You can think of Heart Rate Variability as how well your nervous system is calibrated to deal with daily stressors. Essentially, It is a reflection of the state and health of your nervous system. Having a well-calibrated nervous system or a high HRV (compared to your unique baseline) means that you are able to effectively take on the day’s challenges and stressors and can alternate between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems as needed.

What is Heart Rate Variability (HRV)?

Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is a measure of the variation in the time interval between consecutive heartbeats. The variation is dictated between the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight) and the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest). You can track your HRV using wearable data with an apple watch or a whoop band. It’s a biomarker of how well your nervous system is functioning as well as overall health.

A high HRV relative to your baseline indicates a higher resiliency to manage stress or stressful situations, can be compared to a healthier nervous system, and is associated with frequent use of your body remaining in the parasympathetic nervous system or the “rest and digest” state.

A low HRV relative to your baseline indicates a lower threshold to manage stress or stressful situations, a higher risk of chronic fatigue, and a higher tendency towards being in an anxious state.

The sympathetic nervous system refers to the fight or flight state indicating a state of stress, fatigue, or anxiety.

The parasympathetic nervous system refers to the rest and digest state indicating a state of relaxation and calm.

What is the relationship between Heart rate Variability (HRV) and your gut health?

You can think of your heart rate variability (HRV) as how well your nervous system is regulated enough to deal with the day to day stressors.

The gut-brain axis refers to the constant communication system between the gut and the brain via the vagus nerve consisting of various messengers known as neurotransmitters and hormones such as dopamine and serotonin otherwise known as “your feel good hormones”. Your beneficial gut bacteria help to produce and synthesize these hormones and neurotransmitters leading to a regulated nervous system and an optimal HRV.

A regulated nervous system means a healthy gut microbiome which also translates to optimal neurotransmitter and hormone health (think regulated emotional/mental health!)

what are The different Factors that can affect Heart rate variability (HRV)?

• Age

• Physical activity

• Stress

• Sleep

what are some Lifestyle tips to Positively impact my Heart rate variability (HRV)?

• Sleep is essential for improving your HRV: aim for 7-9 hours of quality, deep sleep.
• Consistent aerobic workouts such as zone 1 or zone 2 cardio
• Hydrate with minerals
• Stay consistent with stress management tools to help regulate your nervous system. I have a blog post all about this linked here.
• Limit excess amounts of caffeine