The HLTH Journal·The Science
Reading your HRV scores: low, normal, good and excellent
The four bands are calibrated to your personal baseline, not to a population average. Here is what each one is telling you.
HLTH Science Team· May 2026 · 4 min read
The HLTH app displays your HRV in one of four bands: Low, Normal, Good or Excellent. Those bands are calibrated to your personal baseline, not to a population average. They tell you how your score compares to your own history.
Key takeaways
- A score of 45 ms might be Low for one person and Good for another, which is why the bands are personal.
- Your daily average sets the band; the minimum and maximum add detail.
- One day in Low is not a concern. Three or more consecutive days without a cause is worth reviewing.
- The band system is designed to prompt reflection, not alarm.
Why your score is compared to your own baseline
Every person’s HRV range is different. A score of 45 ms might sit in the Low band for one person and the Good band for another. Comparing everyone to a single population average produces numbers without much personal meaning. The band builds your baseline from your own data over time. Once that baseline is established, the app classifies each day’s reading relative to it. A shift from your own normal carries more weight than where you sit on a population chart.
What each band means
Excellent means notably above your personal baseline: your nervous system is well recovered and strong. Good means above your baseline: recovery is strong and your capacity is higher than usual. Normal means within your expected range: your body is handling its usual daily demands well. Low means below your personal baseline: your nervous system is under more strain than typical. One day in the Low band is not a cause for concern. HRV fluctuates naturally in response to sleep quality, food, stress and physical load. The band tells you where you stand today. Your trend over time tells you whether to take action.
The three numbers you see each day
Below your band rating, the app shows three readings drawn from your rest periods and overnight sleep. Your HRV minimum is your lowest reading of the day, often during or after a stress peak. Your HRV maximum is your highest, usually your best recovery window. Your HRV average is your overall autonomic tone across all rest periods. Your daily average is what determines your band rating. A wide gap between minimum and maximum suggests a day with notable swings between stress and recovery. A narrow gap with both numbers sitting high points to a consistently well-regulated day.
Reading your weekly trend
Day-to-day HRV variation is normal. A single low reading after a hard workout or a disrupted night tells you something about that day. It does not tell you much about your underlying state. What carries more meaning is the direction your average moves over one to two weeks. If your score has held in Normal for several weeks and then sits in Low for four or five consecutive days, that shift is worth attention. Common reasons include an increase in training load, a run of poor sleep, elevated life stress, or the early stages of illness. The reverse is equally useful. A week of Good and Excellent readings after a stretch in Low is a signal that your recovery is genuinely improving.
