The Downtime Dose is Lief’s core biofeedback exercise, which helps sync your heart rate with your breath using vibration feedback, thus activating your nervous system’s “rest and digest” mode. Lief’s autodosing program initiates a Downtime Dose whenever your HRV dips below the threshold set in Zone-Based Training.

You can initiate a Downtime Dose by tapping your Lief device on your body once, or by tapping the smaller white circle in the bottom menu bar of the mobile app.

Downtime Technique

Downtime is an exercise designed to enhance natural slowing down of your heart during the breathing cycle, typically on the exhale, with the goal of increasing your heart rate variability (HRV). This technique is often referred to as Resonance Breathing or HRVB. This variability of the heart, the speeding up and slowing down of beats per minute (bpm), is a sign of a healthy heart and nervous system that can dynamically adjust as needed. HRV biofeedback has over 20 years of evidence-based research demonstrating the ways it can benefit your health, psychological wellbeing, and performance.

When you practice downtime, Lief will begin vibrating as the heart naturally slows. You can use this indicator to enhance your breathing practice, by beginning to exhale when you first feel the vibration. Comfortably exhale through the end of the vibration, and begin your next inhale naturally. At the top of your inhale, begin your next exhale when you feel the vibration begin. Repeat, allowing the vibration and your breathing to come into rhythm over time, with the vibration aligned with your exhale, and no vibration on the inhale.
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