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HRV monitoring (Read 132 times)

itake8ez


    After monitoring my HRV over the last few weeks, I'm left wondering what to make of it.  First I had the Ithlete, then I got the sweetBeat App.  I'm just baffled at the variations I get from both.  Just this morning, i had a reading of 95 sitting down, got up and immediately took a reading standing up with the same app. and got a reading of 38, did another reading right after and got a reading of 51.  I notice that my HR goes up by some 30 beats from sitting to standing. I want to understand what could cause such fluctuations.  One thing I don't like with both apps is the inhale/exhale ratios because the breaths seem too short for me.  For the record, im not stressed, the readings are always within 15 minutes of waking and i train at MAF.  Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

      Really wonder about it's accuracy. How about you take the old fashioned pulse test with a watch with a second hand and compare.

      Get off my porch

      RunninOnion


        After monitoring my HRV over the last few weeks, I'm left wondering what to make of it.  First I had the Ithlete, then I got the sweetBeat App.  I'm just baffled at the variations I get from both.  Just this morning, i had a reading of 95 sitting down, got up and immediately took a reading standing up with the same app. and got a reading of 38, did another reading right after and got a reading of 51.  I notice that my HR goes up by some 30 beats from sitting to standing. I want to understand what could cause such fluctuations.  One thing I don't like with both apps is the inhale/exhale ratios because the breaths seem too short for me.  For the record, im not stressed, the readings are always within 15 minutes of waking and i train at MAF.  Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

         

        I've been using ithlete since late last year and find it to be very informative.

         

        I understand your comment about the times to inhale and exhale not fitting into your natural rhythm. I found that I have to inhale quickly and, as the docs suggest, purse my lips when I exhale.

         

        The other issue is to, again as the docs state, take your readings in the same position. I always take my heart rate first and then I sit up, hold the iPhone close to my chest and take my ithlete reading in that position.

         

        What I have found to be anomalous is when I start up ithlete and it's reading my heart rate at twice the actual rate. When that happens I simply quit the application and relaunch it.

         

        Good luck with ithlete!

        itake8ez


          The other issue is to, again as the docs state, take your readings in the same position. I always take my heart rate first and then I sit up, hold the iPhone close to my chest and take my ithlete reading in that position.

           

          Runninonion: do you take your HRV standing up or sitting down?  Cause that's what I'm struggling to understand.  My HRV seems to be considerably lower, way lower, than what I think it "should" be when I'm standing.  And that's why I'm concerned.  Because how can I get reading in the 90's sitting calmly, and then a 40 to 50 drop as soon as I stand up, I was under the assumption that a 10 point drop is what's "normal" between sitting and standing.  I think my question to everyone monitoring HRV is: How much does your HRV change between your sitting and standing position?

          RunninOnion


            I take my RHR with Azumio's "Heart Rate" app. At that point, I'm recumbent. I then sit up, hold my iPhone near my chest and take my HRV reading.

             

            From the docs at this URL:

            http://myithlete.com/FAQ.html#faq11

             

            "Standing vs. supine measurement
            First and foremost, consistent measurements are more important than position. This is because each position appears to provide important data regarding training status. Therefore, pick a position and stick to it 100% of the time for your measurements to be meaningful. Switching positions from day to day will provide skewed data and affect daily ithlete colour indications.

            Most users can take their ithlete HRV measurement sitting down.

            Extremely fit endurance athletes and individuals with low resting heart rates (<50bpm) are advised to measuring HRV in a standing position. HRV research studies have found that HRV is distorted when lying down in people with very low resting HR (50 and under). Standing (or even sitting) will raise this by a few bpm because your heart has to work a little more to pump blood uphill. However if you find this uncomfortable or would prefer to sit during measurements that is fine – just be consistent!"

             

            I've gotten consistent readings sitting even though my RHR ranges between 39 and 43 BPM.

             

            Re. "everyone monitoring HRV" - you mean there's more than just you and me?  ;-)

             

            BTW, any chance you're using FirstBeat Athlete, as well?

            itake8ez


              Thanks for the feedback Runninonion.  I'm not familiar with FirstBeat.  I use Sweetbeat.

              ErnieDK


                Hi RunninOnion,

                 

                I am trying to dig in to HRV monitoring.

                I have a Polar RS800 HRM which records r+r intervals - and I have a 14 days test version of FirstBeat Athlete active these days.

                But I am also frustrated about inconsistent readings.

                 

                Do you have some insider tips what to focus on?

                 

                Best regards,

                ErnieDK

                zonykel


                  Some of you are too cool to spell out HRV :-)

                   

                  I think that if you're going to measure HR variability, you should use a HR monitor instead of an app.

                   

                  I recall reading in "total heart rate training" about this. I don't recall if the author called it HRV. One other measurement the author recommends is to measure HR immediately after a workout and then after a rest period (1 minute or so, I don't remember exactly). If the delta is greater than a certain number of heart beats, you're good to go. If the delta is too low, then there are some health issues going on.

                  RunninOnion


                    "Some of you are too cool to spell out HRV :-)"

                    Hache  Are Vee perhaps?

                     

                    HRV is the acronym for "heart rate variability".

                     

                     

                    "I think that if you're going to measure HR variability, you should use a HR monitor instead of an app."

                    Some HRM's (heart rate monitors, right?), capture HRV. The high end Polar and Suunto units do it out of the box, the Garmin 910 and 610 have to be tweaked, and the 620 does it out of the box.

                    An HRM traditionally reports the number of beats per minute while HRV is the time interval, measured in milliseconds, between successive heartbeats. HRV is interpreted to indicate the relative "health" of your heart. When HRV drops, that will tend to indicate that the heart muscle has been weakened. As the heart recovers, the interval between contractions will vary more.

                     

                    "I recall reading in "total heart rate training" about this. I don't recall if the author called it HRV. One other measurement the author recommends is to measure HR immediately after a workout and then after a rest period (1 minute or so, I don't remember exactly). If the delta is greater than a certain number of heart beats, you're good to go. If the delta is too low, then there are some health issues going on."

                    You're describing what is commonly referred to as the "recovery rate". As you state, taking it after a workout provides an indicator of the level of cardio fitness. Going back quite a few years, I recall learning about using the "step test" as a good means of determining recovery rate.

                     

                    One of the fascinating things about HRV is how far the good folks at FirstBeat have taken the technology. Garmin et al have been using FirstBeats algorithms for years — these are the folks who have come up with the "TE" (training effect) values that some HRM's provide, for example.

                     

                    There much more data in HRV, however, and that's what FirstBeat Athlete is all about. In addition to storing info from FIT files, FBA (another TLA!) provides more accurate information about calorie estimates, VO2, EPOC, and % of fat consumed. All of that information, and more, is displayed visually. In terms of training, FBA generates a schedule that displays the recommended level of exertion, based on your fitness and on the fitness level you want to achieve. Those algorithms are used (or ones similar, perhaps) in the Garmin 620 when it provides a recovery values including the one that pops up soon after you start running as well as the value that appears when you complete a run.

                     

                    The app I use for direct HRV monitoring is called "iThlete" (http://myithlete.com) and I started using it a year ago. I started running in June 2011 (after losing 95 pounds in 7 months) and improved quickly but, unfortunately, got hit with a string of injuries throughout 2012 (not doing any exercise for 25 years and being 300 pounds for a few of those made matters worse).

                     

                    I turned to iThlete and FBA to help me understand how I was stressing my body. The outcome was excellent - after having 4 significant injuries in 2011, I have had zero overuse injuries.