Stress and heart rate: significant parameters and their variations

The aim of this paper is to identify heart rate parameters with higher significant values when a set of people are performing a task under stress condition. In order to accomplish this, one computer application with arithmetic and memory activities which lets drive the subjects to different stages of activity and stress has been designed. Tests are formed by initial and final rest periods and three task phases with incremental stressful level. Electrocardiogram is measured in each state and parameters are extracted from it. A statistical study using analysis of variance (ANOVA) is done to see which ones are the most significant. It is concluded that the median of RR segments is the parameter to best determine the state of stress.