What is HeartMath?

HeartMath is a system of stress reduction, resilience-building techniques, and heart rhythm monitoring technology, that has been tested in multiple healthcare and corporate settings worldwide. The concept is bringing your physical mental and emotional systems into coherent alignment so that you can begin experiencing increased access to your heart and intuitive, guidance. HeartMath has been shown to help with a myriad of stressors, including burnout, PTSD, depression, fatigue, trauma, and anxiety.

HeartMath can also help adults and children improve academic and intellectual performance, self-esteem, clarity, and focus.

How does HeartMath work?

Your heart sends more messages to the brain than the brain to the heart. Neuroplasticity is the ability of the brain to form and reorganize synaptic connections. In simpler terms, you can change the way you think and react with the application of repetition of HeartMath. Your heart communicates to the brain, helping it create space to cope in healthier ways with adversity.

In my opinion, HeartMath is the trifecta! Your brain gets positive retraining, your heart frequency is elevated, and you feel more at peace while contributing to a higher vibrating surrounding.

If you’d like to learn more and experience HeartMath with instant biofeedback, reach out to Lisa Shaheen, an expert HeartMath Trainer, at lisashaheen@me.com.

And if you love science like me, check out heartmath.org to geek out like me!

I want to do HeartMath!

It is recommended to do a “heart lock in” three times daily for five minutes a piece. In the beginning, I chose to close my eyes so that it was easier to get in touch with my body and keep focused on the task.

Start with a head to toe body scan while breathing 6 counts in and 8 counts exhale for 2-3min. Next, bring your attention to your heart. Breathe for one minute while imagining calm, peace, and compassion moving through your heart.

Great. Now, it’s time to access a really joyful memory, or think of something extremely joyful that could happen in the future. This is when the heart begins to move into higher frequency feelings, like joy, love, and gratitude. Wrap up the focus after five minutes and notice a shift in yourself.

Doing this three times a day for the next 30 days will jumpstart your brain and offer more opportunity to react in a calm and compassionate way versus irrational or impulsive.