Description
Heart Rate Variability (NRV) is the variation in time between each heart beat. HRV is controlled by our autonomic nervous system. You want this variation to be high.
Because the heart is a muscle you can train it to improve HRV.
How to Do It
Heart Rate Variability is affected by your sleep quantity and quality, your stressors and the foods that you eat. So you can simply monitor your HRT daily and try to improve your habits and behaviors.
But because the heart is a muscle it can also be trained.
In order to improve your heart rate variability you will need to work on special breathing techniques. These techniques will train the muscles and thus improve your heart rate variability.
Fortunately there are apps that can help you do this. Here are a few Elite HRV, HRV4 Training,
Here are some other research based things that you can do to increase HRV
- Drink Green tea
- Don't procrastinate
- Do meditation
- Do Yoga
Benefits
- May improve sense of well being
- May help with relaxation, sleep and recovery
- May increase cognitive performance
- May lower the risk of high blood pressure
- May improve mood and relieve symptoms of anxiety and depression
Time Commitment
10 to 20 minutes a day
Why it works
The heart is a muscle and has muscle memory so it can be trained to have better variability. This will send “better” signals to your brain and be able to help you with focus, self control and mental toughness
Suggested Frequency
Daily
Supporting Studies and Articles
- https://www.diygenius.com/meditation-and-heart-rate-variability-training/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4179616/
- https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/heart-rate-variability-new-way-track-well-2017112212789
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4835037/
- https://www.marksdailyapple.com/how-to-increase-your-heart-rate-variability/
Side Effects
Be careful on any breathing exercises that require holding your breath for an extended period of time. Please consult a physician to make sure you are in sufficient health to do so.
Required Equipment
Certain phone apps like EliteHRV, Breathe, Jardincoherance can help you do breathing exercises while tracking your HRV. This should improve your HRV.
Rating
Keystone
Notes
The heart sends 60 times more signals to your brain than your brain does to the heart to improving cardiac coherence can have a profound effect on your brain.
