This Week In HRV Edition - Episode 16

This Week in Heart Rate Variability: Metabolic Syndrome, Nerve Blocks, EDS & Autonomic Health

In this episode of The Heart Rate Variability Podcast – This Week in HRV, we explore how the autonomic nervous system function connects metabolic disease, genetic disorders, targeted neural interventions, and the future of biofeedback science.

Episode Highlights

• How Metabolic Syndrome drives chronic sympathetic overactivation and reduced HRV

• Experimental evidence showing how the stellate ganglion block directly alters HRV and sympathetic tone

• New data validating dysautonomia in Ehlers–Danlos Syndrome using HRV and autonomic testing

• Why HRV is emerging as a critical clinical and research biomarker

• A preview of the 2026 AAPB Annual Scientific Meeting and why it matters for clinicians and researchers

Featured Studies & Resources

• Cureus (2025) — Autonomic Nervous System Dysregulation in Metabolic Syndrome
  https://www.cureus.com/articles/431819-autonomic-nervous-system-dysregulation-in-metabolic-syndrome-an-association-with-hypertension-and-cardiovascular-risk#!/

• Autonomic Neuroscience (2025) — Selective Sympathetic Action on HRV After Stellate Ganglion Block
  https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1566070225001298

• Cureus (2025) — Heart Rate Variability and Intrinsic Autonomic Coupling in Ehlers–Danlos Syndrome
  https://www.cureus.com/articles/429326-heart-rate-variability-and-intrinsic-autonomic-coupling-in-ehlers-danlos-syndrome?score_article=true#!/

• Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback (AAPB)
  About AAPB: https://aapb.org/about
  2026 Annual Conference: https://aapb.starchapter.com/meetinginfo.php?id=43&ts=1763415344

Key Takeaway

Heart rate variability is a universal marker of resilience, translating metabolic stress, genetic vulnerability, and neural interventions into measurable physiological signals. HRV is no longer just a wellness metric—it's a clinical and scientific lens into autonomic health.

Sponsor

This episode is sponsored by Optimal HRV, providing evidence-based tools for measuring and training heart rate variability for individuals, clinicians, and organizations. Now offering e-gift cards for HRV training, app access, and professional dashboards.
Learn more at www.optimalhrv.com