heart rate variability

Heart rate variability (HRV) is an important indicator of your body's state of recovery and overall health. Greater variability is usually a sign that you're more relaxed and in a parasympathetic state, which is often linked with better recovery and lower stress levels. A consistent, rhythmic heart rate, on the other hand, can indicate high stress or a more sympathetic state, common during stress or activity 1.

Breathing plays a crucial role in modulating HRV. This is due to respiratory sinus arrhythmia, which is the natural increase in heart rate during inhalation and decrease during exhalation. Deliberately extending your exhalations can help reduce your heart rate and increase heart rate variability, engaging the parasympathetic nervous system 2 3.

Various activities can enhance HRV, including cardiovascular exercise, resistance training, and ensuring quality sleep. Engaging in these activities regularly can significantly improve HRV, which is closely tied to mental and physical well-being 2. Additionally, listening to music for about 10 to 30 minutes daily can also benefit HRV by promoting relaxation and better breathing patterns, even extending these effects throughout the day and into sleep 4.