Heart Rate Variability (HRV) Training

A healthy heart doesn’t beat regularly like a metronome – it actually changes its rhythm with every beat. This variation in the time interval between heart beats is known as your heart rate variability (HRV). These subtle variations reflect your heart’s ability to respond to different situations.

You can get a sense of your own HRV by feeling your pulse on your wrist while taking a few deep breaths. When you exhale the interval between your heart beats gets longer (your heart rate slows down) and when you inhale your heartbeat gets shorter (your heart rate increases). There is a strong relationship between your heart rate and your diaphragmatic breathing phases (inhaling and exhaling). This is referred to as your respiratory sinus arrythmia (RSA).

HRV is linked to your autonomic nervous system (ANS) – specifically the sympathetic (fight or flight) and parasympathetic (rest and digest) branches. The ANS greatly influences how your heart beats. The rest and digest system tells your heart to slow down. This allows for more variability between beats – we refer to this as higher HRV. The fight or flight system tells your heart to speed up, which limits space for variability – we refer to this as lower HRV.

In general, higher HRV is associated with physiological resiliency and behavioral flexibility and psychological well-being, reflecting an individual’s capacity to adapt effectively to stress and environmental demands. Lower HRV, as well as too much variability, is associated with chronic pain, anxiety and depression as well as numerous other symptoms. There are some situations, however, when a lower HRV is preferred – for example, when an elevated sympathetic nervous system will help your body keep up with the physical demands when stressed (exercise is a good case in point).

HRV training has been shown in research studies to be an effective intervention for the following:
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
• Hypertension
• Gstrointestinal issues
• Fibromyalgia
• Enhanced immune system functioning
• Headaches
• Tempomandibular Disorders

At our clinic we train both adults and children! While HRV is unique to each individual, the average HRV for an adult can range anywhere from below 20 to over 200 milliseconds. The best way to determine your HRV is to have it monitored with special biofeedback equipment that examines the functioning of the physical systems that influence HRV.

In our clinic we use state-of-the-art equipment to measure HRV. This allows us to get a thorough, accurate assessment by measuring each heartbeat and the time between heartbeats along with other metrics that provide us with a clear picture of how to proceed with training.

Here’s what a typical HRV training program at our clinic looks like:

In your first session we determine your resonance frequency. This is the term used to describe when your heart rate and breathing (inhalation and exhalation) become synchronized. The average resonance frequency for adults is 6 breaths per minute (0.1Hz), but it can vary from 4.5-7.0bpm. It is a bit higher for children.

After your resonant frequency is determined we can start your HRV training. For your training we use a computerized paced-breathing program which provides you with real-time feedback. This feedback teaches your system to pace your inhalation and exhalation (your breath) to be synchronous with your heart rate – this is referred to as coherence. The idea is to train your system to breath at the rate that reflects your resonance frequency. This process generally can be completed in 2 one-hour sessions, although you may decide to do some additional in-clinic training.

We then set you up to do home-training using a breath pacer app either on your cell phone or computer. The home practice consists of daily 20-minute sessions that you can do on your own schedule. HRV training is such an accessible intervention that can have profound results!