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 resilience. A high HRV is seen as 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 consecutive heartbeats. It is important to understand that your heart does not function like a clock that beats perfectly regularly. On the contrary, the time between heartbeats varies constantly, and this variation is precisely a sign of a healthy, flexible and adaptive body. When your body is able to adapt smoothly to different conditions, this is reflected in a (relatively) high HRV.
A high HRV is considered a strong indicator of your overall health and 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 known as 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 thus offers a unique insight into how well your body is functioning and to what extent you are able to recover from physical and mental strain.
The Autonomic Nervous System (AZS).
To properly understand HRV, it is essential to understand the autonomic nervous system. Should you have already read my book , you will recognize this piece. The autonomic nervous system regulates all the 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. The main function of this system is to ensure that you (and your species) survive.
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 faces a challenge or threat. It causes your heart rate to speed up, your blood pressure to rise and your body to be ready to take action.
The parasympathetic nervous system, on the other hand, is often referred to as the rest and digest system. It is responsible for restoring, relaxing and regenerating the body. When the parasympathetic nervous system is active, your heart rate slows, your blood pressure drops and energy is directed toward processes such as digestion and repair.
HRV provides a direct measure of the balance between these two systems. A high HRV means that your body can flexibly switch between action and relaxation, while a low HRV suggests that you may be stuck in a state of chronic stress or inadequate recovery.
Measuring 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. Personally, I chose Oura Ring. In my opinion, one of the most reliable and accurate methods of measuring HRV, for several reasons.
The Oura Ring is designed to measure HRV throughout your sleep. Unlike devices that only measure HRV at specific times, 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.
In addition, the ring shape of the Oura Ring is a key advantage. Because the device is worn around the finger, a place where arteries are close to the skin, it can take very accurate measurements without being disturbed by movement. This is in contrast to wrist-based devices that are more sensitive to artifacts caused by movement. Apart from all this, the Oura Ring can be on airplane mode. That is, the ring does not emit radiation nonstop. WINNING!
How do you improve HRV after measurement?
Precise scores of good or bad I do not want to share, because there is much disagreement in value. It is mostly about absolute numbers of the individual. Suppose you normally average at 70ms and suddenly drop to an average of 40ms, there is room for progression. Personally, I think it would be interesting to measure your zero point once (with e.g. ouraring - that's the one I use, because it can be on flight mode) and see how you can improve from there.
Maximum improvement points summary?
- Step 1: without a doubt biorhythm & sleep. Go to bed around the same time every day, get outside a lot during the day and NO screens in the last 2 hours of your day. Yes, I know, very difficult, but absolutely worth it. Instead, ensure triple gain by journaling in the evening. Simply write down everything you did during the day and reflect on that.
- Step 2: Avoid overeating, avoid processed junk and ensure adequate omega 3 fatty acids (from fish), gut health (with bone broth) and electrolytes (due to the impact on the nervous system).
- Step 3: Box breathing. Box breathing (4 sec in, 4 sec steady, 4 sec out and 4 sec steady on the exhale) is a breathing method that directly impacts HRV during the night.
- Step 4: Exercise, but not too much. This one I still find hard to accept myself, but unfortunately it is true. Overtraining is a killer for your HRV and undertraining (and overweight) just as much. Exercise, but listen to your body enough and also take adequate rest periods.
- Step 5: Start again at step 1 and make sure you actually pick up all these steps. Don't just read my newsletter, get to work. You can do it!
The comprehensive areas for improvement 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 and uninterrupted sleep allows your body to fully regenerate and the parasympathetic nervous system to become active, which is crucial for a high HRV.
In addition, nutrition plays a major role. A balanced diet rich in healthy fats, proteins and complex carbohydrates helps to 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 essential minerals such as magnesium, potassium and sodium can also have a positive impact on your HRV.
Regular physical activity can also significantly improve your HRV. Moderate exercise, such as walking, yoga or strength training, stimulates your cardiovascular health and activates the parasympathetic nervous system. However, overtraining - as I mentioned above - should be avoided, as it over-activates 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
HRV goes beyond physical health, however. Mental health also plays a role in optimizing your HRV. Reducing mental stress and developing resilience in the face of challenges directly contribute to a higher HRV. Stress activates the sympathetic nervous system and leads to a lowered HRV. It is therefore important to structurally set aside time for relaxation and mental recovery.
Techniques such as breathing exercises, meditation and mindfulness are powerful tools to increase your HRV. By consciously slowing and deepening your breathing, such as through box breathing or coherent breathing, you activate the parasympathetic nervous system. Regular practice of meditation makes your body more resistant to stress and able to recover faster.
Maintaining healthy social relationships can also contribute to improved HRV. Social connectedness and emotional support lower stress and strengthen the parasympathetic nervous system, which manifests itself in increased HRV.
Therapy types
As you may know, I myself have tried numerous therapies over the past few years. These too, of course, contribute to improving nervous system function. Note: I would always run this side by side with the other lifestyle factors. If you are stuffing yourself with unhealthy junk all week, even a family constellation is not going to save you. The following three are my favorites (not in order).
1. Family Constellations
Family constellations focus on raising awareness of unconscious patterns and emotional blockages that are often passed down within families. Breaking or healing these patterns can reduce chronic stress, which can have a positive impact on 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 mind, which can help break 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 mega complex story, but a wonderful parameter for health. Hopefully you can get started with the above story by measuring your HRV and then using lifestyle to optimize HRV.