Following the heart

Abstract

Resting heart rate (RHR) and heart rate variability (HRV) reflect the autonomic control of cardiac chronotropic activity, and they associate with cardiovascular fitness, acute and chronic health status, and mental stress. Relatively low RHR and relatively high HRV are generally seen as marks of better health, performance, and recovery levels. Nevertheless, the values are highly individual and comparison between individuals is not straightforward. On the other hand, evolution of wearable devices has made it possible to follow the course of individual RHR and HRV as long-term time series, which in turn enables observation of how behavioral, societal and seasonal factors affect RHR and HRV at individual and population scale. In this article, data measured by the Oura ring is used to study how alcohol and training affect these values, and moreover, how societal and seasonal factors affect us as a population.