In the past, I’ve written about several ways of tracking your Vagus (parasympathetic) or sympathetic functions. They’ve ranged from looking for signs like cold hand/cold feet, to loss of night vision or intolerance to bright lights. While these are all useful signs…up until now, we didn’t have a way to monitor vagal and autonomic function. We also didn’t have a way to measure and quantify sleep (one of the most important things to improve when trying to achieve a balanced autonomic system!). And, for those of use that deal with a lot of mental/emotional stress, or those of us who exercise a lot, I’ve always wanted a convenient tool for balancing sleep/recovery and physical/emotional stressors. This is key to improving autonomic function and thereby gut healing and gut function!
We now have that tool!
The tool I’m referring to is called Whoop. It’s a small electronic strap sensor device that constantly, 24/7, measures your heart rate variability. This is particularly significant at night, when HRV can be used to track the different stages of sleep and identify if you’re getting enough time in each of the crucial stages of sleep. The device is free; the company charges a monthly fee for the data processing and app use ($18-30/month depending on plan). All of the interpretive data is seen on your smartphone through a connected app.
I really believe that this will be the breakthrough we need in order to see the effect of interventions on autonomic function. So, if you’ve listened to me and started meditating or playing the didgeridoo, you will be able to see the effects of those sessions compared to when you’re paying your bills or at work, etc.
For full transparency, if you (please) follow the link provided below when you sign up, you will save $30 on your Whoop bill, and so will my wife Laura or I. Of course, after you sign up, you can share a link with your family or friends and also get credit toward monthly bills.
Here is the link to Whoop deal: https://www.talkable.com/x/GQpOFH
If you follow through and use it, please share your results!
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