top of page

43 FACTORS · 5 CATEGORIES · PEER-REVIEWED

What actually moves your HRV?

Every supplement, habit, exercise and nutrient with a measured effect on heart-rate variability, ranked by evidence strength, with the direction of effect and the dose that produced it. No guessing, just data.

Biggest controllable hit

dose-dependent

−13ms

RMSSD lost at the highest drinking level. Even one drink lowers HRV, and being young and fit does not protect you.

Pietilä et al. 2018 · JMIR Mental Health

43

Factors analysed

23

That raise HRV

13

Strong-evidence factors

29

Peer-reviewed sources

Quick Answers

The top research-backed picks across every category.

Protect First

Sleep

Key stat: Meta-analysis, n=549

Sleep loss lowered RMSSD, the number Fitbit and most wearables show, in a meta-analysis of 11 RCTs.

Category: Lifestyle

Best Exercise

HIIT

Key stat: NMA, 29 RCTs, n=1,317

#1 for RMSSD and SDNN in a network meta-analysis of 29 RCTs

Category: Exercise

Best Supplement

Ashwagandha (Witholytin)

Key stat: RCT, n=111

RMSSD rose 9% over 12 weeks while the placebo group fell 19%. It protects HRV under stress rather than raising it.

Category: Supplements

Best Nutrient

Vitamin D & B12

Key stat: Only if deficient

Being deficient in either is linked to lower HRV. No evidence topping up helps if your levels are already fine, so test first.

Category: Micronutrients

Quickest Impact

Slow Breathing (6/min)

Key stat: SDNN up by week 4

20 minutes a day at about 6 breaths a minute raised SDNN within 4 weeks, though RMSSD didn't change significantly.

Category: Lifestyle

Biggest HRV Killer

Alcohol

Key stat: RMSSD −2 to −13ms

RMSSD drops 2 to 13 ms per dose, and fitness doesn't protect you

Category: Lifestyle

Do More / Cut Back

The changes with real evidence behind them, with the dose that was tested and what it did. Tap any row for the full study details.

Do more

12 habits and supplements that raise HRV

  • HIIT 2–3 sessions/week, with recovery #1 for RMSSD and SDNN Strong evidence
  • Regular exercise Any structured training RMSSD up vs no training Strong evidence
  • Slow breathing 20 min/day at 6 breaths/min SDNN up after 4 weeks Moderate evidence
  • Resistance training 2–3 sessions/week #1 for HF power Moderate evidence
  • Cardio + strength 3–5 days/week #1 for LF power Strong evidence
  • Cold exposure 3 min cryotherapy (-110°C) RMSSD +54–85% short term Moderate evidence
  • HRV biofeedback 10–20 min, several times/week Positive across RCTs Moderate evidence
  • Time in nature 2+ hours in a forest Higher HF than city (n=280+) Moderate evidence
  • Ashwagandha 200 mg twice daily (Witholytin) Kept RMSSD from dropping Moderate evidence
  • L-Theanine 200 mg daily Blunts acute stress response Moderate evidence
  • Beetroot juice ~400 mg nitrate RMSSD +6.7 ms post-workout Moderate evidence
  • Vitamin D & B12 Only if you are deficient Low levels, lower HRV Moderate evidence

Show all 12

Show fewer

Cut back

7 things that pull HRV down

  • Sleep loss Short or missed nights RMSSD down (11 RCTs) Strong evidence
  • Alcohol Any amount; more drinks, bigger hit RMSSD −2 to −13 ms by dose Strong evidence
  • Smoking Including secondhand smoke HRV down by dose Strong evidence
  • Chronic stress Cumulative load, not one bad day Keeps fight or flight on Strong evidence
  • Dehydration Even mild, in the heat RMSSD and SDNN down Moderate evidence
  • Overtraining Watch your 7-day HRV average Falling HRV may flag overreaching Moderate evidence
  • High altitude Above ~2,500 m; reverses on descent HF drops (meta-analysis) Strong evidence

Show all 7

Only factors you can change, with strong or moderate evidence. Supplements with faded or patient-only results are left out; they stay in the full list below.

Get the Kygo app

Show fewer

Explore All Factors

Tap any factor to see mechanism, dosage, and source.

Lifestyle

18

Supplements

8

Exercise

6

Micronutrients

5

Demographics

6

Lowers HRV

Raises HRV

Protects HRV

You can't change these, but they explain your baseline. Two people can be equally healthy with very different HRV, so compare yourself to your own trend, not to someone else's number.

Lowers HRV

Age

HRV down with age

Evidence: Strong

Plain English

HRV naturally drops as you age, so compare yourself to your own baseline, not someone else's number.

Mechanism

Progressive loss of sinoatrial node pacemaker cells and reduced vagal nerve fiber density with aging.

Dosage / Context

Non-modifiable; compare to your own baseline

Source

Sammito 2024

Varies

Sex

HRV higher in women

Evidence: Strong

Plain English

Women typically have a stronger rest & digest tone. Differences narrow after 50.

Mechanism

Estrogen enhances vagal tone; testosterone promotes sympathetic activity. Menopause reduces HF power.

Dosage / Context

Non-modifiable

Source

Sammito 2024

Varies

Time of Day

HRV higher at night, lower in the morning

Evidence: Strong

Plain English

Your HRV naturally peaks overnight and dips in the morning, so only compare overnight readings to other overnight readings.

Mechanism

Suprachiasmatic nucleus drives 24h autonomic oscillation: parasympathetic peak during sleep, sympathetic peak at waking.

Dosage / Context

Compare overnight readings to overnight readings

Source

Sammito 2024

Lowers HRV

BMI / Body Fat

HRV down with higher BMI

Evidence: Strong

Plain English

Excess body fat suppresses HRV. Losing weight helps restore it.

Mechanism

Adipose-derived inflammatory cytokines impair vagal function; visceral fat particularly harmful via mechanical and hormonal effects.

Dosage / Context

Maintain healthy BMI; weight loss improves HRV

Source

Young & Benton 2018

Lowers HRV

Menstrual Cycle

HRV lowest before your period (n=1,004)

Evidence: Strong

Plain English

HRV drops after ovulation and is lowest in the days right before your period.

Mechanism

Vagal activity shifts across the cycle: higher in the follicular phase, lower in the luteal phase after ovulation.

Dosage / Context

Non-modifiable; track your cycle to put HRV in context

Source

Schmalenberger 2019

Varies

Genetics

Twin studies yes; gene studies no (n=6,740)

Evidence: Emerging

Plain English

Your genes probably matter, but researchers haven't pinpointed which ones. Don't blame genetics; lifestyle still dominates.

Mechanism

Twin studies show heritability ~40–50%, but GWAS (n=6,740) found no significant loci. Polygenic effects likely.

Dosage / Context

Non-modifiable; lifestyle dominates

Source

PMC11333334

Keep exploring

Vitamin B12

Lower HRV when deficient

Evidence: Moderate

Plain English

Being deficient is linked to lower HRV. No evidence topping up helps if your levels are already fine.

Mechanism

Essential cofactor for myelin synthesis and nerve conduction. Deficiency causes demyelination of autonomic fibers.

Dosage / Context

Only if deficient; RDA 2.4 mcg

Source

Lopresti 2020

Check it out on Amazon

Raises HRV

Vitamin D

Lower HRV when deficient

Evidence: Moderate

Plain English

Being deficient is linked to lower HRV. No evidence topping up helps if your levels are already fine.

Mechanism

VDR expression on cardiomyocytes and autonomic neurons; deficiency increases inflammatory cytokines.

Dosage / Context

Only if deficient; get levels tested first

Source

Lopresti 2020

Check it out on Amazon

Mixed

Omega-3 (EPA/DHA)

HF up, RMSSD unchanged (15 studies)

Evidence: Moderate

Plain English

Fish oil boosted one rest & digest measure (HF), but RMSSD, the number Fitbit shows, didn't change.

Mechanism

Membrane incorporation alters ion channel kinetics; anti-inflammatory effects via resolvin/protectin pathways.

Dosage / Context

1–2 g EPA+DHA daily

Source

Young & Benton 2018

Check it out on Amazon

Raises HRV

Zinc

Improved offspring HRV

Evidence: Emerging

Plain English

Interesting but niche: zinc during pregnancy improved the baby's HRV for years. Limited adult data so far.

Mechanism

Zinc-dependent enzymes in autonomic neurodevelopment; prenatal supplementation affects fetal ANS maturation.

Dosage / Context

RDA 8–11 mg; prenatal context

Source

PMC7231600

Check it out on Amazon

Mixed

Magnesium

HRV results inconsistent across studies

Evidence: Weak

Plain English

Results are inconsistent, likely because dose, form and duration vary so much between studies.

Mechanism

Natural calcium channel blocker; stabilizes cardiac membrane potential and modulates NMDA receptors.

Dosage / Context

200–400 mg elemental Mg daily

Source

Lopresti 2020

Check it out on Amazon

Keep exploring

Ashwagandha (Witholytin)

RMSSD up 9% vs down 19% on placebo (n=111)

Evidence: Moderate

Plain English

This one didn't boost HRV much but stopped it from dropping over 12 weeks, unlike the placebo. Also cut fatigue nearly in half (-46% vs -31% on placebo).

Mechanism

Adaptogenic withanolides modulate cortisol and reduce sympathetic overdrive, preserving vagal tone under stress.

Dosage / Context

200 mg twice daily (Witholytin extract)

Source

Smith 2023

Check it out on Amazon

Raises HRV

Ashwagandha (Zenroot)

Early HRV bump that faded (RCT, n=90)

Evidence: Moderate

Plain English

Quick early bump in HRV that faded. Stress and anxiety kept improving though, so still useful for mood.

Mechanism

Initial vagal stimulation via cortisol reduction; tolerance may develop for HRV-specific effects.

Dosage / Context

500 mg daily (Zenroot KSM-66 extract)

Source

Springer 2025

Check it out on Amazon

Raises HRV

Polyphenols

Anti-inflammatory; limited human HRV data

Evidence: Moderate

Plain English

Colorful plant compounds (berries, dark chocolate, green tea) fight inflammation, which helps your nervous system relax.

Mechanism

Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects reduce oxidative stress on cardiac autonomic neurons.

Dosage / Context

Dietary sources preferred; supplements vary widely

Source

PMC5882295

Raises HRV

Multivitamin

Slowed HRV decline (1 RCT, dialysis patients)

Evidence: Moderate

Plain English

Like Ashwagandha Witholytin, it protected HRV from declining rather than actively raising it. Evidence is from a single RCT on hemodialysis patients, not healthy adults, so take it with a grain of salt.

Mechanism

Corrects subclinical micronutrient deficiencies that impair autonomic nerve function.

Dosage / Context

Standard daily multivitamin

Source

PMC7231600

Check it out on Amazon

Raises HRV

GABA

Shifted toward rest mode (RCT, n=30)

Evidence: Moderate

Plain English

The brain's main 'calm down' chemical. Supplementing shifted the nervous system toward rest-and-recover mode.

Mechanism

GABAergic inhibition of central sympathetic outflow shifts autonomic balance toward parasympathetic dominance.

Dosage / Context

100–200 mg daily

Source

Taylor & Francis 2024

Check it out on Amazon

Raises HRV

L-Theanine

Blunts the acute stress response

Evidence: Moderate

Plain English

The calming amino acid in green tea. Lowers cortisol and takes the edge off your fight-or-flight response.

Mechanism

Crosses blood-brain barrier, increases alpha waves and GABA, reduces cortisol and sympathetic activation.

Dosage / Context

200 mg daily

Source

PubMed 16930802

Check it out on Amazon

Raises HRV

Beetroot Juice

RMSSD up 6.7 ms post-exercise (n=54)

Evidence: Moderate

Plain English

Nitrates boost nitric oxide, helping HRV bounce back quicker after workouts. Only studied in postmenopausal women so far.

Mechanism

Dietary nitrate → nitric oxide pathway enhances vascular function and parasympathetic reactivation post-exercise.

Dosage / Context

~400 mg nitrate (70 mL concentrated juice)

Source

Raimundo 2025

Check it out on Amazon

Raises HRV

Probiotics

Better HRV markers in hypertensive women

Evidence: Emerging

Plain English

Your gut talks to your brain via the vagus nerve. Specific strains (L. paracasei LPC-37, L. rhamnosus HN001, L. acidophilus NCFM, B. lactis HN019) reduced inflammation markers that correlated with better HRV in hypertensive women. Higher gut microbial diversity is also associated with higher SDNN.

Mechanism

Probiotic-driven colonization produces SCFAs (butyrate, acetate, propionate) that reduce inflammation and engage the vagus nerve. Higher gut microbial diversity associated with higher SDNN.

Dosage / Context

Multi-strain, CFU counts vary by product

Source

Frontiers Neurosci 2025

Check it out on Amazon

Keep exploring

HIIT

#1 for RMSSD and SDNN (29 RCTs, n=1,317)

Evidence: Strong

Plain English

The single best exercise type for improving HRV across the main metrics.

Mechanism

High-intensity intervals drive large cardiac output demands, stimulating vagal remodeling during recovery.

Dosage / Context

2–3 sessions per week, with adequate recovery

Source

Yang 2024

Raises HRV

Regular Exercise (any type)

RMSSD up vs no training (n=623)

Evidence: Strong

Plain English

Any structured training (cardio, weights, HIIT) raised RMSSD vs people who didn't train.

Mechanism

Regular training upregulates cardiac vagal tone and improves baroreflex sensitivity.

Dosage / Context

Any structured training program (cardio, weights or HIIT)

Source

Amekran 2024

Raises HRV

Combined (Aero + RT)

#1 for LF power (NMA)

Evidence: Strong

Plain English

Doing both cardio and weights gives complementary benefits. Best of both worlds for overall autonomic health.

Mechanism

Synergistic cardiovascular and neuromuscular adaptations optimize autonomic balance across frequency domains.

Dosage / Context

Mix of cardio and strength, 3–5 days/week

Source

Yang et al. 2024

Raises HRV

Resistance Training

#1 for HF power (29 RCTs, n=1,317)

Evidence: Moderate

Plain English

Lifting weights helps HRV, especially the rest & digest side. HIIT still ranked higher for RMSSD.

Mechanism

Post-exercise parasympathetic reactivation and chronic reductions in resting sympathetic tone.

Dosage / Context

2–3 sessions per week, progressive overload

Source

Yang 2024

Lowers HRV

Overtraining

HRV down with overreaching

Evidence: Moderate

Plain English

If your HRV keeps trending down during hard training, you may be doing too much. Less reliable in endurance athletes. Watch your 7 day average, not single nights.

Mechanism

Excessive training load without recovery causes chronic sympathetic activation and vagal withdrawal.

Dosage / Context

Monitor 7-day rolling HRV average to avoid

Source

Addleman 2024

Raises HRV

Yoga

RMSSD up (n=90, students only)

Evidence: Weak

Plain English

Yoga improved HRV and lowered anxiety, but the studies are few, small and only in students.

Mechanism

Pranayama (breathing) component may drive effects via respiratory sinus arrhythmia; asana effects less clear.

Dosage / Context

Regular practice; studied in students only

Source

Sharma 2025

Keep exploring

Sleep Loss

RMSSD down after sleep deprivation (11 RCTs, n=549)

Evidence: Strong

Plain English

Nothing surprising here. Bad sleep = bad HRV, and RMSSD (the number Fitbit shows) takes the hit.

Mechanism

Nocturnal parasympathetic dominance requires uninterrupted sleep architecture. Fragmented sleep elevates sympathetic tone.

Dosage / Context

Seen after sleep deprivation; protect 7–9 hours on a consistent schedule

Source

Zhang 2025

Lowers HRV

Alcohol

RMSSD down 2.0 / 5.7 / 12.9 ms by dose (n=4,098)

Evidence: Strong

Plain English

Even 1 drink lowers HRV. More drinks, bigger hit. Being young and fit does NOT protect you.

Mechanism

Ethanol suppresses vagal tone and activates sympathetic nervous system in dose-dependent fashion.

Dosage / Context

Any amount lowers HRV; more drinks, bigger hit

Source

Pietilä 2018

Lowers HRV

Smoking

HRV down by dose, including secondhand

Evidence: Strong

Plain English

Damages vagal tone directly. Even secondhand smoke at home or work lowers HRV.

Mechanism

Nicotine activates sympathetic ganglia; smoke particulates cause systemic inflammation damaging vagal nerve fibers.

Dosage / Context

Any exposure, including secondhand smoke at home or work

Source

Sammito 2024

Lowers HRV

Chronic Stress

HRV down with stress

Evidence: Strong

Plain English

Keeps your fight or flight system turned on. A common reason people have persistently low HRV.

Mechanism

HPA axis dysregulation with sustained cortisol elevation suppresses vagal tone and shifts autonomic balance.

Dosage / Context

Cumulative exposure; management is key

Source

Sammito 2024

Lowers HRV

Altitude

Sympathetic spike, HF drops above ~2,500m (meta-analysis)

Evidence: Strong

Plain English

Thinner air forces your body into fight-or-flight mode to keep oxygen flowing. HRV recovers when you come back to lower elevation. Don't panic about low readings at altitude. It's expected.

Mechanism

Hypoxia-driven sympathetic activation and reduced parasympathetic (HF) power. Chemoreceptor-mediated response to lower O₂ partial pressure.

Dosage / Context

Effect begins above ~2,500m; reversible on descent

Source

Frontiers Physiol 2025

Raises HRV

Slow Breathing (6/min)

SDNN up after 4 weeks (n=50); RMSSD unchanged

Evidence: Moderate

Plain English

Breathing at 6 breaths per minute hits your body's "resonance frequency." 20 min/day raised overall HRV, though RMSSD didn't change significantly.

Mechanism

Respiratory sinus arrhythmia at ~0.1 Hz resonance frequency maximizes baroreflex sensitivity and vagal output.

Dosage / Context

20 minutes daily at 6 breaths/min

Source

Chaitanya 2022

Check it out on Amazon

Raises HRV

Cold Exposure

RMSSD up 54–85% after one session (n=40)

Evidence: Moderate

Plain English

Cold shocks your vagus nerve awake. A 3 min cryotherapy session (-110°C) gave a big short-term HRV jump. Ice baths and cold showers weren't tested here.

Mechanism

Sudden whole-body cold triggers a reflex rise in vagal (parasympathetic) activity. HRV was measured once, 5 minutes after the session.

Dosage / Context

3 min whole-body cryotherapy at -110°C; short-term effect only

Source

Hausswirth 2013

Check it out on Amazon

Raises HRV

HRV Biofeedback

Effect sizes across RCTs

Evidence: Moderate

Plain English

Using real-time HRV data to train yourself to control your nervous system. Works for stress, anxiety, and sports.

Mechanism

Operant conditioning of baroreflex sensitivity through paced breathing at resonance frequency with visual feedback.

Dosage / Context

10–20 minute sessions, several times per week

Source

PMC10412682

Raises HRV

Forest Bathing

HF higher in forest vs city (n=280+)

Evidence: Moderate

Plain English

Being in nature measurably calms your nervous system. Not just 'feeling relaxed'; it shows up in the data.

Mechanism

Phytoncides (tree terpenes) and reduced sensory stressors lower cortisol and sympathetic activation.

Dosage / Context

2+ hours in forested environment

Source

PubMed 19568835

No clear effect

Caffeine

No effect on post-exercise RMSSD (meta-analysis, p=0.77)

Evidence: Moderate

Plain English

A meta-analysis found caffeine didn't change how fast RMSSD recovers after exercise.

Mechanism

Adenosine receptor antagonism raises alertness, but pooled data show no measurable effect on post-exercise vagal recovery.

Dosage / Context

~200 mg doses tested

Source

PMC11284693

No clear effect

Sauna

No HRV benefit beyond exercise alone

Evidence: Moderate

Plain English

HRV dips in the heat and rebounds during cooldown, but regular sauna use didn't add any HRV benefit beyond what exercise alone did.

Mechanism

Acute heat stress activates sympathetic response. Post-cooling parasympathetic rebound. Chronic adaptation unclear.

Dosage / Context

15–20 min sessions, 80–100°C

Source

Physiol Reports 2025

Raises HRV

Caloric Restriction

CR practitioners had HRV 20 years younger than age-matched controls (n=42)

Evidence: Moderate

Plain English

Eating ~30% below caloric needs while staying nutritionally complete helps your autonomic nervous system stay younger. Mechanism is reduced inflammation and improved insulin sensitivity (hormesis). Not the same as starvation: a meta-analysis found moderate CR doesn't raise cortisol, only fasting/starvation does. Combined with exercise the effect is even stronger.

Mechanism

Reduced inflammation and improved insulin sensitivity via hormesis. Caloric restriction without malnutrition preserves vagal tone and autonomic flexibility.

Dosage / Context

~25-30% caloric reduction while maintaining full nutrition

Source

PMC3598611

Lowers HRV

Dehydration

RMSSD and SDNN down, HR ~6 bpm up (n=68)

Evidence: Moderate

Plain English

Even mild dehydration (skipping 2 glasses of water over 4 hours in the heat) lowered HRV, raised heart rate ~6 bpm and raised anxiety.

Mechanism

Hypovolemia reduces venous return, triggering compensatory sympathetic activation and reduced parasympathetic outflow.

Dosage / Context

Even mild (~0.6% body weight lost); stay hydrated in the heat

Source

Young 2019

Raises HRV

Sexual Activity

Associated with higher resting HRV (n=120)

Evidence: Emerging

Plain English

Associated with higher resting HRV but causation is unclear. Healthier people may simply have more sex. Interesting signal but don't read too much into it yet.

Mechanism

Possible oxytocin-mediated vagal activation and stress reduction. Confounded by overall health status.

Dosage / Context

Observational; no dosage established

Source

Brody & Preut 2003

Raises HRV

Meditation

HF power up during a 20 min session (n=27)

Evidence: Weak

Plain English

20 minutes of nondirective meditation raised HRV while people were doing it. No special technique needed.

Mechanism

Reduces cortisol, shifts autonomic balance toward parasympathetic via prefrontal-amygdala regulation.

Dosage / Context

20 min session; HRV measured during meditation only

Source

Nesvold 2012

Check it out on Amazon

No clear effect

Intermittent Fasting

No RMSSD change (p=0.84)

Evidence: Weak

Plain English

The study behind the popular 16:8 claim found no significant change in RMSSD. There's no good evidence yet that a fasting window moves HRV either way.

Mechanism

Proposed: lower inflammatory load could support vagal tone, but this has not shown up in HRV data.

Dosage / Context

16:8 protocol tested; no HRV effect found

Source

PMC10045415

Raises HRV

Mediterranean Diet

HRV up with diet (1 study)

Evidence: Weak

Plain English

Anti-inflammatory foods (fish, olive oil, veggies) support a calmer nervous system. Diets heavy in saturated fat, trans fat and high glycemic carbs do the opposite.

Mechanism

Anti-inflammatory dietary pattern reduces systemic inflammation and oxidative stress on autonomic neurons.

Dosage / Context

Daily dietary pattern

Source

Young & Benton 2018

Lowers HRV

THC / Cannabis

Overnight RMSSD down 11–19 ms (pilot, n=18)

Evidence: Weak

Plain English

Suppresses your rest & digest system overnight. Sleep HRV took a clear hit the night of use, even in regular users.

Mechanism

CB1 receptor activation suppresses parasympathetic outflow during sleep, reducing nocturnal vagal tone.

Dosage / Context

Seen the night of use, even in regular users

Source

Gonzalez 2026

Keep exploring

Related tools.

More free, evidence-based tools to get the most out of your wearable.

Readiness score

↑ Validated

Recovery Score Explorer

Compare readiness and recovery scores across 12 wearables, and see which are actually validated.

Recovery · 12 wearables

Open

Impact in bpm

Resting Heart Rate Factors

37 factors that move your resting heart rate, sorted by their exact impact in bpm.

Recovery · 37 factors

Open

Graded by evidence

Supplements by Metric

Pick a wearable metric and see which of 27 supplements the research actually supports.

Nutrition · 28 sources

Open

Sources

All data sourced from peer-reviewed studies and meta-analyses.

Supplements

Smith et al. 2023: Ashwagandha (Witholytin) RCT

doi.org

Supplements

Thakkar et al. 2025: Ashwagandha Zenroot RCT

link.springer.com

Supplements

Maia et al. 2025: Probiotics & HRV in hypertensive women

frontiersin.org

Supplements

Badawy et al. 2024: GABA supplementation RCT

tandfonline.com

Supplements

Kimura et al. 2007: L-Theanine & stress

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Supplements

Raimundo et al. 2025: Beetroot juice in postmenopausal women

doi.org

Lifestyle

Sammito et al. 2024: Factors influencing HRV

doi.org

Lifestyle

Zhang et al. 2025: Sleep deprivation & HRV meta-analysis

doi.org

Lifestyle

Chaitanya et al. 2022: Slow breathing & HRV

doi.org

Lifestyle

Hausswirth et al. 2013: Cryotherapy & HRV

doi.org

Lifestyle

Nesvold et al. 2012: Meditation & HRV

doi.org

Lifestyle

Lehrer & Gevirtz 2014: HRV biofeedback review

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Lifestyle

Park et al. 2010: Forest bathing & HRV

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Lifestyle

Moro et al. 2023: Intermittent fasting & HRV

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Lifestyle

Pietilä et al. 2018: Alcohol & HRV

doi.org

Lifestyle

Gonzalez et al. 2026: THC & overnight HRV

doi.org

Lifestyle

Gonzalez et al. 2024: Caffeine & HRV recovery

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Lifestyle

Brunt et al. 2025: Sauna & HRV

physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Lifestyle

Brody & Preut 2003: Sexual activity & HRV

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Lifestyle

Frontiers Physiol 2025: Altitude & HRV meta-analysis

frontiersin.org

Lifestyle

Stein et al. 2012: Caloric restriction & HRV

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Lifestyle

Young et al. 2019: Mild dehydration & HRV

doi.org

Exercise

Yang et al. 2024: Exercise NMA

29 RCTs

Exercise

Amekran et al. 2024: Exercise training & HRV meta-analysis

doi.org

Exercise

Sharma et al. 2025: Yoga & HRV in students

doi.org

Exercise

Addleman et al. 2024: Overtraining & HRV

doi.org

Nutrition & Micronutrients

Young & Benton 2018: Diet, nutrition & HRV review

doi.org

Nutrition & Micronutrients

Lopresti 2020: Micronutrients & HRV review

doi.org

Demographics

Schmalenberger et al. 2019: Menstrual cycle & HRV meta-analysis

doi.org

Show all 29 sources

From the blog

Show fewer sources

Keep reading.

The long-form, evidence-based articles behind this tool.

HRV & Recovery

How to Improve HRV: 44 Factors Ranked by Evidence (2026)

Forty-four factors that affect heart rate variability, ranked by how strong the peer-reviewed evidence really is.

12 min read

Read

HRV & Recovery

Why Is My HRV Always Low?

There is no agreed normal to be below, the age charts online measure something else, and your wearable reports PRV, not HRV.

11 min read

Read

HRV & Recovery

Why Does Alcohol Crush Your HRV (and How Long Until It Recovers)

Even moderate drinking suppresses HRV for two to four days. How alcohol does it, and why recovery takes longer than you think.

7 min read

Read

This content is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before starting any supplement, exercise program, or lifestyle change.

Data sourced from peer-reviewed studies and meta-analyses. Last updated October 2026.

As an Amazon Associate, Kygo Health earns from qualifying purchases. Product links on this page are affiliate links; we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

New York, NY​

© 2025 by KYGO Health LLC Kygo Health LLC is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Consult your physician before making any health decisions.

bottom of page
Text summary of this page (tap to expand)

About this HRV factors tool

This free tool lets you explore 38 research backed factors that affect heart rate variability, spanning supplements, lifestyle, exercise, micronutrients, and demographics, ranked by evidence strength. No signup required.

It is built by Kygo Health. Kygo Health is an iOS and Android app that connects AI food logging to wearable data and shows how what you eat affects your sleep, HRV, resting heart rate, energy, and recovery. It syncs Oura Ring, Apple Health, Health Connect, Fitbit, Garmin, and WHOOP. Food logging, wearable syncing, and nutrition tracking are free, including your first 5 AI photo logs. Pro, which unlocks the correlation engine, costs $9.99 per month, $49.99 per year with a 7 day free trial, or $99.99 once for lifetime access. Kygo is a general wellness product, not a medical device.