Ready to find and track your inner balance? Well, I have just the thing for you! Today, I'm very excited to share with you a new mobile app (compatible with iOS devices) called the Inner Balance™ Trainer by HeartMath. It assists in training and cultivating coherence, allowing us the ability to monitor and improve our Heart Rate Variability (HRV) from anywhere, at anytime. 

Heart Rate Variability and Coherence

I've written before about the HeartMath® Institute and their incredible impact on strengthening the connection between our hearts and minds. They have pioneered work in the field of HRV and "coherence" — establishing proven methods of enhancing mental clarity, creativity, and our ability to connect with others on a meaningful and productive level. 

​If you'd like a detailed refresher on HRV and coherence, check out my previous post. The short version is that how we feel directly relates to our heart’s electrical rhythms. Our emotions directly affect our HRV, and it correlates to our bodily systems such as blood pressure, tension, and inflammation.

Coherence is the optimal state of HRV, characterized by smooth heart rhythms and the harmonious function of the body’s mental, emotional, and physical systems. When we are coherent, we are alert, calm, and balanced. But, when our emotions seem to run amuck our HRV does as well. When our HRV lacks a pattern of steady oscillation, our body systems struggle for balance. This state, "non-coherence," results in a reduction in cortical function — an inability to communicate fully that leads to an overall diminished well-being.

When the heart’s energetic pattern is disrupted, we might continue to live and survive, but not to thrive. The good news is that there are relatively simple tools that help “reset” these electrical heart rhythms, and the Inner Balance mobile app is one powerful tool!

Develop Your Inner Balance

Inner Balance by HeartMath is described as "an innovative approach to improving wellness through training, education and self-monitoring." From my personal experience using this tool, I can wholeheartedly agree. Here's how it works (you can check out this video for more details):

Hook up the special Inner Balance Sensor to your iOS device and clip the sensor onto an earlobe. The Inner Balance app will ask you to select an icon corresponding with your current mood. Then you can begin your session, breathing in and out in time with the expanding and contracting image on your screen. The Inner Balance Sensor provides real-time feedback on your heart rate and corresponding HRV. Not only can you see the wave created by your heart rate, but color-coded icons provide a picture of your current level of coherence (red for low, blue for medium, and green for high).

Real-time coaching on the screen helps you maintain focus and achieve inner balance. After your session, the app provides a summary of your progress both in that particular session and over time as you continue to use the app. Increasing the "challenge level" gives you the ability to step up your training as you become more comfortable in the lower levels. The journal tab allows you to make notes on your progress, and keep track of discoveries or external factors influencing your coherence.

The Value of Developing Coherence

The concept of internal coherence has been researched and validated by physiologists, psychologists, and medical doctors across numerous institutions. Now, the Inner Balance app provides a valuable tool for developing coherence, monitoring progress, and practicing the skills associated with achieving a high level of coherence, such as meditative breathing, positive thinking, and developing a strong mind-body connection.

I've been using the Inner Balance app for several weeks now and have found it to be a remarkable teaching and monitoring tool in my own journey towards increased coherence. You can find the Inner Balance app at the iTunes Store (for free!) and buy the Inner Balance Sensor (which is required) here.

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Ace Wagner is a business coach, advisor, and speaker who works with leaders, engaging both the heart and mind to achieve clarity of vision and build sustainable business relationships. You can  find him on www.StartTalking.io