Night Shift Stress: Evaluating Heart Rate Variability as a Marker in Security Guards.

Background: Working night shifts disrupts circadian rhythms and is linked to a myriad of health problems, including elevated stress levels. Heart rate variability (HRV), which reflects the autonomic nervous system's (ANS's) response to stress, is a plausible stress indicator. However, there is limited research on the use of HRV as a stress indicator specifically in security guards working night shifts. Methods: This observational study included 50 security guards willing to participate in the study. The demographic and anthropometric details of the participants were collected. Their first HRV recording before the night shift schedule was recorded, and then, the post-HRV recording was conducted following 1 week of night shift duty. The data thus obtained were analyzed by applying paired t-tests using Jamovi software. Results: A considerable rise in mean heart rate and a significant decrease in mean RR interval following night shift duty were observed. There was a substantial rise in the low-frequency/high-frequency (LF/HF) ratio, a significant decrease in HF values, and a significant increase in very-low-frequency (VLF) values as determined by a qualitative analysis of HRV parameters. Conclusion: The security guards showed a shift in autonomic balance toward sympathetic predominance as well as sympathovagal imbalance following night shift duty indicating that they were under stress. Therefore, it is essential to monitor and manage stress to mitigate these risks and prioritize workers' well-being.