Heat & Aerobic Training (HEAT) Study (HEAT)

This is an interventional treatment trial for Pre-hypertension focused on measuring heat therapy, steam-room, aerobic exercise, hypertension, multiple behavior change, lifestyle modification Read More

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age 45 to 64
• Confirmed pre-hypertensive (120-139 mmHG Systolic / 80-89 Diastolic mmHG) blood pressure by our laboratory staff
• Low active (< 2 days per week for 30+ minutes over the past 3 months)
• Able and willing to try to adhere to American Heart Association guidelines for managing multiple lifestyle factors contributing to high blood pressure including increasing physical activity (at least 50 minutes, 3 times/week as part of our supervised training sessions), stopping smoking altogether, eating healthier (limiting sodium, eating fruit, veggies, low-fat dairy and lean protein, and reducing saturated fat and total fat), drinking less alcohol (1-2 drinks a day max) and achieving and maintaining a healthy bodyweight (striving or a body mass index between 18 and 25).
• Able to commit to the full length of our program without missing more than 2 consecutive weeks
• Capable of performing moderately intensive aerobic exercise
• Willing to be randomized to one of two groups
• Able to commute to and from fitness facility and UIUC campus
• Own smartphone and have reliable at-home internet access
• Have correctable vision (i.e., at least 20/40 with glasses or contacts with no color blindness)
• Not involved in regular weekly relaxation methods (e.g., yoga, meditation) or heat therapy (e.g., steam-room, sauna, hot baths)
• Not heat sensitive (e.g., have not experienced heat-induced severe rashes, pain, numbness, or tingling; experienced heat-related cramps, illness, or heatstroke; or had surgery requiring general anesthesia that has caused subsequent difficulty regulating body temperature)
• Do not have any type of neuropathy (e.g., peripheral, diabetic)
• Not depressed as indicated by a telephone screening (Abbreviated 5-item Geriatric Depression Scale; GDS-5 score < 2)
• No cognitive impairment as indicated by a telephone screening (Telephone Interview Cognitive Survey; TICS score > 21)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Too young (< 45) or too old (> 64)
• Normotensive (< 120 mmHG Systolic / < 80 Diastolic mmHG) or hypertensive (> 140 mmHG Systolic / > 90 Diastolic mmHG) blood pressure
• Too active (as defined by regularly exercise 2 or more days per week for 30+ minutes over the past 3 months)
• Unable or unwilling to comply with American Heart Association guidelines for managing multiple lifestyle factors contributing to high blood pressure including increasing physical activity (at least 50 minutes, 3 times/week as part of our supervised training sessions), stopping smoking altogether, eating healthier (limiting sodium, eating fruit, veggies, low-fat dairy and lean protein, and reducing saturated fat and total fat), drinking less alcohol (1-2 drinks a day max) and achieving and maintaining a healthy bodyweight (striving or a body mass index between 18 and 25).
• Unable to commit to full length of program
• Incapable of performing moderately intensive aerobic exercise
• Unwilling to be randomized to one of two groups
• Unable to commute to and from fitness facility and UIUC campus
• Does not own smartphone or have reliable at-home internet access
• Does not have correctable vision (i.e., at least 20/40 with glasses or contacts with no color blindness)
• Already involved in regular weekly relaxation methods (e.g., yoga, meditation) or heat therapy (e.g., steam-room, sauna, hot baths)
• Has heat sensitivity (e.g., heat-induced severe rashes, pain, numbness, or tingling; experienced heat-related cramps, illness, or heatstroke; or had surgery requiring general anesthesia that has caused subsequent difficulty regulating body temperature)
• Has any type of neuropathy (e.g., peripheral, diabetic)
• Has depression (as defined by GDS-5 score of 2 or higher)
• Has cognitive impairment (as defined by < 21 on TICS)