I’m pausing regularly scheduled programming to bring you my newest favorite biofeedback app.
If you have an Apple Watch, I think it’s worth checking out StressWatch. In fact, after trialing it for a couple of months,
I’ve started recommending it to clients.
StressWatch measures your heart rate variability (HRV)—the variation in time between heartbeats. HRV has been correlated with a responsive, adaptable nervous system and our ability to shift into states of rest and recovery.
With a relatively inexpensive annual subscription (just under $3/month), StressWatch continuously tracks your stress levels using HRV measurements. You can set it to alert you when it’s time to slow down, take a few breaths, and engage in some regulation strategies. Or, if you’re a data nerd like me, you can add a complication to your Apple Watch face and see your readings in real time.
What am I noticing?
- I can see the impact of the headaches that have been showing up all too frequently thanks to my sedentary work.
- It detects and helps me interpret the difference between the kind of tired that needs recovery and the kind that can be pushed through.
- It’s been a useful addition to my commitment to do energy check-ins throughout the day so that I can place regulation strategies in all the right places.
- It’s shown me just how impactful my favorite breathwork and meditation practices are when it comes to turning things around quickly.
- It’s revealed that there are certain times of day when my best strategy is simply to take 10.
Paired with another app (one I’m still testing in the free version, so I’m not ready to recommend it yet), it also helps me understand when I’m fully recovered from workouts so I’m not creating unnecessary cortisol spikes by doing too much.
Because, as you know, I love me some tennis, walks, yoga, Pilates, hiking, biking, gardening—you name it. I’m happiest when I’m moving and out in nature.
Imagine getting real-time, biologically based feedback that lets you know when it’s time to stop and take better care of yourself.
Imagine having confirmation that your calming practices are actually working on a physiological level—not just trusting your perception (which matters too, of course).
That’s pretty affirming, right?
Let me know if you decide to check it out.
Image caption: See that little kitty-cat flower? There are lots of complications you can choose for your watch screen, and as a cat person, I obviously picked the cat. The flower means I’m zen as can be—even while writing this newsletter and digging into my workday.
That’s what I’m talking ’bout!
Love, Renee