Heart Rate Variability Information for Dummy

If we’re talking about coronary heart disease, we always forget heart rate variability. Why? There could be tons of reasons given by people. Usually, experts use it to check your heart condition. Afterwards, it is not used anymore. Though people may not think it as important as other, HRV is really important and we can say, it’s a crucial thing to see people’s HRV in checkup. One of the reasons, it’s an indicator to shows whether your body is okay or not. Unstable HRV may show that your body is not in good condition. Therefore, doctor will do further check to see exact heart problem symptoms that you’ve faced.

list of heartbeat that is occurred based on body condition
List of heartbeat that is occurred based on body condition

In this case, never underestimate HRV because, you may lose your life. Therefore, it’s a good thing for you since we will talk more about HRV. There will be lot of things that you will know so, it’s really important for you to see more about it in this passage. We will give you detailed things about what you should know about HRV. All things related with topic will be explained easily and you’re able to find out that you can know it without need to be a doctor or expert in the field.

There are many things that people don’t know about HRV so, we would share some important information that will help you to understand more about HRV. Here are some points that we like to give through this article.

  • What is HRV
  • The difference between heart rate and HRV
  • The relation between HRV and your body
  • How to measure your heartbeat

Some points mentioned above are considered as important thing that people should know. We hope that reader may get lot of information that will be able to help them in achieving healthy life by maintaining their HRV on a good track which will impact their health.

What is HRV?

Okay, let’s move to the first section, what is HRV? As stated above, HRV stands for heart rate variability. We understand that it could be really difficult for you to understand more about it so, we put a simple description for HRV. Put your hand on your left chest (heart location) or put your finger on your wrist. At that place, you’re able to count how many heart rate which beats in 1 minute. For 1 minute, you may count how many beats that you’ve got. Afterwards, tell us your heart beat.

Are you done? We move to deeper explanation. How many beats that you’ve get? Is it hundreds or tens? Then, what is the exact amount of heart beat that you’ve get? Normally, human’s heart beat is 60 beats per minute. It may be similar with every second that is lost but, it doesn’t mean that human heart beat is as almost as same like other. Sometimes, there are some people that have more beats and even less than 60. Why did it happen? It’s caused by many things especially, human physical condition. Bad health condition cause our heart to work harder or even worse than that.

Some instructions that we’ve asked you is the most basic way of how to count HRV. Actually, there is more accurate way by using electrocardiogram. It’s a common tool used in medical world to count the exact heartbeat. Since the improvement of time, technology has been improved and there are many new tools including application that is appeared at the market. People may download several applications or purchase chest strap monitor to know their heart beat. The best thing to check your HRV is in the morning and few times a week. By checking your heartbeat, you’re able to find if there is something problem with your health.

Generally, normal heartbeat is known as one of signs that show human’s health. If it’s too hard or slow, there could be any clear sign that your health is in problem. Sometimes, it’s happened occasionally based on your daily physical problem. If things go worse, your heart beat will be slower or faster than before. Despite of heartbeat, it can be happened many times and we can conclude that irregular heart beat is known as a sign of something wrong occurred inside your health. That’s why, every doctor will check your heartbeat when you are having a checkup or other problem.

precise data about heartbeat and heartbeat change
HRV is able to provide precise data about heartbeat and heartbeat change

Generally, heartbeat is controlled by primitive part of nervous system named as ANS which stands for Autonomic Nervous System. It’s divided into two parts, parasympathetic and sympathetic part. It’s related with nervous part where signal is sent through various part inside our body. In this case, ANS stands as a system that control our heartbeat. Afterwards, ANS is consisted of several parts that are connected with each other. In this case, each part will be connected and regulate human’s heartbeat to create natural and regular nervous system.

After knowing general things about HRV, we will move to other part which is the relation between HRV and your body. Last but not least, we will talk about how to measure HRV score. As we’ve talked above, good HRV means that your body is in good condition. In this case, the best thing to do is by keeping your health in good condition so, you will get healthier HRV score that will keep you in good way. However, there could be unexpected thing that will be happened so, the best way to know your health condition is by measuring heartbeat regularly.

The Difference Between Heart Rate and HRV

Most people still don’t know the difference between heart rate and HRV. Both are functioned to check our heart rate however, it stands for different function technically. Sometimes, people often deny it because, it’s something that is not as important as like people should know. However, it’s really important to know the difference so, you’re able to get important information especially, in measuring heart beat that is really good for yourself. It can be a great help for you to know exact heart beat measurement and the change of heartbeat that is useful for health checkup.

First, let’s find out about the definition of each part. Based on hrvcourse, heartbeat and HRV almost has similar definition. The difference is shown through its function. Heartbeat focuses on how many beats that are occurred in 1 minute. As we’ve explained on introduction, we often measure heartbeat. Usually, we often count it manually. In addition, people often count it based of period of time. Therefore, it’s not always 60 second. It’s regulated based on the time that is counted by many people.

Heartbeat is also known as traditional technique to check your heartbeat. Thanks to traditional system, people often use this technique from long time ago especially, Chinese medicinal technique that often used it. Since improvement of time, heartbeat measurement technique has changed. Stethoscope is known as a popular tool that is favored and used till now though, there are many advanced things made to count heartbeat for example, heartbeat application that can help you to get exact heart measurement. However, stethoscope is still known as popular tool used by the doctor till now.

While heartbeat is focused on how many beats occurred, heart rate variability focuses on chance occurred while checking your heart. While counting heartbeat, there are some changes occurred and it can be a critical thing to show whether your health is in bad condition or not. The time located between beats is counted in milliseconds or MS which is called as R-R interval as taken from hrvcourse. Exact change can be a great thing to show about your health. Doctor will check the change of your heart and it can be a great thing to help you in checking your heartbeat.

If heartbeat is easy to do, heart beat variability is hard to do. There are some reasons about why it can’t be done manually. First, it needs tool that can help people to know about heart change. Second, professionals prefer HRV than heartbeat because, HRV provide more accurate information than heartbeat. Heartbeat only provide exact count that is occurred inside our body. However, HRV provides heartbeat and heart change that people can know. Heart change will help doctor to create more accurate treatment to the patient. In this case, HRV is chosen and favorable among many people. You may get enough information that will help you.

HRV has more exact result than heartbeat. In addition to heartbeat, HRV can also provide enough information about blood sugar, blood pressure, sweat, digestion, body temperature and etc. It’s connected with ANS as the system that regulates heartbeat and occurred in nervous system. Therefore, it helps the doctor will get more precious information because, HRV provides enough information about everything that people can get. Doctor will relate any information that will help the diagnosis information about anything that people need to know about their health problem. For example, HRV can relate heart condition with digestive problem. In this case, the doctor will get information by measuring HRV so, they can see about everything that people can get from it.

Based on the description, HRV provides more information while heartbeat is still known as traditional technique that only provide simple thing. Both may be different but, either HRV or heartbeat is known as important part of medication world that is known by many people. We can say that HRV is the perfection of heartbeat from before. In this case, it can be a great thing that can help people to know more about it. Therefore, it becomes great thing which means, people get enough information about the difference between heartbeat and HRV especially, in having good treatment.

modern heartbeat that people often use
Example of modern heartbeat that people often use (via sharperimage.com)

We move to deeper section where we are going to find pros and cons of heartbeat and HRV. Here are pros and cons of heartbeat

  • Pros
    • Easy to measure and can be measured while having exercise for example, aerobic or specific case
    • Can be measured through various devices or wearable tools
    • Easy to use
  • Cons
    • Can be only used to measure cardiovascular activity
    • Provide unprecise heartbeat while resting
    • Hard to get trusted heartbeat device

After knowing some pros and cons of heartbeat, we will go to HRV

  • Pros
    • Provide more trusted and precise information
    • Relate with other system inside human body such as, digestive system, nervous system, and etc.
    • Can be measured through heart rate monitor
    • Fast checkup
  • Cons
    • Can’t be used while having exercise
    • Sometimes provide inaccurate result due to HR monitor
    • The result can be confusing

The Relation Between HRV and Your Body

There are several reasons about why you should check you heartbeat regularly. Here are some reasons about it.

  • Based on article published on Harvard, heartbeat can be a sign whether you are in flight or fight mode. Each mode shows difference and to explain it simpler, flight mode means that you are in relax state and fight mode is shown when you are in heart healthy activities Sometimes, your heartbeat will be faster or even slower depended on what kind of activity that you do. For example, if you are having an exercise, your heartbeat will be faster especially, when you are having a hard exercise. Your heartbeat will be slower if you are doing nothing especially, when you are sleeping or relax.
  • There are two indications of health condition. First, high heartbeat shows that your heart works harder than its regular. If you are having exercise than it means you are okay because, heart works harder to pump blood through our body.
    If your heartbeat is counted more than normal heartbeat then it means something happened inside your body. In this case, you should bring yourself to the doctor so, the doctor will give you proper checkup related with your health. High heartbeat could be a sign if someone is too stressful.
    Meditation and calm music can be temporary way to calm them down. Besides, stress is also a sign if your body face something usually, life’s problem or other thing that is possibly could make it happen.
    Based on these indications, people should be more aware if they are having hard heartbeat because, they can feel worse if it’s not treated properly. Remember, faster heartbeat is not always related with bad thing because, faster heartbeat can be occurred when you are exercising or doing hard activity.
  • Second, low heartbeat mostly shows that your body is in trouble. Low heartbeat can be a sign of various problems for example, low blood pressure. Besides, there are many health problems that can be shown by having slower heartbeat. It’s pretty easy to see someone that is having slower heartbeat by seeing their condition. Usually, they feel dizzy and fatigue due to this condition. If you’re having this condition, you need to see doctor ASAP since, you may face serious health problem. Health checkup is the best way that can help you to avoid further serious health problem in the future.

Based on article published by health Harvard, faster heartbeat or low heartbeat may have specific advantage and disadvantage for ourselves. Generally, people may relate each condition on several diseases. However, either faster or lower can be a good thing for our health. Faster heartbeat means that someone has better cardiovascular fitness and more resilient stress. This condition leads people to be stronger for having hard exercise. For stress regulation, people with faster heartbeat can face it better so, they can enjoy it and people may feel great.

It’s really hard to state lower heartbeat as something that is good. Based on some information that we’ve collected, slower heartbeat means that people are relax and it’s good for our heart matters and mind. However, low heartbeat is a sign of something bad happened inside your body. It’s related with the risk of heart attack and increase of bad disease. In this case, you can check it deeper to see whether your heart is in problem or not. Afterwards, the doctor will give further checkup that can help you to know more.

How to Measure Heartbeat

Now, we are moving the last section of HRV which is, how to measure your heartbeat. Previously, we have talked a lot about HRV and its difference. Now, we are going to find out more about how to check your heartbeat manually. It’s really easy to do it because, you only need to put your finger on the left side of your wrist. Afterwards, you will feel beat that is occurred on that part. It’s a beat that you can measure for 1 minute. If there are more beats that are occurred then you can get enough information about it.

traditional way for heartbeat checking
Popular and traditional way for heartbeat checking

Since improvement of time, there are many new things that are made by human to help people in measuring their heartbeat easily. Nowadays, there is also application that is made to measure heartbeat. However, it’s not accurate enough to measure it because, people need appropriate machine. Electrocardiogram is known as a tool used by experts to measure about how many beats that are occurred. Besides, it also gives more reports about anything that is occurred inside our body. Usually, there will be lot of information reported for example, digestion, blood sugar, blood pressure, and other things related and you’re able to know about the problem.

Based on eliteHRV, people will get 59 as their normal heartbeat normally. If it’s higher or lower then it can show something that is happened inside your body. Therefore, you need to be more careful or even get enough information about it. Slower or higher HRV is not always related with bad health problems. Sometimes, it’s affected by activity, gender, age, and other things. Sometimes, HRV will be higher is someone is having exercise or even male. Therefore, it’s not always related with bad things as long as you are not having serious disease problem like, heart valve disease.

You have to be worried if you have slower heartbeat. Sometimes, people often relate it as something normal or, it shows that you are in relax state of mind. However, it’s a wrong thing because, lower or slower heartbeat is a sign that your body is in dangerous. Slower or lower heartbeat is really dangerous because, you need to be careful. It is a sign that your body is in problem and you need to get immediate checkup to help you know more about serious problem that you can get. In this case, it will be a great thing that you should know so, it’s not a big deal for you to know about it.

Conclusion

Nowadays, cardiovascular disease is known as one of several various health problems that are occurred. Most of people have it due to their bad lifestyle. That’s why, they often change their life habit by having heart healthy habits. General health checkup is also included as heart healthy activities that they always do. One of the things that they do is by doing heartbeat checkup because, it’s really simple. There are some people that still do traditional technique by checking it through their wrist while others are using complex way by seeing doctor and using electrocardiogram.

heartbeat list
Heartbeat list that people should know

Based on some information, traditional heartbeat is often chosen as a technique that people love because, it’s easy to do and we don’t need to waste lot of money just for having proper health checkup. However, it’s not always the best way because, HRV is still needed if you want to get more information about your health condition. In this case, you need to sacrifice some money for having more accurate checkup for doing HRV. It’s really great to have it because, you’re able to get enough information that will help you to do more things about it.

In addition to HRV or heartbeat, people also need to know about faster heartbeat and slower heartbeat. Most of us may thought that irregular heartbeat can be a sign that we have health problem. If it’s too fast or slow, then our health is in problem. However, it’s not always ended up based on what we think. Sometimes, fast heartbeat can be a sign of good thing which means our body work well or we are having exercise heart rate that force us to work harder twice. Since it’s really hard, we need to do it really good because, there will be lot of things that we need to do.

Slower heartbeat might be known as dangerous sign of bad disease but, it can also be a great thing that can help you to find more information about it. In this case, you need to have HRV checkup that will help you to get enough information about your health. Afterwards, you’re able to know about your heartbeat and it’s not really hard to it. Heart rate variability is really important and it can be a great thing for you to find out more and you’re able to get more things about it.