Sex And Heart Rate: Lower Resting Heart Rate Variability Decreases Arousal In Women

New findings published in the journal Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback reveal that women with lower resting heart rate variability may have more difficulties than other women when it comes to arousal. 

Previous studies have also linked low variability to a higher dysfunction rate in women. Furthermore, heart rate variability is described as differences in the length of time between consecutive heartbeats.

Heart rate variability holds an important marker of heart health altogether in the body's ability to properly control pressure within various context in whichever significance it holds in female sexual arousal.

For this study, researchers involved 72 women between the ages of 18 and 39 who were instructed to watch neutral and erotic films.

Findings revealed that with below average heart rate variability, participants were significantly more likely to report sexual arousal dysfunction and overall sexual dysfunction than those with higher heart rate irritability.

The study results are particularly important based on the connection that has already been observed in their male counterparts.

"Our study indicated that low heart rate variability might place women at risk for sexual arousal problems and overall sexual difficulties," researcher Amelia Stanton of The University of Texas at Austin, said in a news release. "Given that low resting heart rate variability has been associated with depression, anxiety, and alcohol dependence, it is not surprising that it may also predict female sexual dysfunction."

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