Health
Heart Rate Variability (HRV) Score Interpreter
What your HRV score means for recovery, stress, and training readiness.
In this article
What is Heart Rate Variability?
HRV measures the variation in time between consecutive heartbeats (in milliseconds). Counterintuitively, higher variability = better. A variable heart is a healthy, adaptable heart. Low HRV indicates fatigue, illness, or stress.
Your baseline is what matters
Absolute HRV values are less important than your personal baseline. An elite athlete might have a 90ms HRV; a sedentary person might have 40ms. What matters is whether you're above or below your own average.
⚡ CalcWolf Insight
HRV declines ~2% per year of age on average. Elite endurance athletes have HRVs 30–50% above age-matched norms. Alcohol consumption drops HRV by 30–40% the next morning — more reliably than any other lifestyle factor.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good HRV number?▾
For a 35-year-old: 50–60ms is average, 70ms+ is excellent. But compare yourself to your own baseline, not population norms. Trends matter more than absolute values.
What affects HRV besides fitness?▾
Sleep quality (biggest factor), alcohol (even 1-2 drinks reduces HRV by 15-30% the following day), stress and anxiety, hydration, illness, age, and time of day. HRV is highest in the morning after quality sleep and lowest after poor sleep, heavy exercise, or alcohol consumption.
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