Pulse

According to a paper published in the scientific journal Frontiers, heart rate variability (HRV) is linked to “exceptional longevity.”

The metric was also mentioned in Netflix’s Don’t Die, a documentary focusing on Bryan Johnson, a multimillionaire obsessed with living forever, through sometimes-controversial means.

Unusual as the wealthy man’s methods can sometimes be, though, experts seem to think HRV does help to indicate health on a population level, even if many debate its relevance in most medical and personal settings.

Way back in 2010, researchers found that “longevity depends on maintenance of good autonomic function, particularly HRV–PF”, but NHS cardiologists and Harvard Health say it’s unclear whether measuring it on an individual level is actually helpful.

So, what is heart rate variability, and why do some health experts think that measuring it might not be as useful for us as you’d think?

What is heart rate variability?

Heart rate variability (HRV)

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