TempoLife › Nutrition & fitness glossary › HRV
HRV
Heart rate variability — the beat-to-beat variation that reflects recovery and stress.
Heart rate variability (HRV) is the tiny variation in time between consecutive heartbeats. A healthy heart does not tick like a metronome — the gaps flex slightly, and that flexing is driven by your nervous system balancing rest and stress. It is usually reported in milliseconds (often as RMSSD).
Broadly, a higher HRV reflects a well-recovered, relaxed state, while a drop from your own normal can signal fatigue, illness coming on, hard training, alcohol or poor sleep. The key phrase is "your own normal": HRV varies enormously between people, so comparing your number to someone else's tells you little.
Because it is sensitive, HRV is most useful as a personal trend measured the same way each day — typically overnight or first thing in the morning. Treat a single reading with caution and watch the multi-day direction: a sustained dip is the useful signal, not one low night.
Frequently asked questions
HRV?
Heart rate variability — the beat-to-beat variation that reflects recovery and stress. Heart rate variability (HRV) is the tiny variation in time between consecutive heartbeats. A healthy heart does not tick like a metronome — the gaps flex slightly, and that flexing is driven by your nervous system balancing rest and stress. It is usually reported in milliseconds (often as RMSSD).
