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What is heart rate variability?

Why the gaps between beats matter more than a single BPM number — and what we can and cannot infer from them.

Basics4 min read

Beats are not metronomes

Your heart does not tick like a clock. The time between one beat and the next varies slightly — sometimes by milliseconds. Heart rate variability (HRV) is a summary of that variation.

A higher HRV often goes with states people describe as rested or recovered. A lower HRV often shows up during stress, poor sleep, or illness. These are associations, not guarantees — context matters.

What we measure

Health MindTrack derives HRV-related metrics from pulse waveform features captured on your phone. We focus on trends against your own baseline, not on labelling a single reading as “good” or “bad” against a population chart.

What we do not claim

HRV is a wellness signal. It is not a standalone test for any specific condition. We do not use HRV to tell you that something is wrong with your heart — that would be a regulated medical claim this product does not make.

If you want deeper context, see how we read signal quality and why your personal baseline matters.

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