Sleep
Heart Rate Variability (HRV)
Heart rate variability (HRV) is the variation in time between heartbeats; your seven-day trend—not anyone else's score—signals whether to train hard or recover today.
Heart rate variability (HRV) is the small change in time between one heartbeat and the next. Your nervous system uses that variation to shift between stress and calm; more variation usually means you can train harder, while a dip below your personal baseline often follows poor sleep, heavy sessions, alcohol, or illness.
One low morning after leg day is normal—compare your seven-day average to your own history, not another person's score. Measure at the same time daily, ideally right after waking, before coffee or exercise.
Pair HRV with sleep, soreness, and how you feel rather than treating one number as a diagnosis.
Common questions
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Is higher HRV always better?
Higher HRV than your personal baseline usually means stronger recovery readiness, but one spike or dip matters less than your seven-day trend. Compare your readings to your own history, not other people's scores.
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When should you measure HRV?
Measure at the same time each day, ideally right after waking and before coffee or hard movement. Overnight readings from a consistent wearable also work if you use one device and routine.
Related terms
Put Heart Rate Variability (HRV) into practice
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