Impact of Online Reading on Mean Arterial Blood Pressure and Heart Rate

Abstract

Online reading has become a preference for many college students as technology has become easier to use and more advanced compared to reading books and paper-based copies. However, there may be implications from reading online that affect memory retention and physiological response. Previous research has failed to address the effects of screen time on physiologic response as well as the effect of reading medium on specifically blinking rate. Additionally, previous research has found contradictory information about the relationship between blood pressure and reading medium. As a result of this conflicting data, our research investigated whether reading online versus on paper significantly affected the heart rate, blinking rate, blood pressure and memory retention of the participant. Additionally, the participants’ amount of screen time on their phone was collected to determine if this moderated the physiologic response. The results concluded that blood pressure was not different between reading mediums; however the mean arterial pressure did change significantly from baseline while reading from either medium. Heart rate decreased while reading on paper, but increased when reading online. Respiration rate was not significantly different from baseline or between variables. Blinking rate decreased significantly from baseline but did not differ between reading mediums. Finally, memory retention had no difference between reading medium groups. We can conclude that reading medium does not have an effect on memory retention, respiratory rate, blinking rate or blood pressure. However, reading medium does have an effect on heart rate.