Sleep habits: Poor sleep quality, or not enough sleep can contribute to lower heart rate variability. Studies have also shown that night shift work over many years can reduce heart rate variability due to the chronodisruption.

Alcohol: Drinking alcohol beyond a moderate amount defined as 1 drink for women and 2 drink for men, can lower heart rate variability

Smoking cigarettes: Both active and passive smoking can lower heart rate variability

Physical activity: Those who live an active lifestyle can increase their autonomic nervous system’s parasympathetic activity, which results in an increase in their heart rate variability. Exemplifying this fact, endurance athletes typically have higher heart rate variabilityrelative to the general population. Related to physical activity, HRV tracking can be used to optimize fitness programs based on a person’s readiness for physical stress on any given day.

Stress management: Increased stress, worry, or anxiety can all contribute to lower heart rate variability. Thus, effective coping skills that bring in tools like meditation, gratitude journaling, and HRV biofeedback are key to mitigating the negative effects of stress.

Caffeine intake: Drinking a strong cup of coffee on an empty stomach can activate your sympathetic response, lowering HRV.

Posture: A slouched posture that obstructs airflow can lower your HRV. In addition, being upright versus lying down can lower HRV in some individuals.

Diet: Meals high in saturated or trans fats and high glycaemic carbohydrates have been found to reduce heart rate variability, in contrast with a Mediterranean diet and meals high in omega-3 fatty acids, B-vitamins, and probiotics, which have been shown to shown to benefit heart rate variability.

Genetics:Healthy heart rate variability is relative and specific to the individual — whereas one healthy person may regularly average in the 60s, another equally healthy individual may regularly average in the 20s. This does not necessarily mean that one person is healthier than the other. Thus, comparing your HRV data relative to your own baseline is necessary in order to derive meaningful conclusions.

Age: Heart rate variability tends to naturally decrease as we get older

Gender: Women tend to have slightly lower heart rate variability than men

Chronic health conditions: Those with chronic health conditions like diabetes, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, anxiety, or depression are more likely to have lower heart rate variability

Medications: Some medications (e.g. beta blockers, ACE inhibitors, antiarrhythmics and psychotropic drugs) have been found to have a direct or indirect influence on heart rate variability.

Climate: Heat and pollution increases sympathetic nervous system activity, which will reduce heart rate variability.

Noise: Excessive noise can lead to a decrease in heart rate variability because it increases sympathetic nervous system activity.