Neuroception of safety is associated with elevated heart rate variability in the laboratory and more frequent heart rate variability increases in everyday life.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Feeling comfortable and safe has been discussed to foster health and well-being. However, the pathways to better health are complex, involving both behavioral and physiological routes.

Methods

In this study, we examined the role of safety perception for cardiac health by (1) examining associations with baseline heart rate variability (HRV; Study 1) and (2) evaluating a novel measure of autonomic cardiac flexibility in daily life, namely increases in HRV independent of metabolic demands (ImdHRVi; Study 2).

Results

Study 1 (N = 76) found evidence for a positive association between vagally mediated HRV and the Neuroception of Psychological Safety scale (Morton L, Cogan N, Kolacz J, et al. "A new measure of feeling safe: developing psychometric properties of the

SUBMITTER: Schwerdtfeger AR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12169331 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature