Our pets have a healthful effect on our hearts, according to a newly-released study from Japan. The study looked at the heart rate variability of pet owners versus non-pet-owners, and found that the people with furry (or scaled or feathered) friends have higher heart rate variability (HRV) than those that didn’t, making them less susceptible to heart disease. Read more…
You can customize SweetBeat to fit your personality and stress sensitivity. You can also make each session more meaningful by noting your current mood and activity. When you look at your sessions online in MySweetBeat , you will be able to compare your HRV and stress levels while you were commuting to work, for example, compared to sessions recorded while exercising or playing with your kids. Information about how your body responds is the first step toward making positive changes.
Download SweetBeat™ for the iPhone to monitor your heart rate variability (HRV) and learn how to detect and manage stress.
Stress is not caused exclusively by what happens to us; sometimes our thoughts and emotions are more culpable in producing stress than anything external. Stress—however it is produced—can cause massive physical changes in the body. Human beings evolved in an environment where failure to respond instantly to a threat often resulted in death. When we perceive a threat, the body floods with stress hormones like adrenalin that accelerate the body’s ability to respond rapidly. Heart rate and breathing increase, muscles tense, we sweat more, and non-essential functions shut down as the body goes into “fight or flight” mode to deal with the danger. Can you recall an incident that produced this kind of reaction in your body—even when your life was not at risk?
Download SweetBeat™ for the iPhone to monitor your heart rate variability (HRV) and learn how to detect and manage stress.
Sometimes the simplest answer is the best answer. Years of research have shown that deep, regular breathing can reduce stress by balancing the nervous system. SweetBeat™ has a “Relax” screen that helps you to beat stress by helping you to time your breathing while gazing at a relaxing image. You can even use your own relaxing images! (Photos of kittens and puppies work for us.)
Download SweetBeat™ for the iPhone to monitor your heart rate variability (HRV) and learn how to detect and manage stress.
SweetBeat™ can be used to make your workouts more effective. When your body is stressed or at a low point physically, your heart rate variability (HRV) level will be lower, too. Following a “canned” training routine may cause yet more stress and damage under these circumstances. If your HRV is low, switch to a less-strenuous workout and save the tough stuff for a day when your HRV is higher.
Download SweetBeat™ for the iPhone to monitor your heart rate variability (HRV) and learn how to create a more effective training routine.
Stress affects the nervous system. What kind of stress are we talking about?
All sorts of things can cause stress, from physical exertion to a bad day at work. There’s “good” stress (like receiving a big promotion), and there’s “bad” stress (like having a traffic accident). But when we talk about stress in this blog, we’re talking about bad stress—the kind of stress that can damage your health and happiness.
Download SweetBeat™ for the iPhone to monitor your heart rate variability (HRV) and learn how to reduce stress.