HRV - HOW TO BECOME RESILIENT TO STRESS

In today's fast-paced world, with hustle culture leading the way - stress levels are often at their peak. When we start to look at stress its very fascinating - stress is highly subjective, and studies even show the people who believe stress is good for them and perform well under pressure often benefit from stress. On the flipside people who believe stress is bad for them, and instead of seeing stress as a useful performance enhancer they are crippled by anxiety and often experience feelings of burn out.

I often talk to my clients about perception of stress, and changing our language around things that we may perceive as “Stressful” to “challenging” - this invites us to adapt and grow, to become stronger and more resilient. The truth is that not all stress is bad, but poorly managed stress can be detrimental to our health longterm.

One powerful tool that can help us understand and manage our body's response to stress is Heart Rate Variability (HRV). HRV is gaining recognition as a valuable metric to assess our overall health and resilience. In this blog post, we will explore the concept of HRV, understand the benefits of increasing HRV, and discuss ways you can optimize your HRV.

What is HRV and how do we define it?

HRV refers to the variation in the time interval between consecutive heartbeats. Rather than focusing solely on the average heart rate, HRV analyzes the subtle changes in beat-to-beat intervals, which reflect the adaptability of our autonomic nervous system (ANS).

The ANS plays a vital role in regulating various bodily functions, including heart rate, digestion, and stress response.

Therefore, HRV serves as an indicator of the balance between the sympathetic (fight-or-flight) and parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) branches of the ANS.

The best HRV analogy.,,

Analogy of a car with 2 gears vs. 6 gears: To better understand the significance of HRV, let's consider the analogy of a car. Imagine a vehicle with only two gears compared to another with six gears. The car with two gears would struggle to adapt efficiently to varying speeds, potentially leading to engine burnout due to constant strain. On the other hand, the car with six gears can effortlessly switch between speeds, maintaining optimal performance without overburdening the engine. Similarly, individuals with higher HRV possess greater adaptability and resilience to stressors, enabling them to respond effectively to both high and low-stress situations without burning out.

What is normal HRV?

A normal HRV for adults generally ranges from below 20 to over 200 milliseconds. The higher your HRV, the wider the variations of time are between heartbeats. This reflects a balanced autonomic nervous system, showing that the body can adapt well to internal and external physical and psychological stressors.

A good HRV score is relative for each person. HRV is a highly sensitive metric and responds uniquely for everyone. As a rule of thumb, values below 50 ms are classified as unhealthy, 50–100 ms signal compromised health, and above 100 ms are healthy.

A higher HRV correlates with better health, resilience, and increased fitness.

What do HRV scores mean?

Low HRV: If the intervals between your heartbeats are relatively constant, then you are in a fight or flight state and your HRV is low. HRV levels that are lower than your normal range are signs of excessive strain on the body. Lower HRV may be the result of:

- Dehydration

- Consumption of alcohol

- A late night meal or workout

- Illness

- Acute and prolonged stress

- A hot bedroom at night

- Jet lag and inconsistent sleep patterns

- Overtraining

High HRV: If the interval length variates, you are in a more relaxed state and your HRV is high. This is associated with good recovery.

HRV levels that are high or slightly higher than your normal range tend to be signs of good recovery. A higher HRV may be the result of:

- A much-needed rest day

- A cool bedroom at night

- Participation in more mindful, low-to-moderate-intensity activities like hiking or yoga

- Engagement in mindfulness meditation

Measuring HRV: HRV can be measured through various methods, such as heart rate monitors, wearable devices, or smartphone applications. The most common ones I have heard of are oura rings and whoop watches.

These tools use electrocardiography (ECG) or photoplethysmography (PPG) to capture the subtle changes in the R-R intervals (the time interval between successive R waves in the electrocardiogram). The recorded data is then analyzed to extract HRV metrics, providing insights into our autonomic nervous system's functioning.

Optimal HRV for a healthy population: While HRV values can vary among individuals, a higher HRV generally indicates a healthier autonomic nervous system. Optimal HRV reflects a well-balanced state of the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches, indicating flexibility in adapting to different stress levels.

Although specific numerical values can ultimately depend on measurement techniques, a higher HRV is generally associated with good health, well-being, and improved stress management abilities.

HRV is a highly sensitive metric and responds uniquely for everyone. As a rule of thumb, values below 50 ms are classified as unhealthy, 50–100 ms signal compromised health, and above 100 ms are healthy

10 ways to increase your HRV:

1. Engage in regular physical exercise: Aerobic activities like running, swimming, or cycling can improve cardiovascular fitness, leading to an increase in HRV over time.

2. Practice deep breathing and relaxation techniques: Techniques like diaphragmatic breathing, meditation, and yoga can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting HRV.

3. Prioritize sleep and establish a consistent sleep routine: Sufficient and high-quality sleep supports overall health, leading to better HRV.

4. Manage stress through stress-reduction techniques: Find strategies that work for you, such as journaling, spending time in nature, or engaging in hobbies, to effectively manage stress.

5. Practice mindfulness and cultivate present-moment awareness: Mindfulness exercises can help regulate the autonomic nervous system and improve HRV.

6. Maintain a well-balanced diet: Consuming nutrient-dense foods and staying adequately hydrated supports cardiovascular health, positively impacting HRV.

7. Limit alcohol and caffeine intake: Excessive consumption of alcohol and caffeine can disrupt sleep patterns and negatively affect HRV.

8. Foster social connections: Strong social support networks contribute to emotional well-being and can positively impact HRV.

9. Engage in activities that bring you joy and relaxation: Engaging in hobbies, spending time with loved ones, or pursuing creative outlets can reduce stress and improve HRV.

10. Consider biofeedback or HRV training: Specialized tools and techniques, such as biofeedback devices or HRV training programs, can help optimize HRV through targeted interventions.

HRV holds particular importance for athletes. Monitoring HRV can provide valuable insights into an athlete's physiological state, training readiness, and recovery. While individual variations exist, understanding the optimal HRV range for healthy athletes can guide training strategies and enhance performance. Here are some key considerations:

• Baseline HRV: Athletes typically exhibit higher baseline HRV compared to the general population due to their well-conditioned cardiovascular systems. This higher baseline reflects their ability to efficiently regulate autonomic function and adapt to physical demands.

• Individual Variations: Optimal HRV values for athletes can differ depending on factors such as sport, training phase, and individual characteristics. It is important to establish baseline values for each athlete and track changes over time to identify their personal optimal range.

• Training Readiness: Monitoring HRV can help assess an athlete's readiness for training. A consistently high or stable HRV suggests good readiness for intense training sessions. However, a significant decrease or inconsistent HRV values may indicate fatigue or insufficient recovery, requiring adjustments to training loads to prevent overtraining.

• Overreaching and Overtraining: HRV can serve as an early warning sign for overreaching and overtraining syndrome. A sustained decline or suppressed HRV values may indicate excessive training stress without adequate recovery, potentially leading to decreased performance, increased injury risk, and negative health consequences.

• HRV and Performance: Higher HRV is generally associated with improved athletic performance. Athletes with greater HRV tend to exhibit better endurance, faster recovery, and enhanced ability to sustain high-intensity efforts. Optimizing HRV can, therefore, contribute to maximizing athletic potential.

• Training Periodization: Adjusting training intensity and volume based on HRV fluctuations can help optimize performance and minimize the risk of overtraining. Periodization involves planned variations in training load, allowing for recovery periods to restore HRV to optimal levels.

• Recovery Strategies: Promoting recovery is essential for maintaining optimal HRV in athletes. Adequate sleep, nutrition, hydration, and incorporating active recovery methods such as light exercise, stretching, and foam rolling can support autonomic balance and enhance HRV.

• Stress Management: Managing both physical and psychological stress is crucial for maintaining optimal HRV. Implementing stress reduction techniques like mindfulness, relaxation exercises, and stress management strategies can help athletes better regulate their autonomic nervous system and promote HRV.

• Individualized Approach: It's important to remember that each athlete is unique, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach to optimal HRV. Working with a qualified sports scientist, coach, or healthcare professional can help athletes develop a personalized HRV monitoring and optimization plan based on their specific needs and goals.

By considering HRV as an essential parameter in training and recovery, athletes can enhance their performance, reduce the risk of injuries, and maintain long-term health and well-being.

HRV monitoring offers valuable insights into an athlete's physiological state, training readiness, and recovery. Understanding the optimal HRV range for healthy athletes, individual variations, and the influence of training loads can guide athletes and their support team in optimizing performance, preventing overtraining, and maintaining overall well-being. By incorporating HRV monitoring into training programs, athletes can effectively manage their training stress, promote recovery, and achieve their peak performance potential.

Why HRV makes you more resilient to stress: HRV reflects the body's capacity to adapt and respond to stress. Individuals with higher HRV exhibit enhanced resilience to stressors, allowing them to recover more efficiently and maintain a balanced state of well-being. By improving HRV, we enhance our ability to navigate the challenges of life, build resilience, and promote overall health and happiness.

Heart Rate Variability (HRV) serves as a powerful tool in assessing our body's response to stress and maintaining overall well-being. By measuring HRV and implementing strategies to increase it, we can improve our adaptability, enhance stress resilience, and foster a healthier and more balanced life. Prioritizing techniques that promote a healthy lifestyle, stress management, and emotional well-being can contribute to optimizing HRV, unlocking its potential benefits for our physical and mental health.