What is HRV? What does HRV mean?

What is HRV?

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HRV (Heart Rate Variability) refers to the natural fluctuations in the time intervals between heartbeats over a certain period of time. In other words, it measures the degree of variation between heartbeats. HRV is considered an important physiological indicator of cardiovascular health, autonomic nervous system function, and stress and recovery levels.

HRV is regulated by both the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, which are responsible for activating and recovering bodily functions, respectively. The sympathetic nervous system is involved in responding to stress or tension, while the parasympathetic nervous system is involved in rest and digestion. These two systems balance each other and maintain bodily homeostasis.

Higher HRV usually indicates a better balance of the autonomic nervous system and greater adaptability of the body, while lower HRV may indicate the influence of stress, fatigue, or other health problems.

However, HRV is influenced by many factors, such as age, gender, lifestyle, and genetics, so these factors must be considered when analyzing HRV. By monitoring HRV, individuals can gain insights into their adaptation to exercise, recovery, and life stress, guiding more scientifically reasonable training and lifestyle choices.

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HRV is considered an index reflecting autonomic nervous system activity, especially the relative balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. The sympathetic nervous system usually accelerates heart rate in response to stress and threat, while the parasympathetic nervous system slows heart rate during relaxation and rest. Therefore, higher HRV is generally considered a better performance of autonomic nervous system flexibility, reflecting a person's better adaptability to stress.

Research has found a link between lower HRV and higher stress levels and mental health problems such as anxiety and depression. Long-term exposure to high-stress environments and emotional stress can lead to autonomic nervous system imbalance and lower HRV levels.

When people are exposed to high-stress environments for a long time, or are in a prolonged state of emotional stress, it may lead to autonomic nervous system imbalance, which affects HRV levels. The autonomic nervous system is a part of the autonomic nervous system, including the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, which interact to regulate the heart. The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for accelerating heart rate and increasing the body's stress response in response to stress and threat, while the parasympathetic nervous system slows heart rate and promotes recovery and repair during relaxation and rest.

Under high-stress conditions, the sympathetic nervous system may be overactivated, while the parasympathetic nervous system may be suppressed, leading to autonomic nervous system imbalance. This may result in a decrease in HRV, i.e., a decrease in variability between adjacent heartbeats. Lower HRV has been found to be associated with mental health problems such as anxiety and depression, as well as an increased risk of some physical health problems such as heart disease and diabetes.

Therefore, HRV can serve as a biological indicator for evaluating stress and autonomic nervous system function. By monitoring and improving HRV, people can better understand their physiological status, take measures to manage and reduce stress, and promote psychological and physiological health.

References

  1. Shaffer, F., & Ginsberg, J. P. (2017). An overview of heart rate variability metrics and norms. Frontiers in public health, 258.
  2. Hye-Geum Kim, Eun-Jin Cheon, Dai-Seg Bai, Young Hwan Lee & Bon-Hoon Koo (2018). Stress and Heart Rate Variability: A Meta-Analysis and Review of the Literature. Psychiatry Investig. 15(3): 235–245.
  3. J. P. A. Delaney and D. A. Brodie (2000). Effects of Short-Term Psychological Stress on the Time and Frequency Domains of Heart-Rate Variability, Sage Journals, Volume 91 Issue 2
  4. Mimma Nardelli; Gaetano Valenza; Alberto Greco; Antonio Lanata; Enzo Pasquale Scilingo (2015). Recognizing Emotions Induced by Affective Sounds through Heart Rate Variability, IEEE Transactions on Affective Computing, Volume: 6, Issue: 4, 385 - 394