Live Well Be Well with Sarah Ann Macklin | Health, Lifestyle, Nutrition Low HRV: Should You Worry? Making Sense of Baselines, Trends, and Daily Swings | Dr. Andy Galpin | Be Well Moments
Oct 27, 2025
Dr. Andy Galpin is a human performance scientist who sheds light on heart rate variability (HRV) in this discussion. He clarifies why HRV readings vary across devices and emphasizes the importance of establishing a personal baseline over 21–30 days. Galpin explains how factors like age, sex, and lifestyle influence HRV, particularly a midlife dip linked to menopause. Listeners learn that stability in HRV reflects resilience, while frequent swings might be concerning. Practical tips for consistent tracking and interpretation make this a must-listen for health enthusiasts.
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HRV Is Valid But Contextual
- HRV is a real health metric backed by decades of research and correlates with disease risk and mortality.
- Absolute HRV numbers are meaningless without device context and an individual's normal range.
Device Differences Break Comparisons
- Different wearables use different technologies and HRV calculations, so scores are not comparable across devices.
- Even using the same device, individual homeostatic ranges make cross-person comparisons unreliable.
Age, Sex, And Lifestyle Effects
- HRV changes with age and sex, but lifestyle explains much of the variation rather than age alone.
- Population curves can show temporary dips (e.g., around the menopause window) that later rebound.