Chronic Illness Q&A with Dr. B.

Dr. Larry Berkelhammer

Dr. Larry Berkelhammer

The purpose of this blog and the entire website is to provide evidence-based information on how to live a vibrant, meaningful life while living with chronic health challenges or other life challenges.

Every Tuesday I post a new, very brief video from my presentations or interviews. Every Friday this Q&A column appears.
Here is this week’s question:

THIS WEEK’S QUESTION: continuation of answer to respiration question from a couple of weeks ago

ANSWER: Heart rate variability (HRV) is the pattern of variation between beats of the heart. The greater the HRV, the greater our health. The HRV is also referred to as the standard deviation of beat-to-beat intervals, commonly referred to as the SDNN. It is measured by a computer program utilizing electrocardiography (EKG) or photoplethysmography (PPG) in a mathematical formula. Contrary to what most of us (even physicians) were taught in physiology classes, it is now known that increased variability in all biological rhythms is essential for healthy physiological functioning. Biological rhythms evidence the greatest variability early in life and the least variability late in life. This is one reason why we are less able to regulate all the vast changes in our internal and external environments as we age.

This website is offered as a free public service, supplying information that has been found helpful to certain people living with chronic health challenges or issues related to wellbeing. No treatment is offered on this website. The advice is general, and may or may not apply to your individual situation, and is not a substitute for psychotherapy or medical treatment.

What questions do you have about living a life of mindfulness-based mastery or about the relationship between the mind and health or wellbeing?
Just scroll down and type your question in the comment box below. An answer to your specific question may not appear in this column. The reason for that is I wait until I get a certain number of related questions, then I pick one that covers them all and I answer that one. People attending my presentations asked most of the questions appearing in this column, and I repeat them here so you may benefit.

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