Hacking Your Nervous System: How to Use Heart Rate Coherence Training to Improve Your Health Written by Colleen Longua BCN-T, QEEG-T, ISF
We all want to feel our best. Feeling calm, focused, and grounded in the midst of life’s stressors may seem like a goal that’s out of reach. However, there are some simple science-backed tools you can start using today to hack your nervous system and help you unlock your brain’s full potential. Let’s talk about heart rate coherence.
Heart rate coherence is an indication of flexibility of both the cardiovascular system and the autonomic nervous system. Heart rate is not stable like a metronome. It is dynamic, constantly changing as we adapt to our environment. Heart rate variability can tell us a lot about cardiovascular health, as well as mood regulation, cognitive performance, and stress management. A high heart rate variability score is usually a sign of good physical and mental health.
Heart rate coherence occurs when your heart rate variability syncs up with your breath. As you breath in, your heart rate rises and as you breathe out, your heart rate drops. This creates a state of both physiological and mental relaxation. People who achieve high heart rate coherence often feel alert, grounded, and have an internal sense of safety. There is strong evidence that high heart rate coherence can even lower your risk of cardiovascular disease. So, how can you increase your heart rate coherence?
Heart rate coherence training is a well-researched, inexpensive, simple activity that you can practice from the comfort of your own home. Most programs just require a smart phone and a simple heart rate monitor to get started. There are many apps that can help teach you to increase your heart rate coherence. However, the best way is to work with a trained clinician who can coach you, using more advanced software and training techniques.
Heart rate coherence is just one metric for measuring your physical and mental well-being. While heart rate coherence training can be very effective, the process may be slow and often requires practicing every day for several weeks or months before you start to notice progress. Neurofeedback training can offer a “short-cut”, retraining brain patterns, promoting better nervous system health. Working with experienced clinicians can help you overcome more severe symptoms so you can feel your best sooner. Our team at Mind Body Neuro can give you the tools you need to heal your nervous system so you can think clearer, feel calmer, and show up at your best. Ask us how heart rate coherence training and neurofeedback can help you.
Resources:
Cardiac coherence, self-regulation, autonomic stability, and psychosocial well-being - PMC
Heart Rate Variability & Cardiac Coherence Explained
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8656808/
