Cross-sectional study reveals age and sex significantly influence autonomic nervous system reactivity in adults, suggesting a need for tailored health strategies.
Key Points
Older adults showed higher recovery in autonomic reactivity, particularly in augmentation indices after stress.
Women had consistently higher augmentation indices, while men demonstrated more pronounced responses in pulse wave velocity metrics.
Central adiposity measures like waist-to-hip ratio strongly predicted reactivity patterns in autonomic nervous functioning.
Psychosocial factors such as coping strategies and life stress had minimal effect on autonomic nervosity indices in this healthy adult group.