Clara Burns, a 26-year-old graduate pupil of Biomedical Engineering, crossed the Atlantic in a rowing boat within the spring as a part of a crew from TU Vienna. Support for the research was supplied by Prof. Eugenijus Kaniusas, head of the Biomedical Sensing and Therapy analysis group at TU Vienna.Various well being measures had been recorded all through the 42 day journey together with heart-rate variability and the main points are reported right here. The crew members alternated 3 hours sleeping and three hours rowing. One fascinating discovering was that this schedule over time led to degraded sleep high quality. Her physique compensated by growing exercise of the parasympathetic nervous system to guard the guts.
Also fascinating had been some ideas realized for what could be carried out higher in future ultra-endurance efforts like this:
- Instead of instantly beginning the three hour on, 3 hour off rhythm, it could be higher to extra progressively transition over from a traditional day-night rhythm.
- Dr Kaniusas recommends a reward in the course of the journey to maintain spirits up: “Maybe some special, enjoyable activity that lets you celebrate that you’re halfway through the effort and comfort yourself over the realization that there is still a long way to go.”