If you want to have heart rate variability explained, please watch the video or read the following transcript. Can you measure your stress level? Absolutely! You can do this both objectively and subjectively. Subjectively, you can track how stressed or anxious you feel with an app, for example. Objectively, you can use health-tracking devices like a smartwatch. Curious how? Keep watching.
You’ve likely seen heart rate monitors in hospital TV series. A person’s heart rate typically falls between 60 and 100 beats per minute, varying with age, gender, health, and fitness level. So, how can we use heart rate to measure stress?
Enter heart rate variability (HRV), which is the variation in time between successive heartbeats. If your heart rate is 60 beats per minute, it translates to one beat per second, but the interval between beats isn’t precisely one second every time. It varies, as shown in this example with intervals of 859 milliseconds, 793 milliseconds, and so on.
To determine stress levels using HRV, you need to understand certain metrics. These mathematical metrics can be SDRR (standard deviation of the R-R intervals), SDNN (normalized), or rMSSD. The difference between SDRR and SDNN is that SDNN is corrected for potential arrhythmia or measurement errors from the device. SDNN is considered the gold standard, with most consumer-grade devices measuring stress using SDNN in milliseconds. However, some prefer rMSSD.
What constitutes a normal HRV? Over a 24-hour period, an SDNN value below 50 is considered unhealthy, between 50 and 100 is compromised, and over 100 is healthy.
Keep in mind that these values can also vary depending on age, gender, health, and fitness levels, but it serves as a general guideline.
While this information may seem mathematical and technical, it’s essential to understand the relationship between your heart rate variability and your nervous system. By knowing this, you can use it to your advantage in managing stress.
In the next video, you’ll learn more about how to leverage your knowledge of heart rate variability and its connection to your nervous system to effectively measure and manage your stress levels. Stay tuned to dive deeper into this topic and discover practical applications for reducing stress and improving your overall well-being.
