Abstract
Facial immersion apnea (FIA) in cold water triggers peripheral vascular resistance, bradycardia, and elevated heart rate variability (HRV). Although the physiological effects of FIA are well-documented, its psychological impacts remain underexplored. The study aimed to bridge this knowledge gap by examining physiological and self-reported affective experiences during repeated exposure to FIA and snorkel-assisted facial immersion (SAFI) conditions. Increased HRV is associated with enhanced emotion regulation. Therefore, our primary hypothesis posited that post-immersion HRV, and self-reported arousal would be higher for FIA relative to SAFI. Participants (N = 18, Mage = 20.0 ± 1.4) underwent five FIA trials with 2-minute rest intervals between trials, followed by a 20-minute rest period. Five SAFI trials ensued, adhering to the same protocol. HRV (measured by RMSSD) was recorded before, during, and after immersion. Self-reported valence and arousal were recorded before and after immersion. Overall, valence decreased after immersion (p = .025), while arousal increased (p < .001). Differences were also identified between FIA and SAFI for both physiological and self-reported indices of affect. FIA resulted in higher arousal ratings compared to SAFI (p = .019). HRV was higher during SAFI (p = .003), whereas FIA caused significant HRV increases post-immersion (p < .001). Collectively, our findings demonstrate that FIA induces higher arousal and distinct HRV responses compared to SAFI, highlighting the importance of exploring the dual impact of these techniques on physiological adaptation and emotion regulation in untrained individuals. Theoretical implications are discussed and suggestions for future research are offered.
