Cardiovascular Recovery in Different Postures

After exercise, heart rate in the recovery phase shows an initial rapid decrease and then a gradual decrease to a relatively stable level. The recovery heart rate remains elevated above the pre-exercise resting level for longer than expected. In general, as the body position of resting humans changes from an upright to a supine position, the sympathetic nerve activity outflow to the heart decreases and the vagal nerve activity outflow increases. Similarly, if heart rate is under the autonomic control during recovery from exercise, elevated heart rate during recovery would be reduced with the predominance of vagus tone in supine posture compared with upright posture.