeat Sports was used for HR monitoring in a study exploring the effects of a supervised exercise training programme on cardiac toxicity markers in women with breast cancer receiving anthracycline-containing chemotherapy.
Influence of physical fitness and weight status on autonomic cardiac modulation in children Latorre-Román PÁ, de la Casa Pérez A, Pancorbo-Serrano D, Consuegra-Gonzalez PJ, Salas-Sánchez J, Muñoz-Jiménez M, Aragón-Vela J, Ramírez Lucas JM, Cabrera-Linares J C & Párraga-Montilla JA 2023 Pediatric research, 10.1038/s41390-023-02676-1 Cross-sectional study; healthy children, N = 152 Applied use HR; HRR Aerobic Firstbeat Bodyguard and Firstbeat Sports was used in a study providing reference values for cardiovascular modulation at rest, during maximal exercise test and recovery after exercise in Caucasian children according to weight status and cardiorespiratory fitness level.
Home-based testing protocol to measure physiological responses to everyday activities in ME: a feasibility study Clague-Baker N, Tyson S, Leslie K, Dawes H, Bull M & Hilliard N 2023 Fatigue: Biomedicine, Health & Behavior Experimental study; individuals with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, N = 70 Applied use Stress and recovery Firstbeat’s well-being measurement was used in a study assessing the feasibility and acceptability of a home-based testing protocol to measure physiological responses in ME (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, chronic fatigue) to everyday activity. Participants wore a portable metabolic assessment system and a physiological stress monitor (Firstbeat). Blood pressure, HR, oxygen saturation and lactic acid were assessed during a range of everyday positions and activities in their own homes up to 6 days. Physiological measurements revealed potential abnormalities that varied between individuals. Physiological monitoring was perceived positively, and all participants indicated that they would volunteer for the study again and would recommend it to others. This supports the need for further work to develop a reliable, valid and accurate testing protocol to assess, diagnose and monitor ME.
Physiological Responses to Organizational Stressors Among Police Managers Di Nota PM, Scott SC, Huhta J-M, Gustafsberg H & Andersen JP 2023 Research Square (pre-print) Observational field study; training police managers, N = 25 Applied use HR Police officers demonstrate increased risk of physical and mental health conditions due to repeated and prolonged exposure to stressful occupational conditions. The study tested the hypothesis that police managers will display significant physiological reactivity before, during, and after engaging in reality-based scenarios and used Firstbeat for physiology monitoring. Significant increases in HR relative to rest were observed during all tasks, and in anticipation of several tasks. Greater increases in reactive HR were associated with longer recovery times.
Motivation, stress, recovery, and physical activity of teachers: discoveries with the Reiss Motivation Profile® and the Firstbeat® measurement Tuominen PPA & Mayor P 2023 Journal of Public Health: 1-11 Cross-sectional study; primary school teachers, N = 66 Applied use Stress and recovery; sleep; physical activity Motives such as Acceptance, Eating, Family, Physical Activity, Power, Tranquillity, and Vengeance were found to have a relationship with Firstbeat-measured outcomes like physical activity, sedentary behaviour, stress, recovery and sleep among teachers.
Mindfulness-Based Intervention effect on the psychophysiological marker of self-regulation in women with endometriosis-related chronic pain Moreira MF, Gamboa OL & Oliveira MAP 2023 The Journal of Pain Randomized Controlled Trial (pilot), N = 54 Measurement RR-intervals Firstbeat Sports heart rate belt was used to collect data in a study exploring the impact of mindfullness intervention in helping to ease pain symptoms with women having endometriosis.
Exploring the interplay of stress, recovery, and physical activity among teachers, nursing staff, and ICT workers: a comparative study. Tuominen PPA 2023 Journal of Public Health Cross-sectional study; teachers, nursing staff, ICT workers, N = 211 Applied use Stress and recovery; sleep; physical activity Stress, physical activity and recovery needs between different working groups were studied using Firstbeat methods.
Can you feel the excitement? Physiological correlates of students’ self-reported emotions Ketonen EE, Salonen V, Lonka K & Salmela‐Aro K 2023 British Journal of Educational Psychology 93, S1, 113-129. Case-study; high school students, N = 136 Applied use HR; HRV Firstbeat Lifestyle Assessment was used in a study exploring the physiological correlates of students’ self-reported emotions by combining biosignal data and experience sampling method data.
Increased physical workload in home care service is associated with reduced recovery from work Mänttäri S, Säynäjäkangas P, Selander K & Laitinen J 2023 International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health 96, (5), 651-660. Cross-sectional study; home care service workers, N = 95 Applied use HR; MET; VO2; Energy expenditure Firstbeat methods were used to study physical workload and recovery in home care service workers. Higher occupational physical workload reduced the HRV of home care workers during the workday, leisure time, and sleep.
Protocol for an observational study of working conditions and musculoskeletal health in Swedish online retail warehousing from the perspective of gender and race/ethnicity Jackson J, Mathiassen, SE, Rydström K & Johansson K 2023 BMC Public Health Longitudinal Study Protocol The aim of the 3-year study is to describe working conditions and musculoskeletal health in online retail warehousing. The study plan includes Firstbeat methods.
Physiological evidence of escalating stress during COVID-19: a longitudinal assessment of child welfare workers Griffiths, A, Link, K, Haughtigan, K, Beer, O W J, Powell, L, & Royse, D 2023 Journal of Public Child Welfare Observational study; child welfare professionals, N = 32 Applied use Stress and recovery; HRV The study used Firstbeat Firstbeat Bodyguard 2 over a four-month period to assess the stress of child welfare professionals during COVID-19 pandemic. The study revealed that HRV remained below the norms for a healthy population as participants experienced consistent and prolonged physiological stress. When examined relatively to the agency’s lifting of COVID restrictions and returning to face-to-face service delivery, stress levels began to further rise and the participants’ ability to achieve a state of physiological relaxation significantly decreased.
Heart Rate Variability Measurement through a Wearable Device: Another Breakthrough for Personal Health Monitoring? Li K, Cardoso C, Moctezuma-Ramirez A, Elgalad A & Perin E 2023 Preprints 2023, 2023080732. Review The study presented Firstbeat Sports as one potential wearable device for HRV monitoring. The study reviewed the recent progress in HRV tracking with wearable devices and the value of HRV in health monitoring and disease diagnosis.
A Narrative Review of Commercial Platforms Offering Tracking of Heart Rate Variability in Corporate Employees to Detect and Manage Stress McLachlan CS & Truong H 2023 Journal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease, 10(4), 141. Narrative review The study presented a narrative of some commercial stress management platforms based on physiological HRV measurements, some COVID-19 related findings, and utilization of HRV in general.
Zoom-Based Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement Plus Just-in-Time Mindfulness Practice Triggered by Wearable Sensors for Opioid Craving and Chronic Pain Garland EL, Gullapalli BT, Prince KC, Hanley AW, Sanyer M, Tuomenoksa M & Rahman T  2023 Mindfulness, 14(6), 1329-1345. Randomized controlled trial pilot; opioid-treated chronic pain patiens, N =63 Applied use stress and recovery Firstbeat analysis of stress via Garmin Vivosmart device was tested in study utilizing Mindfullness-Oriented Recovery Enchancement and Just-In-Time Adaptive Intervention for opioid-treated chronic pain patients.
Association of physical activity and heart rate variability in people with overweight and obesity: A systematic review Sinha MK, Vaishali K, Arun GM, Shivashankar KN, Shashikiran U & Ravi SN 2023 F1000 research, 12, 156. Review The review considered the association of physical activity, obesity and HRV. The presented studies included also Firstbeat methods.
Assessing the efficacy of a job rotation for improving occupational physical and psychosocial work environment, musculoskeletal health, social equality, production quality and resilience at a commercial laundromat: protocol for a longitudinal case study Jackson JA, Sund M, Barlari Lobos G, Melin L & Mathiassen SE 2023 BMJ Open 13(5): e067633 Study protocol The study aims to develop a job rotation with company stakeholders, perform a process evaluation of the implementation, and determine the extent to which the intervention improves the physical and psychosocial work environment, indicators of health, gender and social equality among workers and production quality and resilience. Firstbeat methods will be used.
Effects of walking football on adherence, safety, quality of life and physical fitness in patients with prostate cancer: Findings from the PROSTATA_MOVE randomized controlled trial Capela A, Antunes P, Coelho CA, Garcia CL, Custódio S, Amorim R, Costa T, Vilela E, Teixeira M, Amarelo A, Silva J, Joaqum A, Viomonte S, Brito J & Alves AJ 2023 Frontiers in Oncology, 13, 1129028 Randomized clinical trial; male cancer patients, N = 50 Measurement HR Firstbeat Sports was used for HR data collection in a study regarding the feasibility and impact of a walking football program on quality of life, cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle strength, and balance program in men with prostate cancer under androgen deprivation therapy.
Effects of exercise training on cardiac toxicity markers in women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy with anthracyclines: a randomized controlled trial Antunes P, Joaquim A, Sampaio F, Nunes C, Ascensão A, Vilela E, Teixera M, Capela A, Marques C, Viamonte S, Alves A & Esteves D  2023 European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, 30(9), 844-855. Randomized controlled trial; women with early-state breast cancer, N = 93 Measurement HR Firstbeat Sports was used for HR monitoring in a study exploring the effects of a supervised exercise training programme on cardiac toxicity markers in women with breast cancer receiving anthracycline-containing chemotherapy.
Influence of physical fitness and weight status on autonomic cardiac modulation in children Latorre-Román PÁ, de la Casa Pérez A, Pancorbo-Serrano D, Consuegra-Gonzalez PJ, Salas-Sánchez J, Muñoz-Jiménez M, Aragón-Vela J, Ramírez Lucas JM, Cabrera-Linares J C & Párraga-Montilla JA 2023 Pediatric research, 10.1038/s41390-023-02676-1 Cross-sectional study; healthy children, N = 152 Applied use HR; HRR Aerobic Firstbeat Bodyguard and Firstbeat Sports was used in a study providing reference values for cardiovascular modulation at rest, during maximal exercise test and recovery after exercise in Caucasian children according to weight status and cardiorespiratory fitness level.
Home-based testing protocol to measure physiological responses to everyday activities in ME: a feasibility study Clague-Baker N, Tyson S, Leslie K, Dawes H, Bull M & Hilliard N 2023 Fatigue: Biomedicine, Health & Behavior Experimental study; individuals with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, N = 70 Applied use Stress and recovery Firstbeat’s well-being measurement was used in a study assessing the feasibility and acceptability of a home-based testing protocol to measure physiological responses in ME (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, chronic fatigue) to everyday activity. Participants wore a portable metabolic assessment system and a physiological stress monitor (Firstbeat). Blood pressure, HR, oxygen saturation and lactic acid were assessed during a range of everyday positions and activities in their own homes up to 6 days. Physiological measurements revealed potential abnormalities that varied between individuals. Physiological monitoring was perceived positively, and all participants indicated that they would volunteer for the study again and would recommend it to others. This supports the need for further work to develop a reliable, valid and accurate testing protocol to assess, diagnose and monitor ME.
Physiological Responses to Organizational Stressors Among Police Managers Di Nota PM, Scott SC, Huhta J-M, Gustafsberg H & Andersen JP 2023 Research Square (pre-print) Observational field study; training police managers, N = 25 Applied use HR Police officers demonstrate increased risk of physical and mental health conditions due to repeated and prolonged exposure to stressful occupational conditions. The study tested the hypothesis that police managers will display significant physiological reactivity before, during, and after engaging in reality-based scenarios and used Firstbeat for physiology monitoring. Significant increases in HR relative to rest were observed during all tasks, and in anticipation of several tasks. Greater increases in reactive HR were associated with longer recovery times.
Measuring psychosocial stress with heart rate variability-based methods in different health and age groups Seipäjärvi SM, Tuomola A, Juurakko J, Rottensteiner M, Rissanen APE, Kurkela JLO, Kujala UM, Laukkanen JA & Vikgren J 2022 Physiological Measurement, 43 (5) Cross-sectional study; healthy young and middle-aged subjects, and patients with cardiometabolic risk factors, N = 197 Validation Stress and recovery; HR; HRV The study validated Relax-Stress Intensity, RSI, used as quantification of stress and recovery responses in Firstbeat Life, and examined cortisol and cardiac responses in the context of Trier Social Stress Test (TSST-G) among healthy subjects and patients. The results showed stress reactions during TSST-G as indicated by significant responses of HR, RMSSD, RSI, Perceived Stress (PS), and salivary cortisol (CRT). Correlation and regression analyses implied RSI being the strongest predictor of CRT response, while HR was more closely associated with PS. The authors concluded that the HRV-based stress index mirrors responses of CRT, which is an independent marker for physiological stress, around TSST-G. Thus, the HRV-based stress index may be used to quantify physiological responses to psychosocial stress across various health and age groups.
The Effect of Healthy Lifestyle Changes on Work Ability and Mental Health Symptoms: A Randomized Controlled Trial Shiri R, Väänänen A, Mattila-Holappa P, Kauppi K & Borg P 2022 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19, 13206. Randomized Controlled Trial; working age adults, N = 319 Applied use Stress; Sleep Firstbeat Lifestyle Assessment data was used in a study examining the effects of healthy lifestyle changes on work ability, sleep, and mental health.
Professional Chronic Stress – Clinical, Physiological, and Biological Evaluation Doscan AM & Spiru L 2022 Medical Case Repo, 4(1): 1-4 Case study; a female reporting chronic stress, N = 1 Applied use Stress and recovery Firstbeat Lifestyle Assessment was used in a case study evaluating the effectiveness of subjective questionnaires and objective measurements in evaluating stress and as personalized tools for preventing stress-induced pathologies.
A Technology-Assisted Telephone Intervention for Work-Related Stress Management: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial Muuraiskangas ST, Honka AM, Junno U, Nieminen HO & Kaartinen JK 2022 Journal of Medical Internet Research, 24(7):e26569 Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial; adults, N = 49 Applied use Stress and recovery; Physical Activity; Sleep Firstbeat Lifestyle Assessment was used in a study investigating whether a technology-assisted telephone intervention for stress management is feasible for increasing mental well-being or decreasing the time use of coaches.
Studying Physiological Synchrony in Couple Therapy through Partial Directed Coherence: Associations with the Therapeutic Alliance and Meaning Construction Avdi E, Paraskevopoulos E, Lagogianni C, Kartsidis P & Plaskasovitis F 2022 Entropy, 24, 517 A single-case, mixed-method design; a couple, N = 2 Applied use Stress and recovery Firstbeat’s stress metric was used in a study examining the physiological synchrony in one-couple therapy in relation to the therapeutic alliance and a narrative analysis of meaning construction in the sessions.
Cardiac Evaluation of Exercise Testing in a Contemporary Population of Preschool Children: A New Approach Providing Reference Values Latorre-Román PÁ, Martínez-Redondo M, Salas-Sánchez J, Consuegra-González PJ, Sarabia-Cachadiña E, Aragón-Vela J & Párraga-Montilla JA 2022 Children, 9, 654 Cohort study; healthy children, N =167 Applied use HR; HR recovery; HRV Firstbeat Bodyguard 2 and Firstbeat Sports were used in a study that provides reference values of autonomic cardiac function at rest, during maximal exercise testing, and during recovery for Spanish preschool children.
Parent Stress and Trauma, Autonomic Responses, and Negative Child Behaviors Fogelman N, Schwartz J, Chaplin TM, Jastreboff AM, Wendy K. Silverman WK & Rajita Sinha R 2022 Child Psychiatry & Human Development Experimental study; parents with 2-5 year old children, N = 68 Applied use HR; HRV Firstbeat Bodyguard 2 was used in a study to record parents HRV when studying if parent stress and trauma are associated with and interact with altered autonomic function during the toy wait task, an acute parent–child interaction challenge, to predict greater negative child behaviors.
Associations Between Adolescents’ Subjectively Experienced Emotions and Psychophysiological Reactions in Achievement Situations. Kiuru N, Trög A, Pasanen M, Tourunen A, Mikkonen J, Ahonen T & Penttonen M 2022 Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 68(1):39-71. Project MUSE Experimental study; early adolescents, N = 190 Applied use HR; HRV Firstbeat Lifestyle Assessment was used for HRV analysis in a study investigating the associations of early adolescents’ subjectively experienced emotions and psychophysiological reactions in achievement situations.
Continuous mHealth Patch Monitoring for the Algorithm-Based Detection of Atrial Fibrillation: Feasibility and Diagnostic Accuracy Study Santala OE, Lipponen JA, Jäntti H, Rissanen TT, Tarvainen MP, Laitinen TP, Laitinen TM, Castrén M, Väliaho E, Rantula OA, Naukkarinen NS, Hartikainen JEK, Halonen J & Martikainen TJ 2022 JMIR Cardio, 6(1):e31230 Case-control study; Emergeny care patients with an atrial fibrillation (N = 79) or sinus rhythm (N = 99), N = 178 Validation RR-intervals Firstbeat Bodyguard 2 device (mHealth patch) was used for RR-interval data collection. Thereafter, a commercial arrhythmia analysis software (Awario, Heart2Save) was used for automatic AF screening from the HRV data. The arrhythmia detection algorithm resulted in a subject-based atrial fibrillation (AF) detection accuracy of 97.2%, a sensitivity of 100%, and a specificity of 94.9%. The time-based AF detection accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of the arrhythmia detection algorithm were 98.7%, 99.6%, and 98.0%, respectively. The authors concluded that the 24-hour HRV monitoring by the mHealth patch device enabled accurate automatic AF detection. Thus, the wearable mHealth patch device with arrhythmia analysis is a novel method for AF screening.
How are learning experiences and task properties associated with adolescents’ emotions and psychophysiological states? Kiuru N, Malmberg L-E, Eklund K, Penttonen M, Ahonen T & Hirvonen R 2022 Contemporary Educational Psychology 71, 102095 Experimental study; early adolescents, N = 190 Applied use HR; HRV Firstbeat Lifestyle Assessment was used in a study examining whether learning experiences (value of success, mastery experience) and task properties (challenge) are related to early adolescents’emotional responses and psychophysiological states (autonomic nervous system, ANS) in achievement situations in an ambulatory laboratory.
Occupational Burnout Is Linked with Inefficient Executive Functioning, Elevated Average Heart Rate, and Decreased Physical Activity in Daily Life – Initial Evidence from Teaching Professionals Pihlaja M, Tuominen PPA, Peräkylä J & Hartikainen KM 2022 Brain Science, 12, 1723 Cross-sectional study; Teaching professionals, N = 28 Applied use HR; HRV; step count; sleep duration Firstbeat well-being measures were used in a study exploring the interaction of burnout with executive functions, HR, HRV, and physical activity in daily life. The subjects with burnout had more challenges in executive functions, higher average HR and lower numbers of steps in daily life than those without it. The authors concluded that burnout is linked with compromised executive functions along with alterations in cardiac physiology and physical activity in daily life. Such alterations may be easily detected with wearable devices, opening possibilities for novel biomarkers of burnout and other neuropsychiatric disorders.
Comprehensive self-tracking of blood glucose and lifestyle with a mobile application in the management of gestational diabetes: a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial (eMOM GDM study) Kytö M, Markussen LT, Marttinen P, Jacucci G, Niinistö S, Virtanen SM, Korhonen TE, Sievänen H, Vähä-Ypyä H, Korhonen I, Heinonen S & Koivusalo SB 2022 BMJ Open, 12(11):e066292. Study protocol; pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus, N = 200 Protocol The paper presents the protocol of the eMOM study aiming to evaluate the effects of comprehensive and real-time self-tracking with eMOM gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) mobile application on glucose levels in women with GDM, and more broadly, on different other maternal and neonatal outcomes. Firstbeat methods are used for objective measurements regarding well-being behaviors of the mothers.
A Comprehensive User Modeling Framework and a Recommender System for Personalizing Well-Being Related Behavior Change Interventions: Development and Evaluation Honka AM, Nieminen H, Similä H, Kaartinen J & Van Gils M 2022 IEEE Access, vol. 10, pp. 116766-116783 Experimental study; employees, N = 50 Applied use Stress and recovery; physical activity; sleep The study presents a comprehensive theory-based framework of user features, the virtual individual (VI) model, to support the extensive personalization of digital well-being interventions and introduced a prototype of health recommendation system including Firstbeat (With-Me). The study reports the preliminary validity and usefulness of the system evaluated in a real-life health-coaching program.
Comprehensive cardiac evaluation to maximal exercise in a contemporary population of prepubertal children Latorre-Román PA, Floody PD, Martínez-Redondo M, Salas-Sánchez J, Consuegra-González PJ, Aragón-Vela J, Robles-Fuentes A, Sarabia-Cachadiña E & Párraga-Montilla JA 2022 Pediatric Research volume 92, 526–535 Experimental study; healthy children 7–11 years of age, N = 512 Applied use HR; HR recovery; HRV Firstbeat Bodyguard 2 and Firstbeat Sports was used to determine sex- and age-specific reference values for cardiac autonomic function at rest, during maximal exercise and the recovery phase in prepubertal children.
Sympathetic Vagal Balance and Cognitive Performance in Young Adults during the NIH Cognitive Test Lee J & Shields RK 2022 Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology, 7(3): 59 Experimental study; young people without cognitive impairment, N = 62 Applied use HR; HRV Firstbeat was used for HRV measurement and analysis in a study determining whether HRV are increased with cognitive performance during the NIH Cognitive Test (Picture Sequence, Dimensional Change Card Sort, Flanker, and List Sorting). The study found that arousal level influences performance during a cognitive test.
Acute Low Force Electrically Induced Exercise Modulates Post Prandial Glycemic Markers in People with Spinal Cord Injury Petrie MA, Kimball AL & Shields RK 2022 Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology, 7(4), 89 Experimental study; participants wit and without spinal cord injury, N = 41 Applied use HR Firstbeat was used for HR monitoring in a study examining if low force electrically induced exercise (LFE) will modulate the post prandial insulin and glucose response in people with and without spinal cord injury. The study found that LFE attenuates certain metabolic blood biomarkers during a glucose challenge and may offer a lifestyle strategy to regulate metabolic responses after eating among people with spinal cord injury.
Cardiorespiratory function, resting metabolic rate and heart rate variability in coal miners exposed to hypobaric hypoxia in highland workplace Yang S, Tian C, Yang F, Chen Q, Geng R, Liu C, Wu X & Lam W 2022 PeerJ 10:e13899 Experimental study; coal mining workers, N = 23 Applied use HR; HRV Firstbeat was used for HRV analysis in a study comparing the physiological characteristics (ventilatory parameters, circulation parameters, resting metabolic rate and HRV) of coal miners working at disparate altitudes (highland at 4500m vs lowland at less than 100m above sea-level). The results implicated that long-term intermittent exposure to high altitude can lead miners to an intensified respiration, a compromised circulation and a profound sympathetic-parasympathetic imbalance, whereas the resting metabolic rate in highland miners does not distinctly decline.
Measuring psychosocial stress with heart rate variability-based methods in different health and age groups Seipäjärvi SM, Tuomola A, Juurakko J, Rottensteiner M, Rissanen APE, Kurkela JLO, Kujala UM, Laukkanen JA & Vikgren J 2022 Physiological Measurement, 43 (5) Cross-sectional study; healthy young and middle-aged subjects, and patients with cardiometabolic risk factors, N = 197 Validation Stress and recovery; HR; HRV The study validated Relax-Stress Intensity, RSI, used as quantification of stress and recovery responses in Firstbeat Life, and examined cortisol and cardiac responses in the context of Trier Social Stress Test (TSST-G) among healthy subjects and patients. The results showed stress reactions during TSST-G as indicated by significant responses of HR, RMSSD, RSI, Perceived Stress (PS), and salivary cortisol (CRT). Correlation and regression analyses implied RSI being the strongest predictor of CRT response, while HR was more closely associated with PS. The authors concluded that the HRV-based stress index mirrors responses of CRT, which is an independent marker for physiological stress, around TSST-G. Thus, the HRV-based stress index may be used to quantify physiological responses to psychosocial stress across various health and age groups.
The Effect of Healthy Lifestyle Changes on Work Ability and Mental Health Symptoms: A Randomized Controlled Trial Shiri R, Väänänen A, Mattila-Holappa P, Kauppi K & Borg P 2022 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19, 13206. Randomized Controlled Trial; working age adults, N = 319 Applied use Stress; Sleep Firstbeat Lifestyle Assessment data was used in a study examining the effects of healthy lifestyle changes on work ability, sleep, and mental health.
Professional Chronic Stress – Clinical, Physiological, and Biological Evaluation Doscan AM & Spiru L 2022 Medical Case Repo, 4(1): 1-4 Case study; a female reporting chronic stress, N = 1 Applied use Stress and recovery Firstbeat Lifestyle Assessment was used in a case study evaluating the effectiveness of subjective questionnaires and objective measurements in evaluating stress and as personalized tools for preventing stress-induced pathologies.
A Technology-Assisted Telephone Intervention for Work-Related Stress Management: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial Muuraiskangas ST, Honka AM, Junno U, Nieminen HO & Kaartinen JK 2022 Journal of Medical Internet Research, 24(7):e26569 Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial; adults, N = 49 Applied use Stress and recovery; Physical Activity; Sleep Firstbeat Lifestyle Assessment was used in a study investigating whether a technology-assisted telephone intervention for stress management is feasible for increasing mental well-being or decreasing the time use of coaches.
Studying Physiological Synchrony in Couple Therapy through Partial Directed Coherence: Associations with the Therapeutic Alliance and Meaning Construction Avdi E, Paraskevopoulos E, Lagogianni C, Kartsidis P & Plaskasovitis F 2022 Entropy, 24, 517 A single-case, mixed-method design; a couple, N = 2 Applied use Stress and recovery Firstbeat’s stress metric was used in a study examining the physiological synchrony in one-couple therapy in relation to the therapeutic alliance and a narrative analysis of meaning construction in the sessions.
Cardiac Evaluation of Exercise Testing in a Contemporary Population of Preschool Children: A New Approach Providing Reference Values Latorre-Román PÁ, Martínez-Redondo M, Salas-Sánchez J, Consuegra-González PJ, Sarabia-Cachadiña E, Aragón-Vela J & Párraga-Montilla JA 2022 Children, 9, 654 Cohort study; healthy children, N =167 Applied use HR; HR recovery; HRV Firstbeat Bodyguard 2 and Firstbeat Sports were used in a study that provides reference values of autonomic cardiac function at rest, during maximal exercise testing, and during recovery for Spanish preschool children.
Parent Stress and Trauma, Autonomic Responses, and Negative Child Behaviors Fogelman N, Schwartz J, Chaplin TM, Jastreboff AM, Wendy K. Silverman WK & Rajita Sinha R 2022 Child Psychiatry & Human Development Experimental study; parents with 2-5 year old children, N = 68 Applied use HR; HRV Firstbeat Bodyguard 2 was used in a study to record parents HRV when studying if parent stress and trauma are associated with and interact with altered autonomic function during the toy wait task, an acute parent–child interaction challenge, to predict greater negative child behaviors.
Associations Between Adolescents’ Subjectively Experienced Emotions and Psychophysiological Reactions in Achievement Situations. Kiuru N, Trög A, Pasanen M, Tourunen A, Mikkonen J, Ahonen T & Penttonen M 2022 Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 68(1):39-71. Project MUSE Experimental study; early adolescents, N = 190 Applied use HR; HRV Firstbeat Lifestyle Assessment was used for HRV analysis in a study investigating the associations of early adolescents’ subjectively experienced emotions and psychophysiological reactions in achievement situations.
Continuous mHealth Patch Monitoring for the Algorithm-Based Detection of Atrial Fibrillation: Feasibility and Diagnostic Accuracy Study Santala OE, Lipponen JA, Jäntti H, Rissanen TT, Tarvainen MP, Laitinen TP, Laitinen TM, Castrén M, Väliaho E, Rantula OA, Naukkarinen NS, Hartikainen JEK, Halonen J & Martikainen TJ 2022 JMIR Cardio, 6(1):e31230 Case-control study; Emergeny care patients with an atrial fibrillation (N = 79) or sinus rhythm (N = 99), N = 178 Validation RR-intervals Firstbeat Bodyguard 2 device (mHealth patch) was used for RR-interval data collection. Thereafter, a commercial arrhythmia analysis software (Awario, Heart2Save) was used for automatic AF screening from the HRV data. The arrhythmia detection algorithm resulted in a subject-based atrial fibrillation (AF) detection accuracy of 97.2%, a sensitivity of 100%, and a specificity of 94.9%. The time-based AF detection accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of the arrhythmia detection algorithm were 98.7%, 99.6%, and 98.0%, respectively. The authors concluded that the 24-hour HRV monitoring by the mHealth patch device enabled accurate automatic AF detection. Thus, the wearable mHealth patch device with arrhythmia analysis is a novel method for AF screening.
How are learning experiences and task properties associated with adolescents’ emotions and psychophysiological states? Kiuru N, Malmberg L-E, Eklund K, Penttonen M, Ahonen T & Hirvonen R 2022 Contemporary Educational Psychology 71, 102095 Experimental study; early adolescents, N = 190 Applied use HR; HRV Firstbeat Lifestyle Assessment was used in a study examining whether learning experiences (value of success, mastery experience) and task properties (challenge) are related to early adolescents’emotional responses and psychophysiological states (autonomic nervous system, ANS) in achievement situations in an ambulatory laboratory.
Occupational Burnout Is Linked with Inefficient Executive Functioning, Elevated Average Heart Rate, and Decreased Physical Activity in Daily Life – Initial Evidence from Teaching Professionals Pihlaja M, Tuominen PPA, Peräkylä J & Hartikainen KM 2022 Brain Science, 12, 1723 Cross-sectional study; Teaching professionals, N = 28 Applied use HR; HRV; step count; sleep duration Firstbeat well-being measures were used in a study exploring the interaction of burnout with executive functions, HR, HRV, and physical activity in daily life. The subjects with burnout had more challenges in executive functions, higher average HR and lower numbers of steps in daily life than those without it. The authors concluded that burnout is linked with compromised executive functions along with alterations in cardiac physiology and physical activity in daily life. Such alterations may be easily detected with wearable devices, opening possibilities for novel biomarkers of burnout and other neuropsychiatric disorders.
Comprehensive self-tracking of blood glucose and lifestyle with a mobile application in the management of gestational diabetes: a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial (eMOM GDM study) Kytö M, Markussen LT, Marttinen P, Jacucci G, Niinistö S, Virtanen SM, Korhonen TE, Sievänen H, Vähä-Ypyä H, Korhonen I, Heinonen S & Koivusalo SB 2022 BMJ Open, 12(11):e066292. Study protocol; pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus, N = 200 Protocol The paper presents the protocol of the eMOM study aiming to evaluate the effects of comprehensive and real-time self-tracking with eMOM gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) mobile application on glucose levels in women with GDM, and more broadly, on different other maternal and neonatal outcomes. Firstbeat methods are used for objective measurements regarding well-being behaviors of the mothers.
A Comprehensive User Modeling Framework and a Recommender System for Personalizing Well-Being Related Behavior Change Interventions: Development and Evaluation Honka AM, Nieminen H, Similä H, Kaartinen J & Van Gils M 2022 IEEE Access, vol. 10, pp. 116766-116783 Experimental study; employees, N = 50 Applied use Stress and recovery; physical activity; sleep The study presents a comprehensive theory-based framework of user features, the virtual individual (VI) model, to support the extensive personalization of digital well-being interventions and introduced a prototype of health recommendation system including Firstbeat (With-Me). The study reports the preliminary validity and usefulness of the system evaluated in a real-life health-coaching program.
Comprehensive cardiac evaluation to maximal exercise in a contemporary population of prepubertal children Latorre-Román PA, Floody PD, Martínez-Redondo M, Salas-Sánchez J, Consuegra-González PJ, Aragón-Vela J, Robles-Fuentes A, Sarabia-Cachadiña E & Párraga-Montilla JA 2022 Pediatric Research volume 92, 526–535 Experimental study; healthy children 7–11 years of age, N = 512 Applied use HR; HR recovery; HRV Firstbeat Bodyguard 2 and Firstbeat Sports was used to determine sex- and age-specific reference values for cardiac autonomic function at rest, during maximal exercise and the recovery phase in prepubertal children.
Sympathetic Vagal Balance and Cognitive Performance in Young Adults during the NIH Cognitive Test Lee J & Shields RK 2022 Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology, 7(3): 59 Experimental study; young people without cognitive impairment, N = 62 Applied use HR; HRV Firstbeat was used for HRV measurement and analysis in a study determining whether HRV are increased with cognitive performance during the NIH Cognitive Test (Picture Sequence, Dimensional Change Card Sort, Flanker, and List Sorting). The study found that arousal level influences performance during a cognitive test.
Acute Low Force Electrically Induced Exercise Modulates Post Prandial Glycemic Markers in People with Spinal Cord Injury Petrie MA, Kimball AL & Shields RK 2022 Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology, 7(4), 89 Experimental study; participants wit and without spinal cord injury, N = 41 Applied use HR Firstbeat was used for HR monitoring in a study examining if low force electrically induced exercise (LFE) will modulate the post prandial insulin and glucose response in people with and without spinal cord injury. The study found that LFE attenuates certain metabolic blood biomarkers during a glucose challenge and may offer a lifestyle strategy to regulate metabolic responses after eating among people with spinal cord injury.
Cardiorespiratory function, resting metabolic rate and heart rate variability in coal miners exposed to hypobaric hypoxia in highland workplace Yang S, Tian C, Yang F, Chen Q, Geng R, Liu C, Wu X & Lam W 2022 PeerJ 10:e13899 Experimental study; coal mining workers, N = 23 Applied use HR; HRV Firstbeat was used for HRV analysis in a study comparing the physiological characteristics (ventilatory parameters, circulation parameters, resting metabolic rate and HRV) of coal miners working at disparate altitudes (highland at 4500m vs lowland at less than 100m above sea-level). The results implicated that long-term intermittent exposure to high altitude can lead miners to an intensified respiration, a compromised circulation and a profound sympathetic-parasympathetic imbalance, whereas the resting metabolic rate in highland miners does not distinctly decline.
Women’s embodied experiences of using wearable digital self-tracking health technology: a review of the qualitative research literature Del Busso L, Brottveit G, Torp Løkkeberg S & Glubbe G 2021 Helth Care for Women International Review of scientific literature Review Firstbeat stress data was described as one case in a review study aiming to identify and synthesize the existing qualitative research literature on women’s experiences of using wearable digital self-tracking health technology.
Mobile health solutions for atrial fibrillation detection and management: a systematic review Hermans ANL, Gawalko M, Dohmen L, van der Velden RMJ, Betz K, Duncker D, Verhaert DVM, Heidbuchel H, Svennberg E, Neubeck L, Eckstein J, Lane DA, Lip GYH, Crijns HJGM, Sanders P, Hendriks JM, Pluymaekers NAHA & Linz D 2021 Clinical Research in Cardiology Systematic review of 208 studies Review The study represented results of Firstbeat Bodyguard 2 within a systematic review on the available mobile Health (mHealth) solutions, including handheld and wearable devices, implantable loop recorders, as well as mobile platforms and support systems in atrial fibrillation (AF) detection and management.
Evidence for the association between physiological and emotional states in adolescents and young adults without psychopathology under ecologically valid conditions Zenker M, Venz J, Koenig J, Voss C, Beesdo-Baum K & Pieper L 2021 Psychophysiology, Vol. 58, Issue 10 Cohort study; young subjects, n = 549 Applied use RR-intervals; HRV The association between ANS activity via RMSSD and emotional states occurring under natural conditions in daily life was investigated. The subjects’ mood and optimism/pessimism were assessed over 4 days simultaneously with Firstbeat Bodyguard 2 recording. Lower vagal activity was found in mood states accompanied by high arousal (wakefulness, mania) and greater vagal activity in mood states with low arousal (calmness, pessimism).
Parents at the sport competition: How they react, feel and cope with the event Prosoli R, Lochbaum M & Baric R 2021 Pedagogy of Physical Culture and Sports, 25 (2): 114-2. Case study; parents, n = 2 Applied use HR; energy expenditure; Training effect This case study used Firstbeat Bodyguard 2 to collect HRV data and Firsbeat Sports for data analysis when observing the cardiovascular, metabolic and emotional responses of parents to watching their child compete in Taekwondo.
Sleep-time physiological recovery is associated with eating habits in distressed working-age Finns with overweight: secondary analysis of a randomised controlled trial Järvelä-Reijonen E, Järvinen S, Karhunen L, Föhr T, Myllymäki T, Sairanen E, Lindroos S, Peuhkuri K, Hallikainen M, Pihlajamäki J, Puttonen S, Korpela R, Ermes M, Lappalainen R, Kujala UM, Kolehmainen M & Laitinen J 2021 Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology, Vol 16: 23 Cross-sectional study; psychologically distressed adults with overweight, n = 252 Applied use; lifestyle intervention Stress and recovery; HRV The study used Firstbeat’s stress assessment when investigating whether physiological recovery during sleep relates to eating habits, i.e., eating behaviour and diet quality.
Influence of Non-Occupational Physical Activity on Burnout Syndrome, Job Satisfaction, Stress and Recovery in Fitness Professionals Marín-Farrona M, Léon-Jiménez M, García-Unanue J, Gallardo L, Liguori G & López-Fernández J 2021 International Journal of Environtal Research and Public Health, 18 (18), 9489 Cross-sectional study; fitness professionals, n = 26 Applied use Stress and recovery; HRV The study used Firstbeat in examining the effect of non-occupational physical activity on the stress and recovery levels of fitness professionals, and association on physiological metrics on burnout symptoms, working conditions and job satisfaction.
Heart Rate Variability and Firstbeat Method for Detecting Sleep Stages in Healthy Young Adults: Feasibility Study Kuula L & Pesonen A 2021 JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2021;9(2):e24704 Validation study; healthy adults, n = 20 Validation Sleep The study validated Firstbeat’s sleep stage analysis method, and concluded that Firstbeat is a feasible method with sufficient validity to measure nocturnal sleep stage variation.
Exploring Stress and Recovery Among High-Achieving Career Development Event Teams: A Mixed Methods Study Bowling AM & Thieman EB 2020 Journal of Agricultural Education, 61(2), 142-161 Case study; Teachers, n = 3 Applied use Stress and recovery The study used Firstbeat system for assessing stress among School Based Agricultural Education (SBAE) teachers.
Assessing the user experience and usability of the PRECIOUS system: a randomized controlled trial in obese patients Castellano-Tejedor C, Moreno J, Knittle K, Nurmi J et al. 2020 Informatics for Health and Social Care, 45 (4) Intervention study; Adults, n = 31 Applied use Stress and recovery The study used Firstbeat metrics as a biofeedback method in a PRECIOUS system to promote behavior change toward healthier lifestyles.
The health impact of nature exposure and green exercise across the life course: a pilot study Wood CJ & Smyth N 2020 International Journal of Environmental Health Research, 30 (2) Cross-sectional study; Adults, n = 45 Applied use Stress and recovery; HRV The study used Firstbeat metrics for exploring the associations between childhood and adulthood nature exposure and green exercise on stress and well-being.
Continuous Wellness Tracking with Firstbeat – Usability, User Experience, and Subjective Wellness Impact Partala T, Saar L, Männikkö M, Karhula M & Aschan T 2020 MobiHealth 2019, proceedings, in: O’Hare, G., O’Grady, M., O’Donoghue, J., Henn, P. (eds) Wireless Mobile Communication and Healthcare. Experimental study; working age adults, N = 42 Applied use Stress and recovery Working age adults participated to an intervention study consisting of 3-7 days of Firstbeat measurement and reporting with personal plan for improvement. The participants reported good user experience, and significantly reduced stress and increased self-esteem at follow-up
Continuous Wellness Tracking with Firstbeat – Usability, User Experience, and Subjective Wellness Impact Partala T, Saar L, Männikkö M, Karhula M & Aschan T 2020 MobiHealth 2019, proceedings, in: O’Hare, G., O’Grady, M., O’Donoghue, J., Henn, P. (eds) Wireless Mobile Communication and Healthcare. Experimental study; working age adults, N = 42 Applied use Stress and recovery Working age adults participated to an intervention study consisting of 3-7 days of Firstbeat measurement and reporting with personal plan for improvement. The participants reported good user experience, and significantly reduced stress and increased self-esteem at follow-up
Virtual Reality in Education: Focus on the Role of Emotions and Physiological Reactivity Vesisenaho M, Juntunen M, Häkkinen P, Pöysä-Tarhonen J, Fagerlund J, Miakush I & Parviainen T 2019 Journal of Virtual Worlds Research, 12: 1 Empirical pilot study; Students, n=6 Applied use Stress and recovery The study used Firstbeat Bodyguard 2 together with Firstbeat stress and recovery analysis to study psychophysiological reactions in educational contexts using virtual reality (VR) tools. The researchers also offer a vision for future research and development enabled by emerging methodological advancements (neurophysiological and psychophysiological measurements) to capture learning, performance, and emotions in VR.
Personalized intervention to improve stress andsleep patterns for glycemic control and weightmanagement in obese Emirati patients with type 2diabetes: a randomized controlled clinical trial Mussa BM, Schauman M, Kumar V, Skaria S & Abusnana S 2019 Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity: Targets and Therapy 2019:12, 991–999 Randomized controlled study; Emirati patients with type-2 diabetes, n=51 Applied use Stress and recovery; sleep The study used Firstbeat measurement and feedback as an wellbeing intervention for type-2 diabetics. The findings of the study show that personalized approaches that reduce stress levels, increase recovery levels, and promote healthy sleep habits play an important role in weight management and glycemic control in type-2 diabetics management.
Secondary outcomes of a behavioral sleep intervention: A randomized clinical trial Palesh O, Scheiber C, Kesler S, Gevirtz R, Heckler C, Guido JJ, Janelsins M, Cases MG, Tong B, Miller JM, Chrysson NG & Mustian K 2019 Health Psychology, 38(3), 196–205 Pilot clinical trial; breast cancer patients, N = 71 Applied use HRV Firstbeat was used in a study evaluating the possible effects of Brief Behavioral Therapy for Cancer-Related Insomnia, delivered during chemotherapy visits, on quality of life and HRV in patients with breast cancer.
Secondary outcomes of a behavioral sleep intervention: A randomized clinical trial Palesh O, Scheiber C, Kesler S, Gevirtz R, Heckler C, Guido JJ, Janelsins M, Cases MG, Tong B, Miller JM, Chrysson NG & Mustian K 2019 Health Psychology, 38(3), 196–205 Pilot clinical trial; breast cancer patients, N = 71 Applied use HRV Firstbeat was used in a study evaluating the possible effects of Brief Behavioral Therapy for Cancer-Related Insomnia, delivered during chemotherapy visits, on quality of life and HRV in patients with breast cancer.
Acute Effect of Alcohol Intake on Cardiovascular Autonomic Regulation During the First Hours of Sleep in a Large Real-World Sample of Finnish Employees: Observational Study Pietilä J, Helander E, Korhonen I, Myllymäki T, Kujala U & Lindholm H 2018 JMIR Ment Health 2018 5 (1) Cross-sectional study; Employees, n=4098 Firstbeat database RR-intervals; HRV; stress and recovery Firstbeat’s real-life database was used to assess the impact of alcohol on sleep and HRV, using data from days with and without reported alcohol consumption. Alcohol intake had a dose dependent effect on increased sympathetic regulation, decreased parasympathetic regulation and insufficient recovery. Being physically fit and young provides no protection from alcohol-induced suppression of recovery.
Cardiodynamic Associations With Mental Health And Resilience In Undergraduate Students Knetsch R, Klassen SA & Shoemaker JK 2018 FASEP journal 32: 1, supplement (abstract only) Cross-sectional study; Healthy undergraduate students, n=77 Applied use RR-intervals; HRV The objective of the study was to analyze the relationship between cardiac autonomic control and mental health scores in undergraduate students. HRV data was collected and analyzed with Firstbeat system. The results of the study suggest that higher HRV may indicate greater psychological resilience, and lower anxiety amongst undergraduate students.
Executive Stress Management: Physiological Load of Stress and Recovery in Executives on Workdays. Crespo-Ruiz B, Rivas-Galan S, Fernandez-Vega C, Crespo-Ruiz C & Maicas-Perez L 2018 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15 (12) Explorative study; Senior managers of multinational companies, n=48 Applied use Stress and recovery Firstbeat analytics was used for analyzing stress and recovery balance for work, after work, and night in a workday in executives. The study found that stress generated or maintained outside working hours correlates significantly with a lower quality of recovery during the 24 h workday. The authors concluded it is necessary to prioritize strategies that help improve stress management in executives through the improvement of tools and strategies that promote greater relaxation outside working hours.
Collecting and Using Students’ Digital Well-Being Data inMultidisciplinary Teaching Moilanen H, Äyrämö S, Susanne Jauhiainen S & Kankaanranta M 2018 Education Research International, Article ID 3012079 Explorative study; 13-17 y students, n=198 Applied use Stress and recovery The study used Firstbeat sensors and analytics to examine how students experience the new methods for sensor-based learning inmultidisciplinary teaching in lower and upper secondary education that combine the use of new sensor technology and learningfrom self-produced well-being data.
The Effect of using Noise Cancellation Earplubs in Open-plan Offices on the Work Wellbeing and Work Performance of Software Professionals
 Kari T, Makkonen M, Frank L 2017 The 11th Mediterranean Conference on Information Systems (MCIS), Proceedings, Genoa, Italy, 2017 Experimental study; Adults, n = 28 Applied use Stress and recovery; oxygen consumption; energy expenditure; respiration rate; RR-intervals This explorative study investigated both objectively measured and subjectively perceived effects of adopting noise cancellation earplugs by open-plan office workers in a software company, and used Firstbeat Lifestyle Assessment for physiology analytics.
Social rhythms of the heart
 Pantzar M, Ruckenstein M & Mustonen V 2017 Health sociology review 26(1): 22-37 Cross-sectional study; Adults, n = 35 Applied use Stress and recovery Firstbeat was used to describe and visualize social rhythms of stress and recovery in the everyday life.
Recovery of rescuers from a 24-h shift and its association with aerobic fitness
 Lyytikäinen K, Toivonen L, Hynynen E, Lindholm H & Kyröläinen H 2017 International journal of occupational medicine and environmental health 30(3): 433-444 Cross-sectional study; Adults, n = 14 Applied use Stress and recovery Firstbeat was used to study changes in autonomic control during a 24-hour work shift and its recovery period among rescuers. Also relation of aerobic fitness on recovery was studied.
Short-term physiological strain and recovery among employees working with agile and lean methods in software and embedded ICT systems
 Tuomivaara S, Lindholm H & Känsälä M 2017 International journal of human-computer interaction Cross-sectional study; Adults, n = 36 Applied use Stress and recovery Firstbeat method and Bodyguard device were used to assess short-term physiological stress and recovery associated with agile and lean work working methods. Results showed that agile work could even out workload during a working period.
Physiological load and psychological stress during a 24-hour work shift among Finnish firefighters
 Kaikkonen P, Lindholm H & Lusa S 2017 Journal of occupational and environmental medicine 59(1): 41-46 Cross-sectional study; Adults, n = 25 Applied use Stress and recovery; VO2; Energy expenditure Firstbeat method was used to describe physiological load and psychological stress of firefighters during a 24-hour work shift
Physical activity, heart rate variability-based stress and recovery, and subjective stress during a 9-month study period
 Föhr T, Tolvanen A, Myllymäki T, Järvelä-Reijonen E, Peuhkuri K, Rantala S, Kolehmainen M, Korpela R, Lappalainen R, Ermes M, Puttonen S, Rusko H & Kujala UM 2017 Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports 27: 612-621 Intervention study; Adults, n = 221 Applied use Stress and recovery Firstbeat method was used to objectively measure stress and recovery to study association between physical activity and objective stress and recovery with subjective stress
Effects of using standing versus sitting workstations on the well-being at work of software professionals
 Makkonen M, Silvennoinen M, Nousiainen T, Pesola A & Vesisenaho M 2016 Versendaal et al. (eds), BLED 2016: Proceedings of the 29thBled eConference “Digital economy”: 419-433 Intervention study; Adults, n = 29 Applied use Physical activity; Stress and recovery Firtsbeat method was used to examine potential effects of using standing versus sitting workstations on the well-being at work
Eustress – findings concerning the indication and interpretation of positive stress among entrepreneurs – a case study
 Oksman V, Ermes M & Tikkamäki K 2016 The business and management review 7 (3): 342-347 Case study; Adults, n = 9 Applied use Stress and recovery Firstbeat method was used to get information of entrepereneurs’ physiological reactions. Afterwards positive and negative stress reactions were discriminated based on subjective feelings.
An After-School, high-intensity, interval physical activity programme improves health-related fitness in children
 Martinez S, Rios L, Tamayo I, Almeida L, Lopez-Gomez M & Jara C 2016 Motriz, Rio Claro 22 (4): 359-367 Intervention study; Children, n = 94 Applied use EPOC; Physical activity Firstbeat method was used to assess workload of children aged 7-9 years participating in programmed physical activity in intervention group vs. control group setting
Physical activity, body mass index and heart rate variability-based stress and recovery in 16 275 Finnish employees: a cross-sectional study
 Föhr T, Pietilä J, Helander E, Myllymäki T, Lindholm H, Rusko H & Kujala UM 2016 BMC Public Health 16:701 Cross-sectional study; Adults, n = 16 275 Firstbeat database Stress and recovery Firstbeat database was used to explore associations between PA level and BMI, and Firstbeat stress and recovery. High PA level was associated with better stress recovery balance whereas higher BMI were associated with poorer results. The study emphazises benefical effects of PA for stress balance.
Sympathetic nervous system synchrony in couple therapy
 Karvonen A, Kykyri V-L, Kaartinen J, Penttonen M & Seikkula J 2016 Journal of Maritla and Family Therapy 42(3): 383-395 Cross-sectional study; Adults, n = 30 Applied use Stress and recovery Firstbeat method was used to assess stress level of therapists and clients in psychotherapy
Soft proposody and embodied attunement in therapeutic interaction: A multimethod case study of a moment of change Kykyri V-L, Karvonen A, Wahlström J, Kaartinen J, Penttonen M & Seikkula J 2016 Journal of Constructivist Psychology 30(3): 211-234 Case study; Adults, n = 3 Applied use Stress and recovery Firstbeat method was used to assess stress level of therapist and client in psychotherapy
Subjective stress, objective heart rate variability stress, and recovery on workdays among overweight and psychologically distressed individuals: a cross-sectional study
 Föhr T, Tolvanen A, Myllymäki T, Järvelä-Reijonen E, Rantala S, Korpela R, Peuhkuri K, Kolehmainen M, Puttonen S, Lappalainen R, Rusko H & Kujala U 2015 Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology 10(30) Cross-sectional study; Adults, n = 221 Validity Stress and recovery Subjective stress was directly associated with objective stress and inversely with objective recovery measured with the Firstbeat method. The authors suggested that objective stress assessment provides an additional aspect to stress evaluation.
Predictors of increase in physical activity during a 6-month follow-up period among overweight and physically inactive healthy young adults
 Mutikainen A, Föhr T, Karhunen L, Kolehmainen M, Kainulainen H, Lappalainen R & Kujala U 2015 Journal of Exercise Science and Fitness 13(2): 63-71 Cohort study; Adults, n = 51 Applied use; Intervention Stress and recovery The study examined how psychological and physiological variables at baseline predicted increase of PA level during a 6-month intervention period in overweight and physically inactive young adults who participated in lifestyle counselling without supervised PA sessions.
Exploratory analysis of associations between individual lifestyles and heart rate variability -based recovery during sleep Pietilä J, Helander E, Myllymäki T, Korhonen I, Jimison H & Misha P 2015 EMBC’15. 37th Annual International Conference ot the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (peer reviewed) Cross-sectional study; Adults, n = 6288 Firstbeat database Stress and recovery; Sleep The study explored the importance of different lifestyle factors on Firstbeat’s HRV-based recovery during sleep on a large sample. Alcohol consumption, physical activity, fitness, and sleep duration play significant role in recovery.
The embodied attunement of therapists and a couple within dialogical psychotherapy: An introduction to the realtional mind research project Seikkula J, Karvonen A, Kykyri V-L, Kaartinen J & Penttonen M 2015 Family Process 54: 703-715 Case study; Adults, n = 4 Applied use Stress and recovery Firstbeat method was used to assess stress level of therapists and clients in psychotherapy
Associations of physical activity, fitness, and body composition with heart rate variability-based indicators of stress and recovery on workdays: a cross-sectional study Teisala T, Mutikainen S, Tolvanen A, Rottensteiner M, Leskinen T, Kaprio J, Kolehmainen M, Rusko H & Kujala UM 2014 Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology 9:16 Cross-sectional study; Adults, n = 81 Applied use; Usability Stress and recovery Physical activity, fitness level and body composition were associated with Firstbeat stress and recovery, and stress was associated with self-reported occupational burnout symptoms. The authors concluded that the results support the usability of the Firstbeat method in the evaluation of stress and recovery
The effectiveness and applicability of different lifestyle interventions for enhancing wellbeing: the study design for a randomized controlled trial for persons with metabolic syndrome risk factors and psychological stress Lappalainen R, Sairanen E, Järvelä E, Rantala S, Korpela R, Puttonen S, Kujala UM, Myllymäki T, Peuhkuri K, Mattila E, Kaipainen K, Ahtinen A, Karhunen L, Pihlajamäki J, Järnefelt H, Laitinen J, Kutinlahti E, Saarelma O, Ermes M & Kolehmainen M 2014 BMC Public Health 14:310 Randomized controlled trial Adults, n = 339 Applied use; Usability Stress and recovery Firstbeat Lifestyle Assessment was used as an objective method for measuring stress and recovery in RCT examining the effectiveness, applicability, and acceptability of different lifestyle interventions with individuals having symptoms of metabolic syndrome and psychological distress
Effects of daily intake of yoghurt enriched with bioactive components on chronic stress responses: a double-blinded randomized cotrolled trial Jaatinen N, Korpela R, Poussa T, Turpeinen A, Mustonen S, Merilahti J & Peuhkuri K 2014 International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition 65(4):507-514 Randomized Controlled Trial; Adults, n = 72 Applied use Stress and recovery The study used Firstbeat method as objective physiological method to assess stress when investigating whether yoghurt enriched with bioactive components have stress reducing effects as compared to normal yoghurt
Feasibility of a personal health technology-based psychological intervention for men with stress and mood problems: randomized controlled pilot trial Lappalainen P, Kaipainen K, Lappalainen R, Hoffrén H, Myllymäki T, Kinnunen M-L, Mattila E, Happonen A, Rusko H & Korhonen I 2013 JMIR Res Protoc 2(1):e1 Cohort study; Adults n = 23 Applied use; Usability Stress and recovery Firstbeat lifestyle assessment was used in a well-being intervention utilizing several technology tools and rated as the most useful intervention component by the participants
Heart rate variability measurements in mobile work
 Hyrkkänen U & Vartiainen M 2012 Communications in Computer and Information Science 313:60-67. 4th International Conference on Well-Being in the Information Society. Eriksson-Backa K, Luoma A, Krook E (Eds.) Cross-sectional study; Adults, n = 10 Applied use; Usability Stress and recovery HRV-based Firstbeat assessment was found to be especially suitable for mobile employees with mobile working mode who have difficulties on controlling their work–life balance
Effects of exercise intensity and duration on nocturnal heart rate variability and sleep quality Myllymäki T, Rusko H, Syväoja H, Juuti T, Kinnunen M-L & Kyröläinen H 2012 European Journal of Applied Physiology 112(3): 801-809 Experimental study; Adults, n = 14 Applied use Stress and recovery; Sleep Firstbeat relaxation was decreased during sleep after demanding exercises [vigorous or long] compared to control sleep without changes in actigraphy or subjective sleep quality
Heart rate variability related to effort at work Uusitalo A, Mets T, Martinmäki K, Mauno S, Kinnunen U & Rusko H 2011 Applied Ergonomics 42(6): 830-838 Cross-sectional study; Adults, n = 19 Validity Stress and recovery Firstbeat relaxation was negatively associated with effort at work measured with effort-reward imbalance questionnaire [ERI] assessing chronic work stress
Web, mobile and monitoring technologies in self-management of psychophysiological wellbeing: usage and user experiences Kaipainen K, Mattila E, Väätänen A & Lappalainen R 2010 Proceedings of the IADIS International Conference eHealth, Freiburg, Germany, 167-177 Randomized Controlled Trial; Adults, n = 24 Applied use; Usability Stress and recovery; Sleep The study explored a concept in which large amount of different technologies were utilized for improving well-being of participants, and where face-to-face intervention meetings and Firstbeat measurements with personal feedback were perceived as the two most important components of the whole concept
Effects of vigorous late-night exercise on sleep quality and cardiac autonomic activity Myllymäki T, Kyröläinen H, Savolainen K, Hokka L, Jakonen R, Juuti T, Martinmäki K, Kaartinen J, Kinnunen M-L & Rusko H 2010 Journal of Sleep Research 20: 146-153 Experimental study; Adults, n = 11 Applied use Stress and recovery; Sleep Firstbeat relaxation was diminished during sleep after intensive late-evening exercise without changes in polysomnographic or movement-based sleep quality
P4Well concept to empower self-management of psychophysiological wellbeing and load recovery
 Happonen A, Mattila E, Kinnunen M-L, Ikonen V, Myllymäki T, Kaipainen K, Rusko H, Lappalainen R & Korhonen I 2009 Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Pervasive Conputing Technologies for Healthcare, London, UK, 1-3 Intervention study; Adults, n = 34 Applied use; Usability Stress and recovery; Sleep The study described a well-being concept that utilized also Firstbeat methods [mobile coach and lifestyle assessment] and which was designed with a driving principle that an individual is the best master of his/her own wellness and targeted to empower his/her for realizing the fact
The association between self-rated affective well-being and physiological indicators of stress and relaxation among cleaning staff Feldt T, Rönkä T, Rusko H, Kinnunen M-L & Kinnunen U 2007 European Congress of Work and Organizational Psychology Cross-sectional study; Adults, n = 38 Applied use Stress and recovery Contentment at work indicating subjective experiences of relaxation was linked to low physiological stress and high physiological relaxation measured with Firstbeat method
The associations between physiological recovery indicators during sleep and self-reported work stressors Rönkä T, Rusko H, Feldt T, Kinnunen U, Mauno S, Uusitalo A & Martinmäki K 2006 Nordic Ergonomics Society Congress Cross-sectional study; Adults, n = 17 Validity Stress and recovery; Sleep Firstbeat method was used to investigate relaxation time during sleep. Longer relaxation time was associated with less perceived work stressors on the next day.
Stress and relaxation based on heart rate variability: Associations with self-reported mental strain and differences between waking hours and sleep Kinnunen M-L, Rusko H, Feldt T, Kinnunen U, Juuti T, Myllymäki T, Laine K, Hakkarainen P & Louhevaara V 2006 Nordic Ergonomics Society Congress, abstract Cross-sectional study; Adults, n = 27 Validity Stress and recovery Firstbeat method is a promising tool for occupational health care sector as it provides general scoring describing stress and relaxation state for work, leisure time, and sleep
Stress and relaxation during sleep and awake time, and their associations with free salivary cortisol after awakening Rusko H, Rönkä T, Uusitalo A, Kinnunen U, Mauno S, Feldt T, Kinnunen M-L, Martinmäki K, Hirvonen A, Hyttinen S & Lindholm H 2006 Nordic Ergonomics Society Congress, abstract Cross-sectional study; Adults, n = 17 Validity Stress and recovery; Sleep Significant correlations were found between awakening cortisol variables and variables of stress and relaxation with Firstbeat method during sleep
Associations of psychological self-assessments and heart rate variability in long term measurements at home Antila K, van Gils M, Merilahti J & Korhonen I 2005 European Medical & Biological Engineering Conference Experimental study; Adults, n = 12 Validity Stress and recovery The study revealed significant associations between stress measured with Firstbeat method and self-assessments of stress