Assestment – NeuroPulse: (HRV)

Heart Rate Variability (HRV). Heart rate is the number of beats your heart makes per minute and the heart rate variability is the fluctuation in the time intervals between each heartbeat. Your heartbeat is controlled by the interaction between sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves…These two nerve systems come together in the sinoatrial node in the heart.

As you may know, stressors aren’t bad…we actually need stress to grow and survive, but we don’t want to have too many stressors or have stressors for too long because this can lead to an overworking of our sympathetic nervous systems (this means gas pedal stuck on). The good news is that our parasympathetic nervous system (controlled by the vagus nerve) helps unstick the gas pedal and calm the sympathetic storm in our bodies.

You may be asking…so, what? What does the HRV score tell us? Why does this matter? Well…by looking at the variability of the beats of your heart, we can analyze the function of your autonomic nervous system (ANS). The higher the variability the better. HRV allows us to observe your stress adaptability level based on the function of your ANS…we’re not talking about the amount of stressors or how you “feel” while under those stressors (although that plays a role), but rather your ability to adapt to those stressors and what happens physiologically in the body. There are five different zones you may fall into when looking at the HRV results.

 

-There are 5 different zones presented from the HRV graph you could fall into:
  • Zone 1… UPTIGHT – this is like when a car is stopped at a stop sign, revving the engine
  • Zone 2… EXHAUSTED – trying to drive with the parking brake on
  • Zone 3… DISTRESSED — trying to drive with an empty tank and brakes that are failing
  • Zone 4… WEAKENED — trying to drive with brakes that have seized
  • Zone 5… Body adapting physiologically very well to stress. Car in TIP TOP SHAPE!

How can chiropractic possibly help improve your HRV?! By detecting and correcting road blocks in your nervous system allowing the brain and body (and, vice versa) to communicate more clearly and efficiently. Clear. Concise. Chiropractic (the Revolution-type)!