How relevant is heart rate variability?
Ask the doctor
I’ve been hearing more about heart rate variability lately. What is it exactly? Should I be tracking mine?HRV is a measure of the tiny fluctuations in timing from one beat of your heart to the next. These differences are so brief (lasting just milliseconds) that they’re undetectable except with specialized devices. Because a steady, regular pulse is a sign of a healthy heart, you might assume that having very little variation between beats (a low HRV) is best. In fact, a high HRV is linked to better cardiac health, which suggests that it shows your heart is subtly yet rapidly adapting to changes happening throughout your body.
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About the Author
Christopher P. Cannon, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Heart Letter; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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