Arnaud’s experiment
My research project will focus on the effects of the association of heart rate variability biofeedback (HRV-BF) and a GABA/L-theanine combination or HRV-BF alone on stress and sleep in healthy subjects. Ideally, I would like to obtain polysomnographs or actigraphs and a heart rate variability measurement tool to evaluate these latter variables. HRV-BF is a form of cardiorespiratory feedback intervention where individuals synchronize their breathing to a pattern of five seconds of inhalation and five seconds of exhalation. This technique is recognized for its numerous health benefits, including stress reduction and improved sleep quality, achieved through parasympathetic activation, a component of our autonomic nervous system. Regarding the dietary supplement mixture, GABA functions as an inhibitory neurotransmitter that plays a role in emotional regulation and sleep, while L-theanine is an amino acid derived from tea leaves with similar involvement in these processes.
As we are aware, living in space and the possibility of establishing colonies on Mars necessitate the development of robust cognitive and emotional abilities, which can only be fully optimized through effective stress and sleep management. To the best of my knowledge, there have been no human studies exploring the potential effects of HRV-BF and a combination of GABA and L-theanine on sleep and stress. Hence, it appears reasonable to explore this subject further.