Resistance Exercise Can Modify Cardiovascular Responses of Professors During Teaching and Sleep

Both work activity and reduced nocturnal decrease in blood pressure (BP) are related to higher cardiovascular risk.
The aim of the present study was to assess the blood pressure and autonomic responses of university professors during teaching and sleeping periods after different resistance exercise (RE) intensities.
Ten normotensive professors (33.6 ± 3.4 years, 82.4 ± 12.4 kg; 177.0 ± 7.5 cm; 26.2 ± 3.2 kg/m2) randomly underwent control (CONT) and RE before initiating their daily activities. RE consisted of a circuit training lasting 40 minutes at 40% and 80% of one repetition maximum test (40% 1RM and 80% 1RM). Systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) as well as heart rate variability indicators in the time (RRi) and frequency domains (LF, HF, LF:HF ratio) were evaluated while resting and 24 hours after the sessions. The average day-period (DP), night-period (NP) and nocturnal BP fall (%NBPF) of SBP and DBP were calculated.
During teaching, SBP (CONT: ∆ = 8.1 ± 9.1 mmHg; 40% 1RM: ∆ = 10.8 ± 10.5 mmHg and 80% 1RM: ∆ = 10.3 ± 7.9 mmHg; P 0.05). DBP showed different results to 40% 1RM (NT: 58.8 ± 5.1 mmHg and %NBPF: -24.2 ± 3.4 %; P RE at 40% 1RM and 80% 1RM attenuated DBP values of subsequent teaching, however only 40% 1RM promoted better NT-BP and %NBPF values in university professors.