Heart Rate Variability Podcast

Optimal HRV

Welcome to the Heart Rate Variability Podcast where we discuss the research and applications of heart rate variability.

  1. 2d ago

    This Week In HRV - Episode 47

    DISCLAIMER: This podcast and its accompanying show notes are for educational and informational purposes only and are not a substitute for professional medical, psychological, or clinical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the guidance of a qualified healthcare professional with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Dr. Inna Khazan's HRV Biofeedback Training (BCIA-aligned, 16 APA CE credits) Registration Link: https://www.optimalhrv.com/event-details-registration/bcia-aligned-hrv-biofeedback-training-led-by-dr-inna-khazan Dr. Donald Moss's Ethical Principles and Practice Standards in Clinical Biofeedback (BCIA-aligned, 3 APA CE credits)  Registration Link: https://www.optimalhrv.com/event-details-registration/master-ethical-principles-practice-standards-in-clinical-biofeedback-aligned-with-bcia This week we cover five studies that stretch heart rate variability into some surprising territory. We start with elite wrestlers and what heart rate variability reveals about training recovery, move into the modern office to look at heart rate variability as an objective marker of musculoskeletal pain risk, and head into neurology for two studies on seizure diagnosis and unexplained neurological symptoms. We close with a study on sound your ears can't consciously hear, but your nervous system apparently can. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK 1. Investigating the Acute Effect of Different Training Protocols on Heart Rate Variability PUBLICATION: Sports AUTHORS: Burhan Demirkıran, Tuba Melekoğlu, Grzegorz Żurek KEY FINDING: In thirteen elite Greco-Roman wrestlers, both high-intensity interval training and prolonged endurance training produced dramatic acute suppression of heart rate variability, with SDNN dropping seventy-three to eighty-two percent immediately after exercise, followed by partial recovery at the twenty-four-hour mark. After correcting for multiple comparisons, there was no statistically significant difference between the two training protocols. SIGNIFICANCE: Coaches often assume that different training modalities carry meaningfully different acute costs to the nervous system, but this study suggests that intense effort of either type may impose a comparable autonomic burden, at least in this population and time frame. That has real implications for how training loads are planned in the days leading up to competition. Read full study: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4663/14/7/299 2. Heart Rate Variability as an Objective Biomarker for Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorder Risk: A Cross-Sectional Study of Hong Kong (China) Professionals PUBLICATION: Exploration of Musculoskeletal Diseases AUTHORS: Adrian Low, Benny Lam KEY FINDING: In 105 Hong Kong office professionals, lower heart rate variability coherence was associated with higher musculoskeletal pain intensity and a broader spread of pain across the body, even after accounting for self-reported stress. Forward head posture and thoracic kyphosis helped explain part of the relationship between coherence and neck and shoulder pain, and daily sedentary hours changed the strength of the overall association. SIGNIFICANCE: This cross-sectional study points to heart rate variability coherence a...

    This Week In HRV - Episode 47

  2. Jul 16

    Debunking the LF/ HF Ratio Myth with Dr. Fred Shaffer

    Join host Matt Bennett and Dr. Fred Shaffer on the Heart Rate Variability Podcast as they debunk common misconceptions about the low-frequency to high-frequency (LF/HF) ratio. Dr. Shaffer explains how short-term low-frequency power more accurately reflects blood pressure regulation than sympathetic tone, and clarifies that everyday stress is often simply vagal withdrawal rather than a true fight-or-flight sympathetic response. He also recommends more reliable metrics for assessing autonomic balance, such as RMSSD. Finally, the episode introduces Mentor, a custom AI tool rigorously trained on peer-reviewed biofeedback and HRV research, designed to serve as a reliable, 24/7 educational tutor for both practitioners and enthusiasts.

  3. Jul 13

    This Week In HRV - Episode 46

    DISCLAIMER: This podcast and its accompanying show notes are for educational and informational purposes only and are not a substitute for professional medical, psychological, or clinical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the guidance of a qualified healthcare professional with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. This week we're covering eight new studies spanning addiction, psychiatry, neonatal care, occupational health, women's health, and exercise science. You'll hear how alcohol cues and stress pull on heart rate variability in different directions, how short-term heart rate variability tracked suicide risk in hospitalized patients, how much a simple change in posture shifts your numbers, and more. As always, we break down what each study actually found, what it means for your practice, and where the caveats live. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK 1. The link between subjective feelings (arousal and craving) and physiological responses (heart rate variability) in stress- and alcohol cue-reactivity among young adults engaged in hazardous drinking: a counterbalanced study PUBLICATION: Addictive Behaviors AUTHORS: Insan Firdaus, Annet Kleiboer, Anne Marije Kaag, Anja C. Huizink KEY FINDING: In 56 young hazardous drinkers, handling an alcoholic beverage increased both craving and heart rate variability, while a mental arithmetic stress task raised subjective stress without increasing craving at all. When the stress task came first, exposure to the alcohol cue afterward actually lowered perceived stress. SIGNIFICANCE: Craving and stress don't always move together, which means "avoid your triggers" may be an incomplete relapse-prevention strategy. Alcohol cues may function as a short-term emotional reset for some hazardous drinkers, independent of craving itself. Read the full study:  https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306460326001875 2. Short-term HRV dynamics track suicide risk changes in depressive inpatients: A retrospective one-week longitudinal study PUBLICATION: Journal of Affective Disorders AUTHORS: Yi Wang, Chaohua Huang, Baoyi Zhong, Yang Lu, Hao Yu, Yujie Liu, Lanyang Gao, Bo Xiang, Tingting Wang, Kezhi Liu KEY FINDING: Across 177 depressive inpatients, those with moderate-to-high suicide risk showed faster heart rate and lower heart rate variability at admission. As suicide risk dropped over one week of treatment, heart rate variability recovered in step, independent of changes in depression, anxiety, or sleep. SIGNIFICANCE: This is an association, not proof of causation, but it's a compelling one: the heart rate variability signal tracked suicide risk specifically, not just general symptom improvement. That raises real potential for an objective, adjunctive signal in inpatient risk monitoring. Read the full study: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165032726010852 3. Postural Impacts Based on HRV in Young Adults – A Statistical Analysis PUBLICATION: Procedia Computer Science AUTHORS: Prashant Kumar, Ashis Kumar Das, Suman Halder KEY FINDING: Testing three postures in young adults, researchers found statistically significant differences across nearly every heart rate variability parameter, with approximate entropy the lone exception. Short-term and long-term variability measures stayed strongly correlated regardless of posture. SIGNIFICANCE:

    This Week In HRV - Episode 46

  4. Jul 9

    AAPB Journal Special Podcast

    Disclaimer: This episode is for educational and professional development purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult the comprehensive published research and use your own clinical judgment before making any changes to practice. This week we're breaking format. Instead of our usual roundup across multiple sources, we're spotlighting seven studies published in a single journal, Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, spanning cardiac rehabilitation, meditation, aviation safety, occupational fatigue, workplace stress, traumatic brain injury recovery, and music-based biofeedback. Host Matt Bennett walks through the methodology, findings, and honest limitations of each one. Whether you're a clinician, researcher, coach, or practitioner, this special episode offers a rare, single-journal snapshot of where HRV research is headed right now. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK 1. When Diet and Biofeedback Team Up for Heart Recovery Publication: Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback Authors: Valeria Carola, Valeria Gigli, Filippo Cellucci, Marco Coli, Sofia Nicolais, Caterina Piras, Giovanni Melina, Cristina Ottaviani, Giampaolo Nicolais KEY FINDING: This systematic review found that heart rate variability biofeedback may enhance autonomic regulation, ease psychological distress, and in some cases shorten hospital stays for cardiac patients, while Mediterranean-style dietary patterns rich in omega-3 fatty acids showed potential to reduce inflammation and favorably modulate cardiovascular risk markers. SIGNIFICANCE: Evidence supporting these noninvasive approaches in postoperative rehabilitation and established cardiovascular disease remains limited, with considerable heterogeneity across studies. This review offers a structured map of where the evidence stands and where standardized protocols are still needed. Read the full study: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10484-025-09742-w 2. Does Biofeedback Make Meditation Apps Better at Building Body Awareness? Publication: Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback Authors: Konrad Rudnicki, Luna Schepers, Koen Rummens, Glen Joris, Karolien Poels KEY FINDING: In this randomized controlled trial of 105 meditation-naive participants, interoceptive accuracy improved in both the cardiac biofeedback-assisted meditation group and the standard app-based meditation group, but not in non-meditating controls. The accuracy gain was concentrated among participants who reported a positive user experience with their device. SIGNIFICANCE: The benefit of biofeedback-assisted meditation apps may depend as much on user experience design as on the underlying biofeedback mechanism itself, an important consideration for anyone recommending these tools to clients. Read the full study: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10484-025-09728-8 3. What Happens to Pilots' Hearts When the Guide Lights Go Dark Publication: Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback Authors: Chuang Liu, Chenyang Zhang, Wenbing Zhu, Shuaitao Jiao, Yu Zhang, Rongbing Xu, Yaowei Liang KEY FINDING: In simulated flights with sixteen cadet pilots, the absence of Precision Approach Path Indicator lights significantly increased mental workload, confirmed by both instructor ratings and heart rate variability measures including SDNN, CVNNI, minimum heart rate, and SD2 from Poincaré analysis.

  5. Jul 7

    This Week In HRV - Episode 45

    DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult a licensed healthcare provider regarding any health concerns or before making changes to your care or practice. This week we're covering an unusually wide range of ground: body weight and exercise recovery, a workplace sleep intervention, autonomic function in youth with cerebral palsy, a clinical breakthrough in reading consciousness after brain injury, an AI model predicting cardiovascular risk in older adults, a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to run 24-hour HRV monitoring, and a study of professional footballers in Senegal. Seven studies, seven populations, one shared physiological language.  RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK 1. Why Body Weight Changes How Your Heart Bounces Back After Exercise PUBLICATION: Cureus AUTHORS: Vishwadeepak Rajput, Vishavdeep Kaur, Ankalayya Bobbara KEY FINDING: Comparing 100 normal-weight and 100 overweight young adults before and after the Harvard Step Test, researchers found that the overweight group had lower resting heart rate variability and continued to show reduced RMSSD, SDNN, and HF power in the early minutes after exercise, along with a lower Physical Fitness Index score. SIGNIFICANCE: The gap wasn't just present at baseline — it also appeared in how each group's autonomic system responded over time, suggesting that body composition shapes not only resting vagal tone but also the speed and quality of post-exercise recovery. RMSSD and SDNN stood out as the most reliable markers of this difference. Read the full study: https://www.cureus.com/articles/499608-autonomic-response-to-the-harvard-step-test-in-normal-bmi-and-overweight-young-adults-a-heart-rate-variability-study 2. Can a Workplace Program Actually Improve Your Sleep? PUBLICATION: Journal of Activity, Sedentary and Sleep Behaviors AUTHORS: Johanna Edvinsson, Svend Erik Mathiassen, David M. Hallman KEY FINDING: Office workers who took part in an individual course plus a team-based workshop on managing flexible work arrangements gained 36 minutes of sleep per night over a year, while a comparison group lost 23 minutes per night. Daytime activity levels and sleep-time heart rate variability didn't shift significantly in either group. SIGNIFICANCE: Sleep duration may be the first, fastest-moving lever when organizations help teams set shared norms around flexible work — even before autonomic markers catch up. It's a useful, measurable early win for occupational health programs. Read the full study: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s44167-026-00107-0 3. More Active Youth With Cerebral Palsy Show Better Heart Rhythms PUBLICATION: Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities AUTHORS: Sonny Riquelme, María Isabel Cornejo, Rosemery Arenas, Javier Russell-Guzmán, Alexis Espinoza-Salinas, Rafael Lima Kons, Matías Henríquez KEY FINDING: In 18 ambulatory youth with cerebral palsy, those reporting higher physical activity levels showed better cardiorespiratory endurance and sprint performance, along with a lower LF/HF ratio — a marker suggesting more favorable autonomic balance — compared to their less active peers. SIGNIFICANCE: This is exploratory...

    This Week In HRV - Episode 45

  6. Jul 2

    Can Biofeedback Solve Your Workplace Stress? | Dr. Adrian Low

    Welcome to the Heart Rate Variability Podcast! In this episode, Matt Bennett interviews Adrian Low about a fascinating paper combining workplace wellbeing with biofeedback and mindfulness techniques. They discuss how these practices contribute to overall health and stress management. Remember, this information is for informational purposes only; please consult your medical provider for personalized advice.

  7. Jun 30

    This Week In HRV - Episode 44

    This week's episode spans nine studies — from biofeedback and cognitive performance to chronic parenting stress, leadership in VR, body composition, AI-powered hypertension detection, post-cardiac-procedure monitoring, academic burnout, and the question everyone keeps asking about 5G. Whether you're a practitioner, researcher, or someone tracking your own autonomic health, this episode offers something worth sitting with. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS THIS  WEEK 1. Can HRV Biofeedback Sharpen Your Memory? A Systematic Review Weighs In Publication: International Journal of Psychophysiology Authors: Fernando Rosendo da Cunha e Silva, Esther P.F. Wöllner, Carlos Eduardo Norte KEY FINDING: Across ten studies, HRV biofeedback consistently increased HRV — but its effects on working memory were mixed. Clinical populations, particularly veterans with PTSD, showed meaningful cognitive improvements. Healthy young adults and older adults showed less consistent gains. Significance: HRV biofeedback reliably shifts autonomic function, but cognitive benefits appear context-dependent. Who you're training matters as much as how you're training. Read full study: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167876026000644 2. Low HRV Predicts Worse Outcomes in Somatic Symptom Disorder — 12 Months Out Publication: Journal of Psychosomatic Research Authors: Paul Hüsing, Wei-Lieh Huang, Kerstin Maehder, Franz Pauls, Yvonne Nestoriuc, Bernd Löwe, Kristina Blankenburg, Sophie Schmitz, Stefanie Hahn, Anne Toussaint KEY FINDING: In 148 patients with Somatic Symptom Disorder, those with a low HRV pattern showed consistently higher somatic symptom severity, depression, and psychological distress — and these differences held stable across a full 12 months with no significant change over time. Significance: HRV pattern classification at baseline may identify which SSD patients are at risk for persistent, long-term symptom burden — offering a physiological lens for a condition that is otherwise difficult to stratify. Read full study: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022399926003855 3. Chronic Parenting Stress Shows Up in HRV — and in the Blood Publication: Stress and Health Authors: Marija Ljubičić, Ivana Kolčić KEY FINDING: Parents of children with chronic conditions — particularly autism spectrum disorder — showed reduced HRV and elevated Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs), a marker of oxidative stress. A child's challenging behaviour and parental stress were the key drivers of these physiological changes. Significance: Chronic caregiving stress doesn't just feel hard — it produces measurable autonomic and oxidative consequences. HRV monitoring in caregiving populations may be an underutilized health tool. Read full study: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/smi.70185 4. Reading the Room in VR: How Physiological Signals Could Help Leaders Facilitate Better Publication: Frontiers in Computer Science Authors: Chenghao Gu, Jiadong Chen, Tianyuan Y...

    This Week In HRV - Episode 44

  8. Jun 23

    This Week In HRV - Episode 43

    This week on This Week in Heart Rate Variability, we explore four studies that collectively challenge us to think more deeply about what autonomic function tells us — and what it doesn't tell us on its own. From addiction treatment to heart failure, adolescent fitness to chronic pain, this episode traces the threads connecting heart rate variability to some of the most pressing questions in clinical and population health. Whether you're a practitioner, researcher, or someone tracking your own autonomic health, there's something in this episode that will change how you think about what your nervous system is doing. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK 1. HRV and the Recovery Gap: When Physiology and Mental Health Walk Different Paths Publication: Frontiers in Psychiatry Authors: Wendy Insalaco, Charlotte Clapham, Brett Gelino, Jami Mayo Barney, Brianna Billings, Jennifer D. Ellis, J. Gregory Hobelmann, Andrew S. Huhn, Vadim Zipunnikov, Jill A. Rabinowitz KEY FINDING: In fifty-nine individuals undergoing residential substance use disorder treatment, resting heart rate, heart rate variability, and self-reported stress, anxiety, and depression all tended to improve over the first month. However, at the individual level, physiological improvement and mental health improvement did not reliably co-occur — fewer than half of participants with improving physiological metrics showed concurrent improvements across all mental health domains. Significance: This finding challenges the assumption that wearable physiological metrics and subjective mental health assessments are capturing the same recovery signal. For clinicians and treatment providers, it suggests that both dimensions of recovery must be monitored independently, and that physiological improvement should not be interpreted as a proxy for psychological wellbeing in early recovery. → Read full study: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1755153 2. The Clock is Broken: Circadian HRV Disruption in Heart Failure Publication: Biomedicines Authors:Natalia Buitrago-Ricaurte, Andre J. Riveros, Rafael González Niño, Liliana Otero, Juan David Meléndez, Alain Riveros-Rivera Key Finding: In eighty-six patients with cardiac remodeling compared to eighty-six controls, twenty-four-hour autonomic monitoring with Cosinor modeling revealed not only reduced overall heart rate variability but blunted circadian amplitude and phase shifts in autonomic modulation — a loss of the normal day-night rhythm of sympathovagal balance. Significance: This study highlights that the timing and rhythm of autonomic dysfunction may matter as much as its average level. Circadian HRV profiling may provide diagnostic and prognostic information in heart failure patients beyond what short-term or snapshot measurements offer, and opens therapeutic avenues targeting circadian autonomic restoration. → Read full study: https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines14051054 3. Moving More Matters Most When It's Hardest: Physical Activity and HRV in Young Men Publication: Physical Activity and Health Authors: Jaakko Tornberg, Tiina Ikäheimo, Kaisu Kaikkonen, Riitta Pyky, Marjukka Nurkkala, Arto Hautala, Timo Jämsä, Raija Korpelainen Key Finding: Across three thousand three hundred and eighty-nine adolescent men, higher physical activity was significantly associated with higher RMSSD across all body mass...

    This Week In HRV - Episode 43
See All (106)

3.5
out of 5
10 Ratings

About

Welcome to the Heart Rate Variability Podcast where we discuss the research and applications of heart rate variability.

Information

You Might Also Like