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How to Measure Your HRV
HRV is measured from the tiny gaps between heartbeats, so accuracy depends heavily on how directly a device senses each beat.
Chest straps: most accurate
Electrical chest straps read your heart's electrical signal directly, similar to a clinical ECG. They're the gold standard for HRV accuracy among consumer tools.
Wrist wearables
Devices like Oura, Whoop, Apple Watch, and Garmin use optical sensors (PPG) against your skin, usually overnight when you're still. They're convenient and reasonably consistent for tracking your own trend, if slightly less precise than a chest strap.
Phone camera apps
Apps that use your phone's camera against your fingertip can estimate HRV, but motion, lighting, and pressure make them the least reliable option: treat readings as rough estimates only.
Log readings from any device
Whatever device you use, IncreaseHRV subscribers can manually log daily HRV readings and see the trend over time, alongside their breathing practice, for $5/month.
Try the free breathwork toolRelated: what is HRV?, the 4-7-8 technique, HRV and sleep.