Heart rate variability, or HRV, is a significant measure that indicates optimal functioning. Clinicians look at HRV to determine your state of health and resilience. Greater variability in heart rate indicates flexibility, or adaptability to a changing environment and psychological conditions.

All meditation is not equal. While some styles of meditation improve mood, minimize self-talk, and promote inner exploration, focus meditation specifically helps reduce distractibility, promote mental stability, improve self-regulation, and enhance cognitive control.

Music is an emotional language that elicits imagery and feelings. The composer paints an acoustic picture, a soundscape of beauty, brutality, tension, release, soaring upliftment, and devasting grief. But what about music that doesn’t seem to speak at all?

Chronic stress can affect your sleep, making you tired. Stress-induced neural activity can contribute to wakefulness during the night, a problem because sleep is critical for cognitive and physical health (Morrison et al., 2022). Beyond serving as a period of rest, sleep is a complex process during which the brain performs critical and restorative functions.

Developing new habits requires a lot of energy. And because energy is an exhaustible resource, the brain was designed to conserve it. Trying and failing to develop new, healthier habits is stressful, but it doesn’t need to be.

Anyone can call themselves a health coach, and many different certifications exist. A National Board Certified Health Coach is prepared to assist clients with change to achieve wellness goals, whether the diagnosis requires it, the doctor suggests it, or the client wants to pursue a healthier lifestyle.