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HEART RATE VARIABILITY (HRV)
Long, graceful breathing cycles have long been used as part of
meditation. Scientifically, this technique has been analysed and shown
to settle down a stressed autonomic nervous system. Both sympathetic
(flight-or-fight) activity and para-sympathetic (the brain’s efforts to
compensate) activity settle down dramatically using controlled, slowed
deep breathing techniques.
The heart speeds up with every breath in and slows down with every
breath out. This difference in heart rate is called Heart Rate Variability
(HRV). For example, a relaxed person using controlled breathing may
have a heart beat of 80 beats per minute while breathing in and as low
as 65 beats per minute while breathing out. The difference or “swing”
is about 15 beats per minute (bpm). When people get stressed, their
heart typically clamps as low as 5 bpm HRV and spikes sometimes as
high as 30 bpm HRV. This is abnormal activity and is rough on the
heart.
The HRV technique used in the DAVID PAL36 with CES is based on a
10 second breathing cycle (six breaths/minute, by inhaling slowly for 5
seconds and exhaling slowly for 5 seconds in an easy, relaxed breath).
When using HRV paced breathing, listen to the heartbeat generated by
the PAL36 with CES through the headphones. Inhale for two
heartbeats and exhale for two heartbeats (not your own heartbeats!).
All PAL36 with CES sessions begin at seven breathing cycles/minute
(28 heartbeats/min) and slow to six breaths /minute (24
heartbeats/min). This allows the user to breathe a little faster at the
onset of a session until he/she has had time to relax.
Summary of Contents for DAVID PAL36
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