Morning HR and HRV measurements | Visible Help Center

Overview

The Morning check-in includes a short daily reading that measures your heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV).
Taking your morning reading at a consistent time and place makes it easier to build a reliable baseline and spot changes in your body's biometrics.
You can take your reading using either your Visible Band 2.0 or your phone camera.

During your Morning check-in, you'll take a one-minute reading to measure your heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV). This gives you a consistent snapshot of how your body is doing each morning.

Your reading is combined with your sleep rating and symptom ratings from your Evening check-in. Together, they are used to create your Stability score. This score reflects how stable your body is compared to your personal baseline.

Why morning measurements

Measuring your heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) in the morning is a reliable way to track changes in your body's signals over time. Taking your morning reading before getting out of bed means you get as close to a resting HR as possible. HRV is also a particularly sensitive metric, so it's important to measure it in a calm, repeatable environment each day.

The suggestion of using morning readings is informed by the expertise of Visible’s advisors and HRV experts. They say that it's one of the most reliable ways to get comparable day-to-day readings and build a baseline.

Tips for a successful morning reading

Here are some recommendations on how to take your Stability morning reading each day:

Best time: Right after waking up, ideally before getting out of bed. This helps capture your true resting heart rate.
Best position: Lying down is often the most reliable position, especially if you're sensitive to changes in posture.
Stay still and relaxed: Stay very still throughout your morning reading and remain calm and comfortable throughout.
Keep your routine consistent: Do your Morning check-in at a similar time and in the same position each day. This helps make your readings easier to compare over time.

Whatever your routine looks like, just try to stick to it as best you can. It's still valuable to do your Morning check-in whenever and however you can.

Before starting your Morning check-in, also make sure:

You have a strong and stable internet connection. If you don't, the heart rate reading may not start or complete.
If using your band: It has at least 10% battery, and your heart rate data is fully synced with the app.
If using your phone camera: You have enough light. You can use a secondary light, such as a bright lamp, if needed.

How HR and HRV are measured

Visible measures your heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) using a method known as photoplethysmography (PPG).

PPG is an optical method used to detect small changes in blood volume in body tissues, such as the finger. As the heart pumps blood around the body, the volume of blood in the arteries and capillaries changes slightly in sync with each heartbeat. This creates subtle changes in skin color due to how light is absorbed and reflected by the skin.

By measuring small changes in reflected light and skin color, Visible can detect your heart rate and the timing of the intervals between heartbeats. This is used to calculate your HRV.

Members: Visible Band 2.0

Visible Band 2.0 uses an optical heart rate sensor to measure your heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV). When wearing your band on your arm or wrist, the sensor shines light into your skin and detects changes in the reflected light as blood flows through the capillaries.

Free users: phone camera

Visible’s free research app uses your phone camera to measure your heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV). By placing your finger on the camera lens, the camera detects small changes in skin color as your heart pumps blood through your body.

Did you know? If you have a Visible membership, HRV biofeedback is also available during the day via Coherent breathing sessions.

Common questions

What can I do if my band won't switch to HRV mode?

If your band is failing to switch to HRV mode and is unable to start your Stability score reading, try this quick troubleshooting:

Start the reading on a strong and stable internet connection. If you're using a WiFi connection, try switching to mobile data or vice versa to see if that helps.
Check your battery level. If you have less than 10% charge left on your battery, recharge your band before trying again.
Disconnect and reconnect your band in the Visible app. This helps refresh the connection between the band and the app.

What can I do if my Stability score reading gets stuck at 95%?

If your Stability score stops at about 95% and fails to complete, it can indicate an issue with your internet connection or that there was too much movement during the reading. Always start the reading on a strong and stable internet connection. If you're using a WiFi connection, try switching to mobile data or vice versa to see if that helps.

Can I retake my Stability score if needed?

Yes, you can retake your Stability score for today when using morning measurements. To get a new score, simply delete your morning reading and take a new one.

Before you delete a reading, it's important to know:

You can only redo your score for the current day. Past morning readings can not be retaken.
Once a morning reading is deleted, it cannot be restored.
Deleted scores are still included in your 90-day baseline.
Retakes should be reserved for special situations, such as if you were disturbed, moved around too much, or made a mistake during the check-in.

To redo your Stability score for today:

Open the app and tap Stability on the Today page.
Tap the three dots in the top right corner.
Select Delete reading.
You’ll now be able to complete the Morning check-in again.

When will automated overnight measurements be available?

A new version of the Stability score that uses your overnight heart rate and heart rate variability data is now available for members with a Visible Band 2.0. As soon as you've rated your sleep in your Morning check-in, your score will be ready. No morning reading will be needed.

You can opt in to start testing Stability (overnight data) via the Early Access Hub. Early Access is an invite-only program that lets members try out new features while they're still in development. Member feedback helps shape the experience before the feature is fully released.

If you use Polar Verity Sense, this feature won't be available to you. You'll continue to get your Stability score from morning measurements.