What is HRV and how do you increase it?

An important indicator

Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is a powerful indicator of your overall health, recovery capacity, and stress resistance. A high HRV is considered a sign of a strong and resilient body. After I (Joep) regularly shared my sky-high scores on Instagram , I was often asked: how do you measure this and what does it mean?

In this blog, we cover everything you need to know about HRV: what it is, how to measure it, and how to optimize your HRV.

What is Heart Rate Variability (HRV)?

Heart Rate Variability, or HRV for short, is a measure of the variation in time between successive heartbeats. It's important to understand that your heart doesn't function like a clock that beats perfectly regularly. On the contrary, the time between two heartbeats varies constantly, and this variation is a sign of a healthy, flexible, and adaptive body. When your body is able to adapt smoothly to different circumstances, this is reflected in a (relatively) high HRV.

A high HRV is considered a strong indicator of your overall health and your ability to recover from stress and exertion. It means that your autonomic nervous system, which consists of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, is functioning well and can effectively switch between different states. This ability to switch is also called homeostasis: the body's ability to maintain a stable internal environment despite external changes.

On the other hand, low HRV is often associated with chronic stress, fatigue, overtraining, or even health problems. Measuring HRV therefore offers unique insight into how well your body is functioning and your ability to recover from physical and mental stress.

The Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)

To fully understand HRV, it's essential to understand the autonomic nervous system. If you've already read my book , you'll recognize this passage. The autonomic nervous system regulates all unconscious processes in your body, such as breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, and even your immune system. This system works automatically, without your conscious thought, and plays a central role in how your body responds to stress and relaxation. Its most important function is to ensure your (and your species') survival.

The autonomic nervous system consists of two main components: the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system, also known as the "fight or flight" system, is activated when your body encounters a challenge or threat. It causes your heart rate to increase, your blood pressure to rise, and your body to prepare for action.

The parasympathetic nervous system, on the other hand, is often referred to as the "rest and digest" system. It is responsible for the body's recovery, relaxation, and regeneration. When the parasympathetic nervous system is active, your heart rate slows, your blood pressure drops, and energy is focused on processes like digestion and recovery.

HRV provides a direct measure of the balance between these two systems. A high HRV means your body can flexibly switch between activity and relaxation, while a low HRV suggests you may be stuck in a state of chronic stress or insufficient recovery.

Measure HRV

There are several devices on the market that can measure HRV, such as the WHOOP band, Apple Watch, and even apps that work with smartphone cameras. I personally chose the Oura Ring. In my opinion, it's one of the most reliable and accurate methods for measuring HRV, and for several reasons.

The Oura Ring is designed to measure HRV throughout your entire sleep. Unlike devices that only measure HRV at specific moments, such as during a breathing exercise or rest period, the Oura Ring provides continuous measurement during an extended period of deep rest. This provides a much more reliable and representative representation of your overall HRV status.

The Oura Ring's ring shape is another key advantage. Because the device is worn on the finger, where arteries lie close to the skin, it can provide highly accurate measurements without being disrupted by movement. This contrasts with wrist-based devices, which are more susceptible to motion artifacts. Furthermore, the Oura Ring can be set to airplane mode. This means it doesn't emit radiation continuously. WINNING!

How do you improve HRV after measuring?

I don't want to share exact scores for good or bad, as there's a lot of disagreement about the value. It's mainly about absolute numbers for the individual. Suppose you normally average 70 ms and suddenly drop to an average of 40 ms, then there's room for improvement. Personally, I think it's interesting to measure your baseline (for example, with ouraring – that's the one I use, because it can be set to flight mode) and see how you can improve from there.

Maximum improvement points summary?

• Step 1: definitely biorhythm & sleep. Go to bed around the same time every day, spend a lot of time outdoors during the day, and NO screens in the last two hours of your day . Yes, I know, very difficult, but absolutely worth it. Instead, triple the benefits by journaling in the evening. Simply write down everything you did during the day and reflect on it.
• Step 2: Avoid overeating, avoid processed junk and ensure you get enough omega-3 fatty acids (from fish), gut health (with bone broth) and electrolytes (due to their impact on the nervous system).
• Step 3: Box breathing. Box breathing (4 seconds in, 4 seconds hold, 4 seconds out, and 4 seconds hold on the exhale) is a breathing method that directly impacts HRV during the night.
• Step 4: Exercise, but not too much. I still find this one hard to accept, but unfortunately, it's true. Overtraining is a killer for your HRV, and so is undertraining (and being overweight). Exercise, but listen to your body and take plenty of rest.
• Step 5: Start over at step 1 and make sure you actually tackle all these steps. Don't just read my newsletter, get to work. You can do it!

The detailed improvements can be found below.

Physical health is the foundation of optimal HRV. One of the most important aspects of improving your HRV is optimizing your sleep quality. Sleep is the time when your body recovers, restructures, and recharges both physically and mentally. Deep, uninterrupted sleep allows your body to fully regenerate and activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which is crucial for high HRV.

Nutrition also plays a significant role. A balanced diet rich in healthy fats, proteins, and complex carbohydrates helps reduce inflammation and provide the body with essential nutrients. Avoiding ultra-processed foods and sugars contributes to stable energy levels and a better functioning nervous system. Supplementing with essential minerals like magnesium, potassium, and sodium can also positively impact your HRV.

Regular physical activity can also significantly improve your HRV. Moderate exercise, such as walking, yoga, or strength training, boosts your cardiovascular health and activates the parasympathetic nervous system. However, as mentioned above, overtraining should be avoided, as it overactivates the sympathetic nervous system and can lower your HRV. Cold and heat therapy, such as cold showers, ice baths, or saunas, can also contribute to improved HRV.

Mental health

However, HRV goes beyond just physical health. Mental health also plays a role in optimizing your HRV. Reducing mental stress and developing resilience in the face of challenges directly contribute to higher HRV. Stress activates the sympathetic nervous system and leads to a lower HRV. Therefore, it's important to regularly make time for relaxation and mental recovery.

Techniques like breathing exercises, meditation, and mindfulness are powerful tools for increasing your HRV. By consciously slowing and deepening your breathing, for example, through box breathing or coherent breathing, you activate the parasympathetic nervous system. Regular meditation practice makes your body more resilient to stress and allows you to recover more quickly.

Maintaining healthy social relationships can also contribute to better HRV. Social connection and emotional support reduce stress and strengthen the parasympathetic nervous system, which results in increased HRV.

Therapy types

As you may know, I've tried numerous therapies over the years. These, too, naturally contribute to improving nervous system function. Note: I would always consider this alongside other lifestyle factors. If you're stuffing yourself with unhealthy junk all week, a family constellation won't save you either. The following three are my favorites (not in order).

1. Family constellations

Family constellations focus on raising awareness of unconscious patterns and emotional blocks that are often passed down within families. Breaking or healing these patterns can reduce chronic stress, which can positively impact HRV.

2. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)

EMDR is a proven effective therapy for processing traumatic events. Trauma and chronic stress are important factors that can lower HRV.

3. Hypnotherapy

Hypnotherapy focuses on working with the subconscious, which can help break through negative thought patterns, anxiety, and stress. By bringing the body into a deep state of relaxation, the parasympathetic nervous system is stimulated.

All in all

All in all, HRV is a very complex issue, but it's a wonderful health metric. Hopefully, the information above will help you get started by measuring your HRV and then using your lifestyle to optimize it.