Why Measure Readiness In The Morning?

Heart Rate Variability can be affected by changes in circadian rhythm, hormonal shifts, and acute stressors throughout the day. Also, whatever you were doing before taking a reading has a very strong impact on the reading results.

To reduce this “noise” and gain a clearer picture of Autonomic Nervous System activity (ie: your stress and recovery status!), we recommend measuring readiness first thing in the morning after waking up. Within 30 minutes of waking is the best window.

When you have just woken, you haven’t had the chance to experience the stresses of work, school, or the day. Your circadian rhythm and hormonal patterns should be in a relatively similar state as they were the previous day.

We also recommend that you breathe naturally for the Morning Readiness reading and take the reading in the same body position each time (always lying down or always sitting, for example).

By calculating your baseline first thing each morning, you can eliminate many other variables and highlight the patterns that matter most for decision making. You cut through the “noise” and get insights about how recovered you are and how ready you are to tackle the day’s challenges.

Here is a great example morning routine:

• Wake
• Use the toilet
• Sip some water
• Sit or lie down
• Relax and prepare for your readiness measure
• Open the app and follow the prompts to measure your readiness using the phone camera
• See your results and adjust your plan for the day accordingly

You can start the coffee machine before your reading, get dressed, or do any other routine, uneventful tasks. The key is to try to do the same thing each morning, but minor differences in mundane tasks are likely negligible. If at all possible, do not exercise or drink coffee before you measure your readiness.

Play the long game! Your body’s cumulative stress load and recovery status will register more powerfully than small changes in your morning routine. Aim for consistency, but as long as you aren’t lying down one day, sitting the next, and doing jumping jacks the third day, your routine can be a bit flexible.

Updated on: 02/11/2022