Heart Rate Recovery: How to Calculate Heart Rate Recovery

Heart rate recovery (HRR) looks at the decrease in the number of beats per minute over the course of one minute after a workout. The variation of time between each heartbeat, known as heart rate variability, shows how responsive your body is to both the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.

For those looking to improve their cardiovascular health, heart rate recovery is an indicator of heart health. Along with other factors, heart rate recovery can help predict cardiovascular health, cardiovascular diseases, and the risk of heart failure. A faster heart rate recovery can be a sign of better cardiovascular fitness, while a slower recovery of heart rate signifies a lower physical fitness level.

Your heart rate is influenced by more than your heart pumping blood throughout your body. The vagal tone and the autonomic nervous system, which includes the sympathetic nervous system and parasympathetic nervous system, work together to maintain cardiovascular health and promote heart rate recovery.

• Vagal tone: The vagus nerve carries signals from the digestive system to the brain, extending from the brainstem through the neck and down to the abdomen. The vagus nerve’s activity is represented through the vagal tone. To stimulate the vagus nerve, practice slow deep breaths into the belly. As the heart rate decreases after activation, there is a vagal reactivation.
• Sympathetic nervous system: This system prepares the body for stressful activities and emergencies. The sympathetic nervous system is more active during recovery as it works with the body’s adrenaline and keeps your heart rate up for several hours after training.
• Parasympathetic nervous system: This system deals with returning the body to its routine state by slowing the heart rate, relaxing the sphincter muscles, and increasing intestinal and glandular activity.

To track fitness level improvement, check your heart rate recovery twice a week during physical activity by following these steps:

1. 1. Record your baseline resting heart rate. Before working out, record your normal heart rate by holding two fingers to your pulse on your wrist or neck, and count the number of beats for sixty seconds. Write that number down.
2. 2. Record your pulse after cessation of exercise. Stop exercising and check your heart rate to find your maximum heart rate. Record that number.
3. 3. Record your heart rate one minute later. Wait one minute post-exercise, then record your heart rate.
4. 4. Subtract to find your recovery heart rate. Subtract the third number from the second number. The result is your heart rate recovery time.
5. 5. Use a heart rate monitor. To easily record and track your heart rate during aerobic activity, you can use apps and wearable smart watches.

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