5 Ways to Improve Your Heart Rate Variability

Heart rate variability, or HRV, where the amount of time between your heartbeats fluctuates slightly, indicates current or upcoming health problems. Tracking your HRV serves as a superb approach to keeping close tabs on how effectively your body bounces back from stress and exercises. Here follow 5 ways to improve this metric.

Stay hydrated.

From a medical perspective, dehydration occurs when you have lost more than 2 percent of your body weight in water. Consequently, it is imperative that your heart work harder to pump blood throughout your body. Recent research reveals that low HRV can even result from slight lapses in hydration. Hence, remember not to drink up until you get thirsty. Instead, why not keep a few water bottles within reach?

Try to meditate.

As you have been detecting your HRV, you may have realized that stress makes it take a nosedive, which is normal by all means. Chronic and ongoing stress, however, may end up with the fighting mode of your nervous system. That can take a heavy toll on your HRV. On the upside, meditation has been reported to reduce stress by revolving around positive thoughts, slow movements and controlled breathing,

Maintain a healthful body weight. 

Previous studies have shown that being overweight may decrease heart rate variability by altering functions of the peripheral nervous system. Weight management may help control blood sugar as well, now that fasting blood glucose levels tend to rise as BMI increases. Yet high blood sugar is linked to lower HRV. Therefore, by maintaining a healthy weight, you can keep blood glucose in a wholesome range and protect HRV in the process.

Go easy on alcohol.

Beneficial as a daily drink used to be thought in preventing heart disease, experts remain skeptical these days. Regrading of alcohol’s heart-healthy image, even light drinking reduces HRV. The more you take in, the stronger its effects. If HRV is seen as a goal, save the beer or mojito for special occasions.

Stick to wholesome diets.

High heart rate variability is associated with a healthy diet and lifestyle, implying that the body is functioning in a healthy and resilient state. Of various healthy diets, those with limited saturated fat and sodium can do some good to your blood pressure and cholesterol, while benefiting your heart rate variability.

*Please be noted that this blog is not intended as a substitute for medical diagnosis or treatment but for educational purposes only. Always consult your doctor before changing your diet, altering your sleep habits or starting a new fitness routine.