However, if you’re not doing something active low HRV indicates your body is working hard for some other reason (maybe you’re fatigued, dehydrated, stressed, or sick and need to recover), which leaves fewer resources available to dedicate towards exercising, competing, giving a presentation at work, etc. There are times when this is a good thing–like if you’re running a race you want your body to focus on allocating resources to your legs (sympathetic activity) as opposed to digesting food (parasympathetic activity). On the other hand, if you have low heart rate variability, one branch is dominating (usually the sympathetic) and sending stronger signals to your heart than the other. This is a sign that your nervous system is balanced, and that your body is very capable of adapting to its environment and performing at its best. When you have high heart rate variability, it means that your body is responsive to both sets of inputs (parasympathetic and sympathetic). This causes a fluctuation in your heart rate: HRV. If your nervous system is balanced, your heart is constantly being told to beat slower by your parasympathetic system, and beat faster by your sympathetic system. Heart rate variability comes from these two competing branches simultaneously sending signals to your heart. The sympathetic nervous system (often called “fight or flight”) reflects responses to things like stress and exercise, and increases your heart rate and blood pressure. The parasympathetic nervous system (often referred to as “rest and digest”) handles inputs from internal organs, like digestion or your fingernails and hair growing. Your autonomic nervous system, which controls the involuntary aspects of your physiology, has two branches, parasympathetic (deactivating) and sympathetic (activating). Although HRV manifests as a function of your heart rate, it actually originates from your nervous system.
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