Heart Rate Variability and How It Can Help You Age Well

In order to prevent disease and age well, we all know we need to eat well and to workout.

But have you ever considered the impact that stress could be playing in your approach to aging well?

The impact of stress and the potential for disease as we age is evident in the assessment of heart rate variability (HRV).

HRV is the variation or changes between each heart beat. And whether it is high or low can be a major predictor for health issues as we age.

With some indicators of health like weight, LDL cholesterol, BMI, or blood pressure we want to see those numbers lower, or more specifically, avoid getting them too high.

However, with HRV, we want to see it high. We want to avoid it being low.

Here are health issues associated with low HRV. An increased risk for:

Cardiovascular event (like heart attack), especially among those without a history of heart disease (1.)
Anxiety and depression (2.)
Mortality (3.)

So why don’t we talk about HRV more?

🌟Likely because it forces us to assess an area of our life that many would rather not address: stress.

HRV is controlled by our autonomic nervous system. Our nervous system is in constant communication with our brain, specifically our hypothalamus. And our brain and nervous system talk to our heart.

Being in constant fight or flight mode decreases HRV. If the autonomic nervous system is in a more relaxed state, the variability tends to be higher.
‍

This places even more of an importance on stress management as we age.
‍

It is normal, and helpful, to experience stress in our lives. Whether it’s traffic, work, or family situations, we can’t avoid stress. However, when stress becomes chronic, this can lead to a negative impact on our nervous system.

What should you do?

Assess sources of stress in your life that you can control.

Are we are adding stress to our lives in the name of being healthy? In the name of good intentions, many people with a cup that is already full of stress, end up adding stress to their lives by “healthy” habits. This in turn creates an overflowing cup - a nervous system constantly in fight or flight unable to slow down. Some healhty habtits that can lead to stress are:

Intermittent fasting
Extreme calorie deficits
HIIT workouts

While none of those are necessarily bad on their own, they do have the power to send signals to your brain that there is constant stress. Especially if your day to day life is already stressful.

Another way to improve HRV, is to use your heart.

The average American is sedentary. (4.)

Many people are not moving daily. My favorite tool to help improve HRV in a low stress way is to do more Zone 2 cardio. Zone 2 cardio is using your heart, but not becoming breathless.

With this approach of movement, you are getting your heart rate up, but still able to carry a conversation.The simplest example is walking, but this could also be bicycling, swimming, or for some people jogging.

Getting 150 minutes per week of Zone 2 cardio is an excellent goal that will not only improve your HRV, but will also positively impact your overall health. (5.)

Improving HRV is non-invasive. It is a goal with an approach that does not require medication or extremes, but is one that could immensely benefit you for years to come.

Do you need help creating a low stress approach to hitting your goals? Click here to apply for a 1:1 consultation today.