HeartMath Inner Balance
The HeartMath Inner Balance is my favourite tool when working remotely with someone who is wanting to improve their stress resilience, emotional regulation, and overall life experience.
In my practice, you can hire these, or you can purchase to keep. Many choose to purchase to keep, as a way of tracking their body’s stress response. For example, when you own an Inner Balance, you can use it daily (before you get up), to check your current heart rate variability. This can give you an indication about what you could do in the day ahead in regards to work, exercise, emotional stress, and more. So you can use your ‘scores’ to give an objective measure as to how your system is doing in that day, and whether you can push it or whether you need a rest day.
How the Inner Balance Works
It works with smartphones and tablets, iOS and Android
Inner Balance can be installed on both iOS and Android devices. The App Store, Play Store andor Amazon Store will install the newest version that your device is capable of running.
Android: HeartMath introduced Android compatibility beginning with the 3.8 version of Inner Balance.
Android OS 5.0 or higher is required. HeartMath Bluetooth Pulse Sensor is required to run sessions.
iOS: For Inner Balance 3.10 iOS 10 or higher is required. HeartMath Pulse Sensor either Bluetooth or Lightning connector is also required to run sessions.
GOOD NEWS - HeartMath just launched a new Inner Balance lightening connector for android, so if you’re avoiding bluetooth, you can do that no matter the type of phone you have. (This would always be my choice, however I do also stock the bluetooth for ease of use)
First Launch of the Inner Balance app
When launching the Inner Balance app for the first time, you will see welcome and introduction videos. These tutorials can be run again at any time by going to Tutorials in Settings.
You will be offered an opportunity to set up a HeartCloud account. Setting up an account will enable you to syncronize session data across all your devices, earn trophies and receive helpful tips on training!
This is a good idea to do if you’re working with someone remotely, because your practitioner can access your data and help you improve on it too.
Rotate between landscape and portrait views now available on iOS devices. Be sure rotate lock is not on in your device settings.
Note: On some devices with smaller viewing areas, the bottom toolbar is not displayed in landscape mode nor are the coaching messages.
Navigation between sections in a tab is generally done by swiping the screen. The major views of Inner Balance are controlled through the tabs at the bottom of the screen and the icons on the top.
Getting started with Heartmath Inner Balance
Note: Do not “pair” the Bluetooth sensor to your phone or tablet in the device settings. Instead, simply launch the Inner Balance App and “bond” the sensor this way through the automatic dialogues presented when you tap the start button to run a session.
Please charge for 2 hours before first use.
With your Bluetooth sensor charged and ready, open the app.
Place the ear pulse sensor on the centre of your ear lobe. A brief press on the power button will turn it on. Make sure the LED on the sensor is lit.
Press the Start button on the Session view of Inner Balance. When you see the scan dialog, select the Inner Balance sensor from the list (ie: HeartMathHRV-A123).
Enjoy your session! See the “Running your Heartmath Inner Balance Session” for more in depth guidance after a few sessions.
A long press on the power button will turn it off.
Starting or stopping a Heartmath Inner Balance Session
The Bottom Toolbar is activated by tapping once from any Session view. The Start button is located in the centre of the toolbar. If no sensor is connected, tapping Start will prompt a scan for a sensor.
The Heartmath Inner Balance Start and Stop bars are self-explanatory, but they will be what you use in the app. Once a session begins, the button toggles to become a Stop button. You will also find a volume mute/unmute button and the mood emoticon for journals in this toolbar.
If mood selection is on – it comes up first. I prefer clients to keep this on, because it helps with reflecting why your coherence score that day might be low, or why it’s higher than usual. It also helps you recognise how you feel once you’ve put the effort in to do a session (as let’s face it, we don’t always have the motivation to do so!).
There are several different screens that are active during a training session. You may select between them by sliding from to left to right across the device. The mandala moving in and out is good for helping you get your breathing rate right. If you prefer to watch your scores, swipe left.
The top of the screen initially shows your Pulse then switches to your Heart Rate Variability (HRV) pattern. Bluetooth users will only see HRV. HRV will show a smooth rhythm, when you are in the state of Coherence* or Inner Balance. The small dot below the HRV rhythm indicates your Coherence Level, red for low, blue for medium, and green for high. The coloured display in the centre of the screen helps you pace your breath to increase your coherence. The red, blue and green squares on the border of the
circle are added every “5” seconds and show you how much time you have spent in low, medium, or high Coherence.
Depending on the difficulty level you chose, the red/blue/green parameters will change, and the higher your level, the more difficult it becomes to stay in the green. It’s good to start with ‘low difficulty’ levels to gauge where your system is.
Running your Heartmath Inner Balance Session
By default, there are five views you can swipe through while running a session:
The first two screens are the Mandala and the Chaser.
They help pace your breathing, show your coherence level, and display helpful coaching messages.
My Inspiration Session screen shows you an image or video to inspire you to higher coherence. These can be customised with your personal image or video from your own library, in the settings section.
The detail Session screens plot the Coherence Over Time, Pulse and/or Heart Rate in Beats Per Minute, HRV Rhythm, and the Power Spectrum. You will also find (unless disabled in settings) a small breath pacer in the form of a moving ball at the top of the screen. You really only need these screens if you are focused on getting the highest coherence possible, for fun or to accelerate recovery from chronic stress.
Stopping and reviewing a Heartmath Inner Balance Session
To stop your session, tap once to activate the menu bar with the Start and Stop button. Tap Stop to end your session. When the session is stopped, you will see this summary view below. It is similar to the detail of the History views below.
Review tab
Select the Review Tab to access your session History, Progress, Awards and Goals.
Select a Session from the list to see the Session Report / History Detail. For longer sessions notice you can zoom the left column of BPM (y-axis) on the HRV chart using a pinch out gesture.
To reset the chart, double-tap on it.
Reviewing your session in the Heartmath Inner Balance app
To Delete a Session, tap and slide to the left on the session you wish to delete. The Coherence Score displayed in the history view is an average of the Coherence Score throughout the entire session. It will differ from the last Coherence Score displayed in the session view.
Achievement scores tell you your average coherence over your use of the product. Higher = better.
Customise your Heartmath training using the settings
Access the settings by tapping the cog icon in the upper left of the screen.
Settings menu
The first section contains session settings. This includes an opportunity to make a personal music selection from your libraries and volume controls.
Adjusting Sounds: By default the coherence tones sound every other score, which is about every 10 seconds. These chimes should coincide with every other colour tick on the Mandala and Chaser views.
It will also chime with every level change. A reward chime happens when you have been in green consistently for 30 seconds, and it will sound every 30 seconds if you remain in green.
There is also a high score reward chime, and that happens when you have achieved 60 consecutive scores in green. The Sound effects volume can also be set to generate a tone ONLY when your current Coherence level changes.
On some devices a vibrate option is available. In iOS be sure to enable vibrate on ring for the Inner Balance vibrate feature to work.
Challenge Level can be set to one of four levels represented by the number of stars. Start with Challenge Level 1 and increase over time as your training develops.
The Breath Pacer Speed is the speed of movement of the Mandala in screen #1, the Chaser in screen #2 and the Mini Breath Pacer on the top of the other screens. For most people, a setting of one breath cycle every 10 seconds is most effective at increasing heart coherence.
The Session Timer will play a chime at your chosen designated point in time during your session.
Select an image or video for My Inspiration from your personal library to display. Choose one that will evoke a positive or good feeling and motivates you. The first time you ask Inner Balance
to load your personal video or image you may see a prompt to allow the app access. If necessary, on an iOS device, go the device Settings, choose Privacy, then choose Photos. Enable Inner Balance’s access there.
In Session Display Options you may toggle on or off, each individual Session View. This allows you to skip a view that you do not want to use. You may also close the display of the Coach messages, Mini HRV and Mini Breath Pacer. If you prefer a coloured background choose that here as well in the Theme section.
Mood Selection Visibility has three options that can be toggled on or off to control the pop up before a session, after a session and on new journal entry.
Tutorial videos are available on app launch or whenever you would like to view them.
Login and Sync will display the following; use WiFi only for Sync, the email account if the user is set up on HeartCloud with a Log Out option there or a Log In option as well as a Sync Now button.
Reset will wipe the app of all data and restore to initial install condition. If you give your device to another person they may wish to reset and set up their own HeartCloud account.
What is Heart Coherence?
Heart Coherence is the degree of order, harmony, and stability occurring in your autonomic nervous system and higher brain centres. A more coherent HRV pattern reflects efficient or optimal function, which is related to the ease and flow of energy and information flow in your nervous system, and between your heart and brain. An erratic, incoherent HRV pattern reflects stress and energy drain.
The HRV or heart rhythm pattern informs the brain how the heart and body feels and affects brain centres involved in decision-making and your ability to maintain composure, especially in challenging or stressful times.
Is Heart Coherence Relaxing?
Yes, but Coherence is not relaxation. It is the synchronisation of the activity in the parasympathetic and sympathetic branches of the nervous system. It reflects a calm, yet energetically present and aware state.
The practice of heart coherence with the Inner Balance app facilitates mental functions. It opens more access to more balanced intelligence, and improves focus, creativity, intuition and decision-making.
After being in Heart Coherence, we perform better! We feel more confident, positive, calm, yet energised.