Heart Rate Variability is an important tool for monitoring your overall stress levels – from both running and life

Words Karen Weir

Heart Rate Variability or HRV is a really useful tool that gives you an objective measure of the level of stress your body is dealing with. This is especially important to runners as research has shown the more stress we are experiencing the more likely it is we will get injured or ill; stopping us from being able to participate in the very sport that for so many of us helps to relieve stress.

The problem is, as busy, active women we have become desensitised to life stress. We take it all in our stride, declaring ‘I don’t feel stressed’ because a lengthy commute, getting the kids to school on time, dealing with argumentative colleagues, skipping lunch or staying late at the office to finish a presentation all seem normal, everyday occurrences.

But each one of these, and practically every situation that arises during your day, are little micro-doses of stress, which add up to one huge hormonal surge of cortisol and adrenaline in your body.

Training stress

Now let’s throw into the mix the stress from running and training. Whether a beginner or experienced runner, we are usually trying to get better at our favourite sport. That might mean getting faster, running further or practising your technique to make you more efficient. But let’s be clear, training is another form of stress.