Effects of `Suwaisyo', an Oriental Exercise, on Heart Rate Variability and Ambulatory Blood Pressure in Healthy Young Subjects

Although aerobic exercise is widely performed for the prevention of cardiovascular disease and comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation, oriental exercise has also attached attention recently. In this study, we investigated the effect of ‘suwaisyo’, a simple oriental exercise, on 24-hour heart rate variability and ambulatory blood pressure. Thirty two healthy young subjects were randomized into a control group, and a ‘suwaisyo’ group. The latter practiced their respective exercise program for two months, while the former did not exercise. Twenty-four-hour heart rate, 24-hour heart rate variability and ambulatory blood pressure were obtained and recorded at baseline and at the end of interventions. The control group showed no changes, while ‘suwaisyo’ induced significant decreases in both heart rate (75.8 ± 6.4 bpm to 71.7 ± 7.1 bpm, p < 0.05) and systolic blood pressure (110.1 ± 7.8 mmHg to 105.2 ± 7.6 mmHg, p < 0.05) throughout a given 24-hour period. These findings suggest that ‘suwaisyo’ may be effective for reducing not only heart rate but also systolic blood pressure in young subjects.