Post-exercise heart rate recovery is an easy-to-apply index which reflects the post-exercise vagal reactivation. Water intake produces significant changes on the cardiovascular system, promoting an increase in heart vagal modulation. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of water intake on the heart rate recovery. Ten healthy subjects of both genders were enrolled in this study. The experimental session consisted of performing cyclergometer exercise, water intake and heart rate recovery recording. There was also a control session. From the heart rate values of exercise and recovery the deltas of 60 and 120 seconds of recovery were calculated and compared between the "water intake" and "control session" conditions. Greater delta values of 120 seconds to recover on "water intake" condition in relation to the control session were observed. The water intake accelerates the post-exercise heart rate recovery.
Exercise; Autonomic Nervous System; Parasympathetic Nervous System
