Interview with FISSAC 

Sylvain Laborde: "A low HRV before a race isn't always a bad sign"

Watches, bracelets or rings. Heart rate variability — known as HRV — appears every morning on the mobile apps of millions of people. A figure is meant to indicate whether they have had a good night's sleep, what their stress levels are, or to what extent the previous day's training has affected their recovery.

The problem is that HRV is being measured more and more, but this does not necessarily mean it is better understood. Interpreting it cannot be reduced to simply checking whether a value has gone up or down. Heart rate variability provides information on the functioning of the autonomic nervous system, vagal nerve activity and the body's ability to respond to, adapt to and recover from stress. Laborde is one of the leading voices in this field. His research links heart rate variability and vagal activity to emotional regulation and sports performance.