None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
This study investigates whether regular heat therapy can enhance heart health and improve the body's ability to manage heat in older adults aged 65 to 90. As climate change leads to more frequent and intense heatwaves, it's crucial to find ways to help older individuals better cope with heat stress. While regular exercise is known to improve heat tolerance, many adults are unable or unwilling to engage in physical activity. Heat therapy, such as sitting in warm water, might offer similar health benefits without the need for exercise. We hypothesize that consistent heat therapy will improve cardiovascular function and increase resilience to heat in older adults.
Interventions
Participants aged 65-90 years will undergo a supervised heat therapy intervention located at the University of Canberra. This involves immersion up to the waist in a 40°C water bath for 45 minutes, three times per week, over an 8-week period (totaling 24 sessions). During each session, core body temperature (via rectal thermistor), heart rate, blood pressure, and thermal comfort will be monitored to ensure safety and assess physiological responses. This intervention aims to evaluate the cardiova
Participants aged 65-90 years will undergo a supervised heat therapy intervention located at the University of Canberra. This involves immersion up to the waist in a 40°C water bath for 45 minutes, three times per week, over an 8-week period (totaling 24 sessions). During each session, core body temperature (via rectal thermistor), heart rate, blood pressure, and thermal comfort will be monitored to ensure safety and assess physiological responses. This intervention aims to evaluate the cardiovascular and thermoregulatory benefits of passive heat exposure in older adults.
Sponsors
Professor Julien Periard, University of Canberra Research Institute for Sport and Exercise
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Primary purpose
Prevention
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
65 Years to 90 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
Participants will be healthy sedentary adults aged 65 to 90 years old.
Exclusion criteria
The exclusion criteria will include: 1) potential participants that self-report having a known heart disease or other chronic medical conditions currently requiring regular medical therapy such as cancer, diabetes, uncontrolled hypertension, or uncontrolled hypercholesterolemia, 2) potential participants currently taking tricyclic antidepressants, loop diuretics, centrally acting calcium channel blockers, or beta-blockers, and 3) current smokers or those who have regularly smoked within the past three years.
Outcome results
None listed