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3 Weeks of HRV Stress Readings

HRV Stress Readings Can Help You Look at the Holistic Fitness Picture

Garmin Connect HRV Stress 4 weeks report
The Garmin Connect HRV Stress Report is one more tool in Garmin’s tool chest. I use it prior to my indoor rides, to try and determine how best to proceed with my daily rides. If I have a high reading, a low sleep score, and a strained HRV Status, well, I’m goin’ back to bed.

I’m now 3 weeks in to taking a morning HRV Stress reading, and I’ve missed just a few days so far. It’s not fun, it’s probably 3 minutes where I wish I was doing something else or warming up for a bike ride, but it IS providing that ‘+1’ metric that can tell me whether I’m achieving my results, or if there’s something else going on that may require a day off, a lower intensity ride, or maybe just work to get some real stress out of my life.

HRV Stress and Life In General

Garmin Connect HRV Stress Explanation Page 1
I THINK this measurement is looking at my Heart Rate Variability as an “RMSSD“, which means “Root Mean Square of the Successive Differences”, or, ‘How Variable is Variable’?

If you’ve been reading this blog, or you know me, well, you know I’m a pretty reactionary individual and my right-brained ADD has led me to this point in life. I had a stable existence until 2010, when I got divorced and began trying to grow my studio. I left that location in 2012, opened two locations in retail spaces in 2013, got remarried in 2014, dealt with the loss of the studios in 2015 and 2017, became homeless in 2018 (thanks, Dallas DPD), and moved to Reno, NV in 2019.

Then, in late 2022, my wife and I relocated (Temporarily) to Pueblo, Colorado.  We almost immediately realized it was a mistake, and moved all the way back, to Sacramento, California. Since we arrived, we’ve lived in 3 Airbnb’s. In December, we bought a house that is a complete lemon. It’s been a struggle, figuring out how to make a living out here. We are broke, and we are broken. We are stuck here in this valley while we try to dig our way out of a house that is more shelter than home.

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That’s a LOT of STRESS.

I gained weight. I lost fitness. My bikes took months to come out of storage. We suffered the worst winter in Sacramento and Tahoe area in decades. Until recently, we had literally ridden outside TWICE since December. If this isn’t a midlife crisis, I can’t imagine what a real crisis really is. That’s why I’m so interested in what the Garmin Connect Features are providing. I’m actually seeing some great results. My clients are as well. But we are all riding LESS, and riding LESS INTENTLY than before. This is anathema to my three decades of pushing watts, pushing w/kg, pushing some PHYSICAL RESULT, instead of LISTENING TO A PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSE.

I mentioned in my previous post, that I was using HRV Status overnight to try and ensure better preparation for daily rides. This is step 2. I get up, make coffee, look at my overnight HRV Status, Glance at my Sleep Score (The Muse EEG seems to be more accurate), and then, while it’s still quiet and I’m still processing that magic first cup, I put my chest strap on, wait 30 seconds, stand up, breathe in and out for 30 seconds, then tap the ‘MEASURE’ button and watch the timer count down.

HRV Stress LEVELS

HRV Stress Explanation Page 2
This is the chart for Garmin’s HRV Stress values. I really don’t know how I’ll ever get below a 30. Maybe when I hit the lottery, or the house gets finished, or the client load is full, or….

I really ought to run a video of the recording process, but for you readers and viewers, you’d probably end up sticking a needle in your eye, out of boredom. IF I had the ability to record this information, one would see an initial low reading, then a rise, then a plateau, then maybe a fall. If I get to 64 beats per minute, I’m usually happy, but it doesn’t stay there.

Tight Band HRV Status
I usually do get called out for being an uptight, overly passionate grouch, but I really thought I was making gains in the sleep department. Maybe not.

A professional coach who knows MUCH MORE about HRV than I do, Jim Galanes, commented about my earlier post on HRV Status. He mentioned that my HRV range was both ‘Tight’ and ‘Low’, meaning high stress. My resting HR, which was once in the low 30’s, is now in the mid 50’s. I’m not sure whether this is just a product of age, or if it’s stress related, but I’d love to get six hours of sleep every night. Right now, it’s maybe 4 before a 60-90 minute awakening, and finally, a return to sleep, before waking up right at 3:58am, just before the alarm goes off.

HRV Stress – What’s Holding Me Back?

I think my parasympathetic nervous system is probably holding me back. I AM happy about the fitness gains I’ve made have been DESPITE this handicap. There is always the hope that things will improve, that income will be steady, that my wife will be happier, that the house repairs will approach completion. What’s even more frustrating is that I’ve made investments to improve these values. A better mattress… a better pillow… 96 ounces of water or more every single day…. no beer or wine. I’ve given up sugary drinks and I don’t drink caffeine after 2pm.

HRV Stress Explanation Page 3
Try doing ANYTHING for 3 minutes without distraction. It’s not easy. My mind wanders. I think about past and upcoming performances and the house.  My wife’s well-being pops up, and I drift to her family, my family, the dog. The second I get a solid week of low HRV Stress scores, I’ll make sure to write about it. Maybe that will lead to the ensuing expectation of good workouts…….

As I write this, my wife is dealing with an attempt to access healthcare. We’ve spent 90 minutes on the phone, for three days, just to find a General Practitioner. The website is out of sync with the provider’s list. There are literally no doctors available. Everything has become more complicated as we’ve aged. I haven’t even begun to investigate the DAILY STRESS that the Garmin Fenix is measuring, so maybe that’s just it – a Holistic attack on a body, from work, family, training, performance, society. There has to be a middle ground somewhere. Maybe Garmin’s HRV Stress is telling me that it’s not here, not now.

This is why the Sociopaths Keep Winning. They sleep, and sleep well, because they have no conscience.

I just want 7 hours of sleep, a healthy heart, and the fitness for some good cycling adventures with my wife.

Thanks for Reading, and ENJOY THE RIDE!

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Garmin Connect HRV Status – Bad Night

The Garmin Connect HRV Status Predicted the Obvious – Acute Illness

Garmin HRV Overnight Crisis
Take a look at the 3 values this Garmin HRV Status Graph is showing; Empirical baseline for me is about 26-31ms. The 7-day rolling average is about 26ms. HOWEVER – It’s the THIRD metric, the OVERNIGHT AVERAGE , that led me to cancel my workout for the day. Furthermore, the increased quality and quantity of my workouts over the last week led to a lower 7-day rolling average, with coincided with an over-reach in my overall training volume.

I have been wearing a Garmin Fenix 6 Pro for at least two years. I gave up wearing a watch at some point in the late 1990’s I think. Getting a watch on my right wrist (I am left-handed) took a while to get used to again. But one of the most important features in the watch is the overnight HRV Status.

The Fenix 6 uses NIRS to measure HRV status when I am asleep. It uses this information to count the minutes I spend in DEEP, LIGHT, and REM Sleep. It also records my waking moments.

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I HAVE OBSESSED OVER MY SLEEP QUALITY AND QUANTITY FOR A DECADE

I first began to notice that I was a poor sleeper in my mid 30’s. Allen Lim, a famous coach and product developer, talked in an old CyclingNews, about employing the ZEO Sleep Coach with his athletes on Grand Tours. Apparently one of the top cyclists in this current era, Tadej Pogacar, has the ability to sleep deeper, longer, than his peers, and this reflects in his ability to perform in these epic races. Mikaela Shiffrin, the record-breaking skier, apparently has the ability to sleep TEN HOURS, and NAP between runs on the course! This HAS to yield a positive effect!

I studied my sleep with that ZEO Sleep Coach until it fell apart and the company went bankrupt. More recently, I purchased a MUSE S EEG sleep tracker to replace it. I LOVE the information it gives me, but I have had a terrible time INTERPRETING THE DATA INTO USEFUL APPLICATION. In other words, I still haven’t conquered good sleep, and now that I am older, it’s hampering my performance.

FINDING AN ANSWER

One of the foremost experts in HRV Analysis is Dr. Marco Altini. He created an app that measures HRV in the morning, and comes up with a score to help determine the best approach to training that day. Honestly, he’s not a big fan of the Garmin Connect HRV Status, but I respect his contribution to the base of knowledge.

Dr. Altini QUIT DRINKING ALCOHOL.

His overnight HRV Values improved, his sleep improved, his workouts improved, and his weight improved. EVERYTHING improved.

SO…… For Lent, I (mostly) gave up drinking alcohol.

Now, I’m not going to claim to be a ’12-stepper’. I am not ‘Sober’. I just quit drinking alcohol every night, and focused on exercise and sleep.  You know what? My HRV Status improved. As it improved, my workouts improved. As the workouts improved, the weight has begun to improve. For four weeks, I have been about 95% alcohol-free, and this has led to better everything. Combine that with about 96-112 ounces of water every day, and things are starting to happen.

Until last night.

HRV Status Indicates Illness

My wife and I ate dinner out, and we combined it with drinks. I had not had a drink in about 10 days. The new restaurant, combined with the alcohol, sent my overnight HRV Status from a Baseline of 26 to 31 milliseconds between beats, down to 18 milliseconds. I slept poorly, and got sick around 1am. I was sweating in the sheets. It was a mild case of food poisoning, along with alcohol overconsumption. Now, I will discuss Garmin’s ‘Sleep Score‘ in another post, but the overnight HRV Status put me in the ‘RED’ zone, and I begrudgingly canceled my workout with my clients on VQVelocity.com, and instead, loaded up a replay.

I RARELY get sick, and I NEVER cancel workouts, live or recorded. No, I was not hung over. I was sick, dehydrated, and fatigued. The hours before a workout are critical; and I did not get quality recovery.

The Garmin Connect HRV Status recorded, and accurately warned me, to hold off on exercise, and instead, to take it easy and recover. HOURS into my day, I got a reminder on my watch that, yes, my day of recovery had led to, well, a recovery. I’ll try for a good night’s rest tonight, and should be okay for exercise tomorrow.

It’s Not The Night Before That Counts – It’s ALL the Nights Before That.

There’s an older Sports Psychology book  by Dr. Charles Garfield. There’s an interview chapter that I believe is relevant. The athlete, who was a high jumper, said, “It’s not the night before that counts, but all the nights before that.” I think Garmin’s HRV Status chart is now providing one more visualization of that. A good workout, a good series of workouts, depends on holistic consistency. It depends on a good night’s rest. It depends on weeks of good nights of rest. An athlete’s hydration needs to be optimal. I’m returning to a state of minimal alcohol intake. Not only do I want a balanced HRV status, I want a higher overnight average, that shows a true state of rest. Waking up a million times between sunset and sunrise is NOT HEALTHY OR PRODUCTIVE.

Garmin Fenix 6 Pro HRV Status
This is an image of my 7-day HRV Status from the face of my Garmin Fenix 6. It’s what I look at when I wake up around 4am most mornings.
Garmin Fenix HRV Status Bar
This is the parent menu of the previous graph, taken at a later date. “Temper Action With Wisdom”. If my HRV Status is scraping the bottom, well, I’m taking some time off. I’ll also refocus on hydration and abstinence from alcohol, just to ensure that there are no variables or outliers that may affect my recovery.

I know there are experts who will disagree with the information that the Garmin Connect ecosystem is providing. There are definitely issues with wrist-mounted or finger-mounted datapoints. But this is what I, we, you, the reader have PAID FOR with your investment in Garmin Hardware. Vicariously, it’s the information we need to observe and alter from the Garmin SOFTWARE that also matters.

I want to stay within this ecosystem long-term, and see where it leads. There’s relevant, important information being provided. I just don’t think there has been a long-term review OF that information. Let’s see where all of these data indicators lead. I myself am pretty excited!

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Garmin Connect Fitness Metrics – 2 Weeks In

The Garmin Connect Fitness Metrics Provide More Information and Guidance

I’m now about 2 weeks in with my study of the metrics that are provided by Garmin Connect. The consistency with which I have been measuring HRV Stress in the morning, and Performance Condition during a workout, is yielding some informative results. I’ve also started to study HRV Status (an overnight reading of heart rate variability), and sleep score. I’ll report about those metrics now and in more detail in future posts.

What Goes Into My Thought Process Via Garmin Connect Data?

My thought process for the Garmin Connect interpretations is as such:

  1. Wear the Fenix 6 as much as possible, to measure HRV Status overnight, get Sleep Score, and track Hydration.
  2. Once I’ve awakened, I study the HRV Status to determine whether it is trending up, down, or within an acceptable range.
  3. Look at Sleep Score and specifically look at Deep Sleep. I need to break 52 minutes of deep sleep, and I REALLY want to get more than 6 hours of consistent sleep, but honestly, that’s a real challenge for me at this time.
  4. Take an HRV Stress test after coffee and a bathroom break. I’m sort of skipping breakfast so I can exercise mostly fasted (I use cream in my coffee).
  5. After the ride begins, if my “Performance Condition” comes out highly positive, I’ll ride for time and volume. If it’s neutral, I’ll ride for base. If it drops quickly over the first 20-30 minutes, I usually focus on LOW intensity base cycling, and try to achieve an EPOC of about 100-150 at the most right now, and then an Aerobic TE of 3.0-3.5, with no Anaerobic TE.
Garmin COnnect Training Status Reports
The Garmin Connect Training Status Report area is perhaps my favorite section of Garmin Connect. That said, I WISH I could expand these charts to get a little more detail than what it shows in this summary page.

Most of my rides have been indoors, due to weather, time commitments at the house, and a general lack of knowledge about routes and group rides in the area, since I’m new to town. This has been the wettest winter in decades, and I want to show up for any group rides prepared fitness-wise. I also want to study this stuff, so we can all use it more effectively.

 

The results have been pretty good so far.

Garmin Acute Training Load Chart 1040
This chart is available in the ‘Training Status’ page in Garmin Connect, but I thought I’d show it from the Garmin 1040, because, honestly, it’s sharper. It shows decent growth in volume, and it provides a general ‘Ceiling’ and ‘Floor’ of EPOC over a rolling 7-day accumulated average. At least I think that’s what it’s telling me.

 

My overnight HRV Status, after some initial disruptions due to outside stress factors, has largely stabilized.

Garmin HRV Status Report
When overnight HRV Status is stable or within a known range, Garmin/FirstBeat is implying that I’m okay to exercise and probably increase my volume and intensity. That’s something I would like to do, so I’ll be using the above EPOC measurement chart (see previous graph) to continue getting more overall volume, but within the limits set by Garmin Connect’s algorithm.

 

Garmin Connect Sleep Score 4 Weeks
The Garmin Connect Sleep Score is not my idea of the perfect measuring stick, but it is what it is, and it’s inside the Connect Ecosystem, so that’s what I’m using. I would LOVE to talk with someone about pulling the EEG data from a Muse S app, and sticking it into Connect, which is something that apparently can be done with an API or SDK. I think the EEG is more accurate.

 

Garmin Connect HRV Stress morning test Report
When you don’t always know where your next meal may come from, you tend to have a little higher stress some mornings. Today’s HRV Stress was at a 45, so I did a shorter, but harder workout just to get some of that stress OUT of my life! 😉

 

Garmin Connect Performance Condition With Heart Rate Overlay -4
This was today’s “Performance Condition” chart. It started off at a neutral value, and declined over the course of 45 minutes. The HRV Stress was in the mid-40’s, the Sleep Score was pathetic, even though my impression of my sleep quality was high.

 

Garmin Connect 7-Day HRV Status overnight Averages LOW
Here’s the final piece of the puzzle; my overnight average of HRV values. I THINK this is the tell-tale heart value, right here. HRV overnight was ‘low’, meaning slightly more stress, and even though in my perception, I slept well, the data just doesn’t show it. Ergo, my Performance Condition was Middlin’ at best, and then it just declined over the 45 minutes or so that I rode. Any attempt at real intensity was not to my advantage.

CONCLUSION

Looking back at several of the factors, like Sleep Score, HRV Stress, HRV Status, and the initial HRV Performance Condition value, it was evident that there was not much I could accomplish today on the bike, other than a moderate ride. Instead of attempting any intervals or even an FTP test (I keep playing with that feature on the 1040 and will accomplish it some day for a blog post), I should have gone easy.

The Garmin Connect ecosystem is teaching me, but I’m not always listening. I’ll continue to look at this guide, and share my results with you as we go along.

Thanks for reading, and ENJOY THE RIDE!

 

Garmin Performance Condition Metric and the Link to HRV Stress

The Performance Condition Metric is Another Indicator of Preparation for Intensity (or Easier Riding)

I’m now about 9 days into measuring my HRV Stress on the Garmin, and it definitely seems to correlate with my sleep quality, as well as my hydration values. But there is another metric that pops up a few minutes into my rides. It’s the ‘Performance Condition‘ metric, and it is also using Heart Rate Variability (HRV).

Remember – Heart Rate Variability is a way to measure the variation in milliseconds between R-Wave contractions in the heart. The more variable the values, the more rested the heart is. The more consistent the values, the more stressed the heart is. Garmin bought FirstBeat Technologies several years ago to integrate HRV technology into their entire lineup of products and services. So it’s important to understand what this stuff is telling us. This is why I’m writing these blog posts.

Garmin’s Definition of Performance Condition

Garmin’s Performance Condition Metric is pegged to their HRV algorithm. In SOME cases, they have come up with a fairly accurate assessment of an individual’s Vo2max. Vo2max is defined as: “Volume of Oxygen Uptake, measured in Liters per Minute (Absolute), or Mililliters per Kilogram per Minute (Relative). Notice that one uses weight. This value can be altered through weight loss and gain, as well as fitness conditioning. Here is their definition…

The Performance Condition metric is a real-time assessment of your ability to perform compared to your average fitness level. This metric ranges from -20 to +20 with each point representing approximately 1% of the VO2 Max set on your device. During the first 6-20 minutes of an activity the device will alert you to your current Performance Condition. This can also be used as an indicator of fatigue level, especially at the end of a long activity. Performance Condition is calculated using the following:

  • Speed
  • Heart rate
  • Heart rate variability
  • Power

Here’s an example from one of my recent rides…

Garmin Performance Condition
The Garmin Performance Condition Metric pops up at some point between 6 and 20 minutes into most of my rides, indoors and out. It uses HRV (Heart Rate Variability), wattage, and basic HR values to come up with a value between -20 and +20. It’s also related to Garmin’s estimate of your Vo2max, which in my case, is fairly accurate, though YMMV.

 

This Value Will CHANGE Over the Course of a RIDE

Take a look at this page I built on my Garmin 1030. There are other metrics on the page that I will write about later, but focus on the “Performance Condition” value, located in the lower right corner of the page.

Garmin Performance Condition Value Changes Over Time.
The Performance Condition Field (Lower Right) will change over the course of a ride as HRV values change. Make sure you have a good chest strap in order to ensure the best data stream to your head unit.

 

Here’s where this metric gets interesting, and why I think it deserves some attention.

Look at the definition above. Performance Condition looks at your Vo2max, then heart rate, heart rate variability, and wattage. Then, remember my ‘happy heart/stressed heart’ summary about HRV.

A Happy Heart beats because it wants to.

A Stressed Heart beats because it HAS TO.

If a cyclist is 30 minutes into a ride and their Performance Condition starts to drop, well, that’s a sign. If Performance Condition starts to actually CLIMB or stays STABLE, that’s another indicator.

USE THE HRV STRESS VALUE IN CONJUNCTION WITH PERFORMANCE CONDITION

My new morning routine now involves measuring HRV Stress, usually after coffee, news and email. But I also try to pay attention to my Performance Condition Value, once my ride has begun. When I ride SOLO, the Performance Condition Value can help me better understand the preparation for a ride. I’m still figuring it all out, but Clifton Duhon of NBS Nutrition has a great and relevant allegory….

“A good ride doesn’t start with a meetup in a parking lot. A good ride starts the night before the ride, with good sleep. A good ride starts with the meal that you’re having that night, so that you get to sleep better. More good rides start with better preparation via nutrition and hydration in general. Sure, we all want to talk about on-bike hydration strategies and what powders yield the most miracles. But the chronic habit of good meals, in the proper proportions, which lead to better sleep, over time, is what really matters most. Nutrition via calories and a chronic hydration and sleep plan matter more than any other ride accessory.”

If I wake up and my HRV Stress is HIGH, then I’m going to look back about 12-16 hours to determine just how I might have messed up my preparation. Did the dogs sleep on top of me? Was it too hot in the bedroom? Did I consume too much alcohol (I’m 1 week sober as I write this, as an experiment in better sleep and recovery)? What was my hydration status?

The next step on the ride is to watch for the “Performance Condition” to pop up. If THAT VALUE, combined with the HRV STRESS value, is…

  • Negative? Well, I’m rolling back into the garage.
  • If it’s POSITIVE, I’ll ride and WATCH FOR THE DECLINE in the “Performance Condition” Field to determine how and when I should return home or curtail the duration.
  • If HRV Stress is Moderate and Performance Condition is Neutral or Positive, I’ll head out and just pay attention to the Performance Condition, so see if it remains fairly flat, or if it declines quickly.
  • Sometimes, Performance Condition WILL RISE during a ride, usually when I’m riding a little more intensely. If that’s the case, I’ll work my miles and minutes, and see if it starts to decline later in the ride.
HRV Stress and Performance Condition in Garmin Connect.
In this ride, which was about an hour long, HRV Stress rose and Performance Condition Fell starting about halfway into the ride. I wanted to follow the trail of Performance Condition, but I quit when it was obvious that my body was not getting anything out of the ride that was meritorious.

CONCLUSION

I’m slowly coming full circle on the entire concept of Garmin and FirstBeat’s efforts to integrate their interpretation of Heart Rate Variability measurements and conclusions into their metrics. In the last post, I discussed HRV Stress using a 3-minute test. But this post augments that information with the Performance Condition value, and how that relates to Vo2max, and whther a ride, or any exercise, is beneficial or not. Use it to help you determine early, just how hard you might need to go. You can also use it to better strategize those days and hours prior to an event or weekend ride.

I’m still a student, and I’m going to follow this thread with myself and you. Let’s learn it together, and see what we can glean.

I will also start incorporating Garmin’s Hydration Tracker and Sleep Score, to see if we can get a more Holistic picture of fitness and preparation via the Garmin Connect Ecosystem.

Thanks for reading, and ENJOY THE RIDE.

Measuring HRV Stress with Garmin

Garmin HRV Stress Feature

Garmin HRV Stress Test
The Garmin HRV Stress Test might be a useful guide for daily cardiovascular exercise.

I believe that the Garmin HRV Stress measurement feature is completely under-utilized. Garmin has a LOT of features on their head units and watches that are underutilized. When Garmin purchased FirstBeat, the premier company that has studied Heart Rate Variability and its’ applications for health, I thought they would bring this information to the masses. Well, it’s there, but it’s still not well-promoted. This blog post is the first of many that I’m going to use to study HRV Stress, long-term.

What is HRV (Heart Rate Variability)?

I have been studying Heart Rate Variability since the early 2000’s, when the technology was paired with Suunto products. For years, Polar Oy was considered the leader in heart rate measurements, but the Suunto T6 really impressed me with how they used FirstBeat’s technology to explain cardio fitness. The distilled version of Heart Rate Variability is this;

“NO TWO BEATS ARE THE SAME.” 

A heartbeat is usually pegged to the ‘R’ wave, which is the contraction of the Left Ventricle. The original heart rate measurement looked at a rolling 6-second average of heart rate, to come up with a value, usually between 35 and 220. While we still use that measurement of exercise intensity, the more modern way is to look at the millisecond variation between each beat. When a heart is ‘happy’ or under little stress, it basically beats when it wants to. When a heart is under more stress from exercise intensity, the variability diminishes. The DELTA between beats, over time, is called the “Root Mean Square Standard Deviation”, or “RMSSD”. Heart Rate Variability (HRV) measures that Delta, and runs it through an algorithm based on FirstBeat’s Two-Plus Decades of Science and Publications. The solution, in this case, renders a ‘Score’ between 0 and 100, to assess an individual’s preparedness for exercise.

I have been a fan of a further evolution of this measurement via DFAA-1, but this measurement is about general health and wellbeing.

The Garmin HRV Stress Test

I use a Garmin 1030, but the Stress Test can be found in most of the modern Garmin head units and watches. You will need a chest strap, and honestly, a quiet place where you can stand still for 3 minutes. THERE SHOULD BE NO DISTRACTIONS. If the head unit or watch is set to send and receive messages or news clips, the test will fail. If you like soft music, headphones or earbuds might be appropriate. No kids, no pets. Just you, your head unit or watch, and a brief period of time.

This video explains how I get to the HRV Stress Test feature on my particular Garmin. Once the test is over and I have a result, I usually take a screenshot of the results.

Results

The goal with this series on the Garmin HRV Stress Test is to determine whether the HRV Stress Score corresponds to my fitness and training on the bike. The quick, short summary of the scores is like this: When the score is LOW, Garmin claims that you might have more success at a moderate or high intensity or high volume day. If the score is in the Medium Range, LSD or ‘Zone 2’ might be appropriate. If the score is HIGH, well, light exercise or no exercise is appropriate.

I intend to look at the ENTIRE Garmin Connect Ecosystem to determine my preparedness for exercise. This includes Garmin’s Sleep Score, the Body Battery, and even Garmin’s Hydration Tracker.

Why?

Because it’s all in one ecosystem via Garmin Connect. A combination of rugged wearables, head units, and software. Furthermore, I don’t think anyone has objectively followed these physiological measurements like this and presented them this way. The information has been there for years, but I honestly don’t know if the information is empirically valid or not. The science and the papers say ‘yes’, but the individual experience just has not been presented on the internet.

Let’s see where this information leads. Thanks for reading, and…

ENJOY THE RIDE!