How I Increased My HRV From 59 to 77 ms (And Why It Went Back Down)

There are many ways to increase your HRV. In fact, I’ve managed to increase my own HRV from 59 milliseconds to a high of 77 by implementing the strategies listed in this article.

What’s important to understand is that increasing your HRV is primarily about reducing the amount of time your nervous system spends in “fight or flight” mode. That’s why many of the most effective interventions are practices that improve your overall health and well-being, rather than specific exercises or quick-fix hacks.

In other words, the best way to increase your HRV is by adopting behaviors that up-regulate the parasympathetic branch of your nervous system (which is responsible for resting and digesting), while avoiding factors that activate the sympathetic branch (such as overtraining, alcohol consumption and chronic noise exposure).

We’ll explore this concept in more detail throughout the article, but the big takeaway is that the more resilient your body is — and the better it is at handling stress — the better your HRV numbers will be.

How My HRV Changed Over a Five-Year Period

I’ve been tracking my HRV for the past five years. During that period, my average HRV rose from a low of 59 to a high of 77 milliseconds, before declining again due to lifestyle factors such as elevated stress, as well as elevated testosterone and hematocrit levels.

Here are my average HRV readings over the past few years (as measured by WHOOP and Eight Sleep), with a note on what key factors influenced the changes (in my opinion):

What’s interesting about the table above is that it reflects specific milestones in my life that removed or introduced stressors. 

For example, my life was moderately stressful before the pandemic, and I was working out five to six times per week (mostly CrossFit). But when the pandemic hit, everything slowed down for us, we moved to our current property, and we began raising animals for food.

That reduction in stress, paired with spending more time in nature and with our animals, had a profound impact on my HRV (as you can see by the increase in 2020).

However, during the pandemic, my wife and I launched MK Supplements, which grew quickly. And life became more stressful shortly thereafter. Combined with experimenting with hormone replacement therapy and overall increased stress levels, my HRV dropped.

It wasn’t until the spring of 2025 that I discovered the correlation between testosterone levels and HRV, and I began taking corrective action that led to an almost immediate jump in HRV and a drop in resting heart rate (down to the mid 40s).

8 Ways to Increase HRV

Many of these strategies take time and consistency, but they’ll lead to better overall health in addition to higher HRV numbers.

1. Learn How to Better Manage Your Stress

Arguably the most significant factor influencing your autonomic nervous system and HRV is chronic stress. That’s because stress puts your sympathetic nervous system into overdrive, which is an HRV killer.

While the best way to deal with stress is to avoid it, that’s not always possible. As a result, we need to find ways to better manage stress, with mindfulness, meditation and breathwork being among the most effective strategies. 

In fact, a 2022 meta-analysis confirmed that voluntary slow breathing (such as is practiced during meditation sessions) improves vagal-mediated HRV across the board.

I recommend incorporating brief mindfulness breaks or breathing exercises throughout your day to sustainably boost HRV. For example, techniques like box breathing (inhaling, holding, exhaling, holding for equal durations) can quickly shift your nervous system towards a relaxed, parasympathetic-dominant state.

And you don’t need to set aside 30 minutes or an hour for a proper mediation session – you can incorporate simple breathing and mindfulness exercises into your daily routine.

Case in point: every time I jump into one of my cold plunges, I focus on slowing down my breathing. That way, I reap the benefits of cold water immersion and breathwork without having to spend extra time.

I do the same thing when I go to bed; instead of thinking about all the things I need to do the next day, I focus all my mental energy on slowing down my breathing. Not only does that help me fall asleep quickly, but it also boosts my HRV.

To learn more about stress management, check out my podcast episodes “Why Meditation Is Powerful,” and “Transforming Your Perception of Stress for Optimal Health.”

2. Expose Yourself to Hormetic Stressors

While chronic stress may be the most significant factor contributing to low HRV, exposing yourself regularly to mild acute stressors like sauna bathing, cold plunging and exercise can actually enhance the function of your autonomic nervous system, resulting in an increase of your HRV baseline. 

This is because of a principle called “hormesis,” which is when low-level exposure to a stressor triggers an adaptive (beneficial) response that improves your resilience and function.

For example, a 2019 study found that sauna bathing triggers a mild sympathetic (fight or flight) response followed by a strong parasympathetic rebound, ultimately increasing vagal tone and HRV over time. 

Similarly, cold plunging triggers an immediate fight-or-flight response, which temporarily lowers your HRV. However, repeated cold water immersion also triggers an adaptation (hormesis), which leads to a strong parasympathetic rebound.

In other words, you get used to the cold and become more resilient to this hormetic stressor, which in turn improves your HRV. (To make cold plunging even more effective at boosting your HRV, consider combining it with breathwork, which further activates your body’s parasympathetic nervous system.)

Exercise is another hormetic stressor that can trigger strong physiological adaptations and an increase in HRV baseline. A meta-analysis published in 2019 concluded that even older adults can improve their HRV by implementing endurance-type exercises (e.g., brisk walking) several times a week. 

I recommend combining several types of hormetic stressors for maximum benefits. For example, I love combining cold plunging and CrossFit workouts, or combining sauna bathing with cold plunging on (aka contrast therapy) on days I don’t work out. 

By regularly exposing myself to hormetic stressors, I’ve become more resilient and better at managing conventional stressors that are difficult to avoid, such as parenting or dealing with customers.

To learn more about the three types of hormetic stressors discussed above, check out my articles about the benefits of cold plunging and the benefits of using a sauna and ice bath together, and my podcast episode on the power of hormesis in boosting health and resilience.

3. Consume A Nutrient-Rich Diet

The food you consume not only provides energy but also the instructions (in the form of biochemical signals) that your body needs to operate efficiently. 

For example, minerals such as magnesium, potassium and sodium serve as essential nutrients for cellular and nervous system function, and deficiencies can lead to excessive sympathetic activation and reduced vagal tone.

Another example is CoQ10, which is a vital nutrient found in organ meats (e.g., heart and liver), oily fish and eggs, that supports endothelial cells (the cells lining your blood vessels). Improved endothelial function contributes to better blood flow regulation, indirectly supporting autonomic balance and higher HRV.

Conversely, the regular consumption of processed sugars or seed oils raises inflammatory markers (like C-reactive protein). This chronic inflammation tells your body it’s under continuous stress, suppressing parasympathetic function and thus decreasing HRV. 

As a result, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that consuming a poor diet, devoid of nutrients, leads to poor health outcomes and low HRV readings.

While clinical trials and placebo-controlled double blind studies involving nutrition are rare – most food studies rely on questionnaires and epidemiology – there is sufficient scientific evidence to confirm what should be common sense: the more nutrient-dense the food you consume is, the better your cardiovascular health is. 

Based on everything I’ve learned over years of studying human metabolism, human evolutionary history and the latest scientific evidence, I firmly believe that animals (when consumed nose to tail and paired sparingly with the least-toxic plants) are the best source of nutrients for humans. 

Since adopting this dietary framework – which is rich in bioavailable vitamins and minerals, as well as healthy fats – I’ve noticed dramatic improvements in all my key biomarkers (including HRV). 

To learn more about what optimal nutrition for humans looks like, check out my article on whether an animal based diet is healthy and my podcast titled “What I Eat on an Animal-Based Diet.”

4. Practice Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting improves HRV by enhancing metabolic flexibility and increasing parasympathetic activity. 

Recent studies have shown that short-term fasting protocols boost HRV by optimizing insulin sensitivity and mitochondrial efficiency. More specifically, when you skip food for 16 hours, your body drops out of “digest and store” mode; without the post-meal insulin and digestive workload, your sympathetic nervous system eases off and your parasympathetic nervous system becomes more active.

However, if you continue fasting for extended periods, your body becomes stressed and your HRV will likely take a nosedive. Studies involving Ramadan practitioners have shown that a 48-hour fast raises cortisol and triggers a parasympathetic withdrawal. In other words, the body gets stressed and HRV plummets.

I recommend implementing a daily intermittent fasting routine consisting of a 16-hour fasting window and 8-hour eating window. My wife and I have been doing this for years and it’s become part of our normal routine. Begin gently with a 12-hour fasting window and gradually progress toward 14 to 16 hours.

I’ve noticed the biggest bumps in HRV when I skip dinner because it frees my body from needing to digest food during sleep.

To learn more check out my articles on the six ways to make fasting easier and how to curb hunger when fasting.

5. Protect Your Sleep

Sleep quality profoundly influences HRV. Research indicates that even minor sleep deprivation reduces parasympathetic tone, lowering HRV. That shouldn’t come as a surprise, considering that good sleep is the foundation of health.

If you’re not sleeping well, there are several immediate steps you can take, including sticking to a regular bed and wake time, exposing yourself to morning sun (without wearing sunglasses or sunscreen), avoiding blue light after sunset, keeping your sleep environment cool and dark (around 65 degrees), and avoiding alcohol and caffeine close to bedtime. 

It might also be helpful to invest in a reliable sleep tracker to see if the changes you’re implementing positively affect your sleep quality. (Here’s a list of the best I’ve tested — though none of them are perfectly accurate.)

I’ve been tracking my sleep and associated biomarkers like HRV and resting heart rate for years and have noticed a strong correlation between the quality of my sleep and changes in HRV.

For more detailed info on improving your sleep, I recommend listening to Primal Shift Podcast Episode #14: “Do THIS For Better Sleep”.

6. Hydrate Well

Proper hydration is essential for maintaining optimal HRV. Even mild dehydration increases sympathetic activity, raising your heart rate and decreasing HRV. Studies show that drinking adequate fluids, especially with balanced electrolytes, promotes quicker autonomic recovery after physical stressors.

Here’s the catch: drinking regular tap or RO-filtered water that is devoid of essential minerals (electrolytes) isn’t the solution, because you excrete it via urine quickly, thus flushing out even more electrolytes.

The easiest way to fix that is to add a pinch of salt to your water, or to drink water that’s naturally rich in minerals (e.g., spring or well water).

I start each day by drinking a glass or two of mineral-rich water. That’s either commercial mineral water, filtered tap water with a pinch of salt, or an electrolyte powder.

By doing so, I’ve noticed improved athletic performance during my morning workout and quicker recovery, which helps maintain elevated HRV levels during sleep (because my body doesn’t have to work quite as hard to recover). 

7. Connect With Nature

Grounding — aka, direct skin-to-earth contact — has scientifically-demonstrated effects on improving HRV and reducing stress through enhanced parasympathetic activity. For example, a 2022 study published in Biomedical Journal concluded that, “grounding contributes to a de-stressing and balancing effect on the autonomic nervous system with an improvement in heart rate variability (HRV).”

Another study, conducted with pre-term infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), found that the electrical environment affects autonomic balance, and that leveraging electrical grounding bumped up the infants’ vagal tone by 67% in just minutes​.

I recommend combining grounding with sunlight exposure to help synchronize your circadian rhythm, which indirectly raises nighttime HRV by optimizing sleep patterns and autonomic function.

I aim to spend 20 minutes every day sitting without shoes, socks and a shirt in our backyard, soaking up the sun and practicing mindfulness. Every time I do that, I return to the office calm and collected, regardless of how stressed I may have been before.

8. Leverage Supplements

While I’m not a fan of popping pills in lieu of making healthier lifestyle choices, certain supplements can help you better manage stress and bridge dietary gaps. This can, in turn, help you boost your HRV.

For example, a study published in 2016 demonstrated that supplementing with magnesium triggered a significant increase in HRV by calming the nervous system and lowering cortisol levels.

Exogenous ketones can speed up recovery after intense workouts, as well as enhance cardiac function and energy metabolism, indirectly supporting higher HRV through reduced stress on the cardiovascular system. 

I’ve been supplementing with magnesium for years to help reduce stress and improve the quality of my sleep. I also use exogenous ketones to help with recovery after intense exercise and to reduce the load on my cardiovascular system at night.

Additionally, I’m supplementing daily with freeze-dried beef and bison organs to ensure I get enough CoQ10, iron and B vitamins for optimal mitochondrial function and energy production – crucial factors in supporting the autonomic nervous system and indirectly enhancing HRV.

Factors That Can Negatively Influence Your HRV

It’s equally important to pay attention to factors that can negatively affect your HRV, including anything that causes chronic stress. Let’s dive into some of the most common factors and behaviors you can avoid.

Overtraining

Regular exercise is crucial for optimal health and a well-balanced autonomic nervous system. But more isn’t always better. 

Exercise is a hormetic stressor that, when leveraged properly, allows you to become stronger and more resilient. However, if you push yourself too hard without giving yourself enough time to recover between workouts, you risk overtraining, injury, and tanking your HRV. 

Leveraging wearable fitness trackers that monitor nocturnal HRV can be helpful to avoid overtraining. I’ve used WHOOP, Oura Ring and the Ultrahuman Ring Air for several years to keep tabs on my HRV (and to adapt my training load to avoid overtraining).

For more on these devices, check out my in-depth WHOOP review and my Oura Ring vs. Ultrahuman comparison article.

Alcohol Consumption

Alcohol is an HRV killer, and it takes only a glass or two of wine before bedtime to trigger a drop in HRV that can last for days. In fact, studies have shown that acute ethanol intake inhibits parasympathetic nerve activity during sleep, thus interfering with the restorative functions of sleep. 

I’ve noticed that consuming alcohol within two hours of bedtime triggers an increase in resting heart rate and a drop in HRV that often persists into the second night. 

So if you enjoy the occasional alcoholic beverage, I recommend drinking small amounts several hours before bedtime, so your body has time to metabolize the ethanol.

Low Oxygen Levels During Sleep

Oxygen deprivation stresses the body, activating the fight or flight response. While that’s common sense, people who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea might not realize the impact their condition has on HRV and overall health.

If you suffer from chronically low HRV and have exhausted all other possibilities, it might be worthwhile monitoring your blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) while sleeping to see if nocturnal hypoxia could be the reason.

I tend to snore when I eat certain foods (e.g., dairy) or when I consume alcohol, so I recently purchased the O2Ring to monitor my SpO2 levels. 

Fortunately, I have stable levels throughout the night.

High Testosterone Levels

Testosterone levels in men have been decreasing worldwide over the last few decades, thanks to poor lifestyle choices and the increasing exposure to environmental toxins, xenoestrogens and other factors.

That’s why many biohackers and fitness enthusiasts have begun implementing strategies to increase their testosterone levels. I, too, experimented with hormone replacement therapy (HRT) a few years ago, and I still leverage human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) to encourage my testes to produce more testosterone and to help me maintain optimal blood levels of 600 to 900 ng/dL.

What I’ve noticed is that when my testosterone levels are “high” (compared to my natural baseline), my oxygen carrying capacity (hematocrit) and resting heart rate increase by a few points. At the same time, my HRV drops by about 1  to 20ms. 

Curious about those observations, I did some research and discovered the following:

When your testosterone shoots past its natural “sweet spot,” it flips your body’s stress switch to “always on.” The sympathetic (fight or flight) side of your nervous system stays revved, while the parasympathetic (rest and recover) brakes let up. That constant gas-pedal pressure makes your heartbeat less flexible from one beat to the next, so trackers like Oura and Eight Sleep show a lower HRV.   

Pushing testosterone too high also thickens your blood, ramps up inflammation, and can mess with breathing during sleep — all extra signals telling your body to stay on high alert. Studies on steroid users and people with naturally high androgens show their HRV drops well below normal, even if their pulse and blood pressure look fine. 

The bottom line is that mega-dosing testosterone might boost your bench press, but it quietly drains the recovery system you rely on every night. So if you’re into hormone replacement therapy, I recommend experimenting to find a sweet spot that delivers the desired testosterone boost without negatively affecting your HRV. For me, that sweet spot appears to be when my levels are between 400 to 600 ng/dL.

To learn more about hormone replacement therapy and why I don’t recommend injecting testosterone, check out my podcast episode titled “Testosterone Replacement Therapy: The One Downside Nobody Talks About.”

Noise Exposure

Persistent or loud environmental noise is more than just an irritation — it functions as a physiological stressor. Abrupt sounds, like a car horn or the clatter of construction, can trigger a startle response, activating the sympathetic nervous system’s fight-or-flight mechanism. This results in a rapid increase in heart rate and a noticeable drop in HRV. 

Even background noise, when loud and ongoing (such as from nearby highways or flight paths), can cause low-level physiological stress. Evidence suggests that such exposure can negatively affect HRV, with the degree of impact depending on the nature and intensity of the noise.

I’ve noticed that I get irritated more quickly when I’m in noisy environments for extended periods, which is why I try to avoid those situations. Conversely, I’ve noticed how calm and relaxed I am when I’m in environments with natural sounds, such as chirping birds, clucking chickens or even honking geese.

If you live in a noisy environment, I recommend leveraging ear plugs or white noise for sleeping to drown out noises that may subconsciously trigger your sympathetic nervous system.

Summary and Final Thoughts

Heart rate variability is a powerful biomarker offering insights into your autonomic nervous system’s balance and overall resilience. But it’s also deeply personalized. Genetics, age, gender, and even individual stress-response patterns shape your HRV baseline, making direct comparisons with other people less meaningful. Instead, focus on tracking changes relative to your own baseline over time.  

In the years I’ve closely monitored my HRV, I’ve learned firsthand how lifestyle adjustments like better sleep hygiene, smarter training, dietary changes, and intentional stress management can significantly influence my nervous system’s health.

But I’ve also discovered the subtle yet profound impact of less obvious factors, such as testosterone fluctuations or environmental noise, which can quietly erode your autonomic balance if you’re not paying attention.

At the same time, it’s equally important to recognize the limits of our current understanding. HRV science is still evolving, and there’s a lot we simply don’t know about exactly how or why certain factors affect it differently in different people. The complexity of the human nervous system, coupled with individual genetic and lifestyle variability, means HRV data will always require personalized interpretation.

My advice? Use HRV as a personalized guidepost rather than an absolute measurement. Observe how your habits and behaviors shift your baseline, and treat these insights as clues for better health.

Ultimately, your goal isn’t necessarily to achieve the highest HRV number possible, but rather to cultivate a flexible, resilient nervous system that supports a healthy and balanced life.

Michael Kummer is a healthy living enthusiast and CrossFit athlete whose goal is to help people achieve optimal health by bridging the gap between ancestral living and the demands of modern society.