Wearables promise insights into health, but most people are left asking: what do the numbers really mean, and how do they help us live longer? Behind those heart rate variability (HRV) scores and recovery charts lie clues about hidden stressors, like food, alcohol, poor sleep, and even altitude, that quietly shape how long and how well we live.

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Torkil Færø, Norwegian physician, emergency doctor, and author of The Pulse Cure. With decades of experience treating patients and using HRV to decode the body’s stress response, he reveals how wearables uncover what standard medicine often ignores. We unpack why conventional training overlooks prevention, what HRV is able to measure, and how simple lifestyle shifts can add not just years, but quality years, to life.

"Heart rate variability is like watching your heart rate with a magnifying glass." ~ Dr. Torkil Færø

About Dr. Torkil Færø:

Dr. Torkil Færø is a Norwegian general practitioner, emergency physician, bestselling author, and documentary photographer. Over his 26-year career, he has treated nearly 1% of Norway’s population. His book The Pulse Cure is the world’s first to connect HRV data with lifestyle strategies. Fluent in eight languages and a passionate traveler, he has a unique perspective that blends medicine, global exploration, and human insight.

Connect with Dr. Torkil Færø:

- Website: https://thepulsecure.com 

- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.torkil 

- Book: The Pulse Cure: https://a.co/d/gHTd5pK 

Connect with Chris Burres:

- Website: https://www.myvitalc.com/ 

- Website: http://www.livebeyondthenorms.com/ 

- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisburres/ 

- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@myvitalc 

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisburres/