Key result
A single 60-minute lunch break better moderates CV responses during simulated driving than shorter breaks.
Why the study?
The study was conducted to examine cardiovascular responses during driving and investigate the effects of different break patterns on these responses.
Do different break patterns during driving reduce cardiovascular and subjective burden in male drivers?
Do different break patterns during driving reduce cardiovascular and subjective burden in male drivers?
Taking a single, longer lunch break of around an hour during driving shifts is more effective at reducing cardiovascular and subjective burden than shorter or divided breaks.
Longer single breaks may attenuate CV responses in male simulated drivers; leaves open real-world applicability and broader populations.
We examined cardiovascular responses during driving and investigated the effects of different break patterns on these responses. Forty-seven males in their 40s and 50s participated, and the protocol included three driving sets with four break patterns. One driving set consisted of 1 h of city driving and 1 h of highway driving. The four break patterns were a 30-min lunch break (short/one: SO, n=12), a 60-min lunch break (long/one: LO, n=12), a 10-min break and a 50-min lunch break (long/two: LT, n=12), and a 10-min break and a 20-min lunch break (short/two: ST, n=11). The results showed that the lunch break was significantly effective in moderating diastolic blood pressure, mean arterial pressure and heart rate for all conditions, but the long-break conditions (LO and LT) were also effective in moderating cardiac output and stroke volume. Additionally, for the same total break length, one longer break was more effective in moderating cardiovascular and subjective burden than two shorter breaks. The results of this study suggest that it is important for drivers to take a lunch break, especially a long break around an hour, to reduce cardiovascular and subjective burden during their shift.
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Liu et al. (2024) studied Healthy male drivers (n=47). Different break patterns during driving vs. 30-min lunch break (SO) or 10-min break + 20-min lunch break (ST) was evaluated on Cardiovascular responses (DBP, MAP, HR, SV, CO, TPR) (p=<0.05). A single 60-minute lunch break was more effective than shorter or divided breaks in moderating cardiovascular responses, including cardiac output and stroke volume, during simulated driving in male drivers.
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