HRV biofeedback training
Paced breathing against a live heart rate variability readout, a few minutes a day
Clip a sensor to a finger or earlobe and an app shows how much the gap between heartbeats is varying, then coaches slow breathing, roughly five seconds in and five out, until the readout turns green. Higher variability at rest tracks with a calmer nervous system, and the training teaches you to get there on demand. HeartMath makes the emWave and Inner Balance devices most people mean when they say this. Five to fifteen minutes a session; with practice the skill carries into stressful moments without the sensor.
Who backs it
Sorted by strength of stance
- Dave AspreyRecommends
Biohacker · Bulletproof Coffee
A certified HeartMath coach since 2010 and on the company's advisory board, he sets readers a six-week program: at least ten minutes once or twice a day on an emWave2, no missed days, to learn to switch off the fight-or-flight response. He calls it the simplest way to connect heart and brain, and sold the device in his own store.
Source: Dave Asprey blog: How to Biohack Your Courage Using the Wizard of Oz (and Heart Rate Variability)
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