Heart Rate Variability (HRV) to Increase Physiological Coherence & Wellbeing
The use of new technologies such as OURA and HEART MATH are fundamental in understanding and tracking your Heart Rate Variability. These and other new devices are coming to the market to help individuals personalize their health management practices.
Tracking your HRV is a useful indicator for several health related reasons that have been used by researches & physiologist for decades. Understanding how to optimize your recovery and personal readiness by tracking your HVR will help improve your emotional well being as you learn how to change your heart rhythm pattern to create physiological coherence.
How does it work?
The heart beat contains healthy irregularities. These are variations among the intervals between your heartbeats. HVR measures the intervals between each heartbeat (R-R intervals).
NOTE: Heart Rate Low = HRV is High as it indicates longer inter-beat intervals
HVR can be traced back to our intrinsic/autonomic heart rate (base-line), comprised of our parasympathetic (rest) & sympathetic (activation) systems. The parasympathetic system has a lower heart rate, giving more room for variability between successive heartbeats. The sympathetic system has a elevated heart rate from the intrinsic level and thus, there is less room for variability between successive heart beats.
Thus, measuring HVR reactions is a particularly sensitive tool that can give individuals greater insight into your your overall wellbeing and facilitates in the bodies natural regenerative processes.
Steps to a healthy HRV:
1) Breath Work: practice different breathing techniques that help regulate your breath and thus slow your heart rate (ie) pranayama breathing, heart lock techniques.
For example: place your finger on your neck or wrist and find your pulse. You will feel the longest interval between pulses take place when you exhale and the shortest intervals between pulses when you inhale.
2) Discover your baseline and use this as your starting point
3) Measure from your baseline if your HRV goes up (heart rate lowers) or if your HRV goes down (heart rate speeds up). An increase in HRV can indicate that something is doing good for your mind and body, however, if your HRV lowers this is an indication that something may be burdening your mind and body.
4) Regular practice will help restore low HRV to a healthy level. It is recommended to take 5 minutes 3-4 times a day and measure yourself accordingly. (Note: this is an excellent tool to use while meditating)
Take your personalize wellbeing survey, and discover how HRV can benefit you.