On this week’s episode of Health is a Skill we’re talking all things HRV, or heart rate variability—the shift in timing between your heartbeats. It’s a topic that’s come into the limelight over the last few years, and for good reason: we’re all arguably more stressed than ever before and we need skills to measure, cope with, and manage that stress in a healthy way. Salim Najjar joins Todd for the latter part of this conversation, lending his expertise in nervous system regulation to today’s episode.
Humans have always had the innate ability to manage stress—it’s how we survived and evolved from hunter-gatherers that had to flee from saber-toothed tigers in order to survive. But today we’ve taken that same level of stress and transcribed it onto non-life threatening situations: think a negative email, parenting decisions, using social media, or just trying to get through the day. The result? We’re now more stressed than ever before, and our HRV shows that. Together Todd and Salim discuss what exactly HRV is, what your HRV number means (and why you shouldn’t compare that number with someone else’s), skills for managing your stress, and why putting those skills in place will lead to a longer, healthier, and happier life.
Follow Salim on Instagram at @thathrvguy and learn more about his approach to heart rate variability on his website: https://thathrvguy.com/.
Get access to Todd's free health resource: https://podtodd.com
Learn more about Stark at: https://www.stark.health
CHAPTERS
00:00 The Importance of Health Awareness
03:01 Understanding Heart Rate Variability (HRV)
05:53 The Autonomic Nervous System Explained
08:51 The Consequences of Chronic Stress
11:47 Perception and Stress Management
15:09 The Role of HRV in Emotional Resilience
17:59 Modern Life and Its Impact on HRV
21:12 Using Technology to Measure HRV
24:07 The Journey to Improve HRV
26:56 Somatic Awareness and Emotional Healing
29:46 The Connection Between Doing and Being
33:07 Final Thoughts on HRV and Personal Growth
Connect with Stark
Personalized inside‑out health programs at stark.health
Enjoying the show? Follow, rate, and review to help more listeners master the skill of health.
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
🤔 ABOUT Todd Vande Hei 🤔
Welcome to Todd Vande Hei's channel, where health mastery meets real-life transformation. Join Todd as he shares invaluable insights and practical tips to help you unlock your full health potential.
Whether you're struggling with chronic pain, seeking sustainable weight loss, or simply striving to live your best life, Todd's journey and expertise will inspire and empower you to take control of your health and well-being.
Join our community of health enthusiasts committed to making positive changes and thriving at every stage of life. Let's embark on this journey to vibrant health together!
DISCLOSURE
We focus on optimizing every aspect of your well-being. At Stark, our team of expert trainers, doctors, nutritionists and a complete medical support team, led by CEO Todd Vande Hei, is dedicated to helping you become the BEST version of yourself. We specialize in coaching executives, athletes, pop stars, astronauts and other noteworthy individuals in all forms of exercise, diet, lifestyle, stress management and personalized supplement protocols.
Our methodology is designed to tackle each facet of well-being comprehensively. We believe that optimal health encompasses ten key aspects, which...