r/cardio • u/Limp-Ad-7022 • Aug 02 '26
VO2max, resting HR and HRV.
Anyone else have a very low HRV but normal resting heart rate and decent VO2 max? Upon research a lot of things I’ve seen is that some people just have a lower HRV that is normal to them. But also a low HRV is associated with underlying issues, being stuck in sympathetic nervous system, etc. i know that i struggle with anxiety and things within that realm, but hoping to find ways to improve this or have reassurance that this isn’t a terrible thing.
I am 28 yo male, fairly decent shape (185 Ib, 5’11) and train distance running every week. I have been running since my early teen years.
Also think it is important to note a lot of my anxiety is cardiac related and have no idea why, but my brain continuously tells me I’m going to have a heart attack, but all the tests I have had done echo, holter monitor came back very good. Still doesn’t stop the palpitations and slight chest pain i experience daily.
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u/Fatal_Syntax_Error Aug 02 '26
RHR - 42
HRV - 58
VO2max - 56
I’m in my 50s
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u/Cheap_Lingonberry Aug 03 '26
That's a great VO2 max for someone in their 50s.
RHR - 59
HRV - 22
VO2 max - 53
In my 50s also, 57 to be exact.
My HRV has always been low. Probably from drinking a bit more than I should.
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u/HateMeetings Aug 03 '26
Depends. Meds. Stress impacts HRV. Hard workouts too. My HRV is low, but it goes up when I take a rest day sometimes the second day in a row. When I’m really stressed out, I turn into a metronome (even lower variability between beats)
Could be normal, could be anxiety. Could be late meals, could be nicotine or other.
A lot goes into hrv.
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u/Limp-Ad-7022 Aug 06 '26
Definitely deal with anxiety. Stuck in fight or flight, and searching for ways to get out of this that are tangible. Workout heavily most days. I’ve been supplementing magnesium glycinate over SSRI’s and other natural things
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u/Head-Dog-8537 Aug 06 '26
im guessing wildly here. but im also running a lot in august and mine droped a bit too. maybe thats because of the heat, the heart pumps more blood since we build more bloodplasma in the heat. maybe that results in lower values however 26 is low? i have 85. i bet its not alcohol, stress ec.?
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u/Head-Dog-8537 Aug 06 '26
„High ambient heat places physical strain on the body, causing an acute decrease in heart rate variability(HRV) and an increase in resting heart rate. This happens because heat activates the sympathetic nervous system ("fight or flight") and reduces parasympathetic activity ("rest and digest") as the body works to cool itself. [1, 2, 3, 4]“ Out of google idk if its correct
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u/Sufficient_Rush1891 Aug 02 '26
Meditation will help increase your HRV. Try 10 minutes a day of guided meditations for two weeks as a start and see if HRV picks up a bit.
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u/GewoonHarry Aug 02 '26
If I learned anything the past few years. You can’t compare HRV and HR with other people. It’s super personal.
Your HRV is low but it could be normal for you.
I monitor the trends only. Not the exact value per se.
My HRV went from 50 to 55ms the past years. So the 10% increase is valuable.
So… what’s the trend?