Monthly Archives: September 2013

What If Your SweetBeat Stress Level Is High Because of Coherence?

Many of you are using SweetBeat for one of its several useful functions (stress, heart rate variability [HRV] for training, food sensitivity testing, etc.). Many of you are using HeartMath technologies in conjunction with SweetBeat – which we fully support! The Sweetwater Health team and HeartMath are front leaders in the HRV movement and long-time partners.

emWave® technology is based on learning to change your heart rhythm pattern to create coherence; a scientifically measurable state characterized by increased order and harmony in our psychological and physiological processes.

“Personal coherence, also known as psychophysiological coherence, refers to the synchronization of our physical, mental and emotional systems. It can be measured by our heart-rhythm patterns: The more balanced and smooth they are, the more in sync, or coherent, we are. Stress levels recede, energy levels increase and our brain and what HeartMath calls the “heart brain” are working together. It is a state of optimal clarity, perception and performance.” – As defined in the HeartMath FAQs.

SweetBeat has three main components: HRV for Training, stress monitoring and food sensitivity testing. If your body goes into a state of coherence, it will have an effect on your stress monitoring.

Below are some tips on how to understand your SweetBeat numbers:

  • There are industry standards for low frequency (LF) and high frequency (HF) ranges

–     LF = 0.04hz – 0.15hz

–     HF = 0.15hz – 0.4hz

  • Coherence is associated with a “spike” at 0.1hz frequency (LF)
  • The SweetBeat stress levels are associated with a high LF with respect to HF (high LF/HF ratio). Because coherence is associated with a high power spike at 0.1hz, which falls into the HRV definition of LF, coherence shows as high stress in SweetBeat.

Here is an example of a coherence spike at 0.1hz:

fftspectrum

  • Very high power in the LF range (0.04hz – 0.15hz; blue) and little to no power in the HF range (0.15hz – 0.4hz; red). This is coherent data represented in Kubios

This is what a SweetBeat “Heart Rate Graph” looks like during coherence:

sweetbeatcoherenceHR

If you haven’t already, download SweetBeat and start quantifying! Compatible heart rate monitor required for stress management and HRV for training.

Please email support@sweetwaterhrv.com with any additional questions.

Ronda Collier on Heart Rate Variability, the hidden causes of weight gain and “falling off the wagon”: A podcast with Howard Jacobson

Below is an excerpt from Howard Jacobson’s blog post and podcast with Sweetwater Health CEO and co-founder, Ronda Collier.

“Sweetbeat measures heart rate variability (HRV), which turns out to be a very good proxyfor the body’s resilience and health.

In this interview, Ronda explains how a low HRV can lead to weight gain even when eating right and exercising, how HRV is measured, and how we can increase HRV, reduce low-level inflammation, and bring ourselves back into balance.”

Listen to the podcast on Howie’s blog.

The podcast can be found below the screenshot of SweetBeat. >>

Download SweetBeat on iTunes!

 

 

 

Heart Rate Variability: A Guide to Effectively Using HRV for Training and Health with SweetWater Health’s Ronda Collier – Podcast by Tawnee Prazak

Below is a short explanation of the podcast and a link to listen!

“Expert Ronda Collier, CEO and co-founder of SweetWater Health and the SweetBeat app, joins the show to give a detailed chat on heart rate variability (HRV) and how to understand it, use it for training, use it to monitor and lower stress and more. On the show we explain what HRV actually is and what it measures, including details on the nervous system, the components of HRV and stress including high-frequency waves, low-frequency waves, rMSSD, and how to make sense of and interpret those. We also discuss what numbers are “good” and “bad” and what you want to see based on age/gender, when to measure HRV, how athletes can use it for their training programs, stress vs. HRV on the SweetBeat app, psychological components to HRV, other HRV apps available what you need to get started with HRV, and much more including a couple specific questions from listeners.”

To listen to Tawnee’s full podcast, click here.

Download SweetBeat and use HRV for Training, now!

How to interpret your SweetBeat HRV session by Ronda Collier

Please enjoy the following interpretations of SweetBeat’s heart rate variability (HRV) for training, along with explanations of average power levels and HRV age.

Important points to remember:

  • HRV can vary greatly from person to person depending on health and fitness
  • HRV can vary greatly for an individual from day to day and even hour to hour
  • While there are “average HRV values” determined through clinical research, HRV is dynamic and individuals will tend to have their own range
  • Scroll down to see charts of “average HRV values” from some research papers
  • Some athletes have HRV values that are magnitudes higher than average persons
  • SweetBeat is about understanding and managing the nervous system and not intended to diagnose anything. If you feel your HRV is “low” see your doctor
  • Athletes use HRV to guide training
  • As seen on the next 2 charts, HRV power levels vary quite a bit
  • The elite athlete has LF and HF power that are orders of magnitude higher than average
  • Don’t be alarmed if your HRV values are closer to average

lfhfeliteathlete

 lfhffitnessenthusiastaveragehrvlfhf

Values based on 24 hour measurements
HRV represents rMSSD scaled to a value between 0 – 100 and is SweetBeat specific
Source for Average LF/HF:
Values based on 5 minute measurements

To download SweetBeat on iTunes, click here.