Measurement of heart rate variability (HRV)

You wear a device the size of a mobile phone on your body for 24 hours, which is connected to five electrodes that we attach to your chest. The device records all your heartbeats and measures the timing of all 100,000 heartbeats. You wear the device while you sleep, work or exercise. You can take it off briefly to shower. 

The device is taken off again the following day. About ten days later, after the data has been analyzed, the results will be discussed.

We can send you the measuring device by post. You can set up and start the device yourself with the help of these video instructions. You return the device to us the next day. The results can also be discussed online.

In order to determine whether there is a discrepancy between your subjective perception of stress and the actual measurement results, we need you to complete this questionnaire: Stressnostress (in German). Please print it out and bring it with you to discuss the results.

It is also necessary that you keep a detailed diary on the day of the measurement.

Heart rate variability

• What is the state of your autonomic nervous system?
• Are you chronically stressed, possibly burnt out, or full of energy (beyond the day of the measurement)?
• When are you at your best during the day or in the evening (best performance)?
• Do you recover at night or during breaks?

Heart rhythm

• Do you suffer from cardiac arrhythmia, and if so, what kind?
• How and when is your heart rate at its lowest (usually during sleep), how and when is it at its highest (e. g. during exercise)?

Breathing

• Do you have breathing pauses during sleep (sleep apnoea syndrome)?
• How long do these episodes last?

Sleep profile

• Do you fall asleep quickly?
• Do you have a normal sleep pattern with deep and dream sleep phases?
• Do you recover during sleep?

The range of possible measures is broad. They should always be discussed with the person being examined and harmonized with the results of the examination. The primary goal is good health and quality of life in order to ultimately achieve a high and long-lasting level of performance. 

Basically, there are two main groups of measures:

• Individual measures, i. e. changes in personal behavior. These can range from more exercise and consciously organizing breaks to learning relaxation techniques, good sleep hygiene and personal coaching.
  
  
• Organizational measures, i. e. changes in the workplace. These include, for example, discussions with superiors and adjustments to the content of work, the amount of work or the workplace itself.

The measurement results are subject to medical confidentiality. Patient data is stored and archived on the ifa servers.