Physical Activity Attenuates the Adverse Effects of HRV and Cognitive Performance after 24h Sleep Deprivation in Male University Students

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between HRV and cognitive performance in college students with different physical activity intensities after 24 hours of sleep deprivation. Thirty-six healthy male college students were screened for 1 night of sleep deprivation and tested for HRV and cognitive function. The results showed that: 1) sleep deprivation significantly reduced SDNN and RMSSD (P < 0.01), but there was no significant change in LF/HF, and the magnitude of change differed significantly between different physical activity groups (P < 0.05); 2) the alertness response and executive function were significantly decreased in the low-intensity physical activity group (P < 0.05), whereas there was a trend towards a decrease in the high-intensity group, but it was not significant; and 3) HRV changes were correlated with cognitive performance. Conclusion: In healthy male college students, high physical activity intensity resulted in better HRV levels and maintained better executive functioning after one night of sleep deprivation, however, it was not significantly effective for vigilant attention performance.