As you would imagine, the brain and heart are in continuous communication. You may be surprised to learn, however, that the heart sends more signals to the brain than the brain to the heart. These heart signals have a tremendous impact on brain function, influencing emotional processing as well as higher cognitive faculties such as attention, perception, memory, and problem-solving.
For those of us who have experienced challenges with our hearts earlier in life, it is not unusual to get questions regarding its ongoing health from others in our lives…” how’s your heart doing?” To which I typically respond with a quip expressing the hope that it is still beating. We all hope that our heart continues to beat steadily in perpetuity. But its beating is anything but steady.
The rhythm of a healthy heart, even under resting conditions, is actually surprisingly irregular, with the time interval between consecutive heartbeats constantly changing. This heart rate variability (HRV) is due to the interplay of the two branches of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). The sympathetic nerves act to accelerate heart rate, while the parasympathetic (vagus) nerves slow it down. The sympathetic and parasympathetic branches of the ANS are continually interacting to maintain cardiovascular activity in its optimal range and to permit appropriate reactions to changing external and internal conditions.
Many factors can influence the activity of the ANS as it seeks to maintain the heart rhythm balancing act. These include physical activity, breathing patterns, and thoughts. Research at the HeartMath Institute has shown that one of the most powerful factors that affect our heart’s changing rhythm is our feelings and emotions (https://www.heartmath.com/science/).
In general, emotions such as anger, frustration, anxiety, and other feelings of emotional distress give rise to heart rhythm patterns that appear irregular and erratic. Scientists call this an incoherent heart rhythm pattern. This pattern indicates that the signals produced by the two branches of the ANS are out of sync with each other. The incoherent patterns of physiological activity associated with stressful emotions can cause our body to operate inefficiently, deplete our energy, and produce extra wear and tear on our whole system.
In contrast, positive emotions send a very different signal throughout our body. When we experience uplifting emotions such as appreciation, joy, care, and love, our heart rhythm pattern becomes highly ordered, looking like a smooth, harmonious wave. This is referred to as a coherent heart rhythm pattern. When we are generating a coherent heart rhythm, the activity in the two branches of the ANS is synchronized, and the body’s systems operate with increased efficiency and harmony.
A coherent heart rhythm pattern has positive implications for more than the individual. Studies support the existence of energetic connections between people. In one study, participants were lifted into a more coherent state by just being near others in a heart-coherent state. In another, direct measurement of heart signals from one person, such as the ECG (electrocardiogram), could be detected in the nervous system and brain waves of another person. (These studies, as well as others, were discussed in the HeartMath Institute e-booklet, “Improving Your Heart Connections and Communications: The Energetic Connections of Our Lives”)
HeartMath Institute has identified a number of techniques to increase coherence. One, the Quick Coherence Technique, includes the following steps:
- Focus your attention in the area of the heart. Imagine your breath is flowing in and out of your heart or chest area, breathing a little slower and deeper than usual. Find an easy rhythm that’s comfortable.
- As you continue heart-focused breathing, make a sincere attempt to experience a regenerative feeling such as appreciation or care for someone or something in your life.
In summary, the intricate dance between the heart and brain reveals a profound truth: our emotional lives are connected with our physical health at the most fundamental level. The heart’s rhythms, mirror the ebb and flow of our inner experiences, responding directly to feelings and thoughts. By cultivating positive emotions and practicing heart-focused techniques, we foster coherence within ourselves, promoting optimal functioning and resilience. Recognizing and harnessing these insights empowers us to live with greater awareness, compassion, and vitality—reminding us that the heart is both a biological marvel and a wellspring of human connection.
