Heart-Rate Variability and Cortisol – What Your Heart and Hormones Reveal About Stress

Martha J.
Jul 2
2 min read

Updated: Jul 14

When I first stepped onto my Reiki and sound healing path, I had no idea how much heart-rate variability (HRV) and cortisol could tell us about our real state of rest and recovery. Today, I know these are some of the clearest signs of whether our body truly relaxes — or just pretends everything is fine.

What exactly is HRV?

Heart-rate variability is simply the tiny difference in time between each heartbeat. It may sound technical, but in truth, it shows how flexible and resilient your nervous system is. The higher your HRV, the better your body copes with stress and bounces back after tough days.

In simple words: when you’re tense, exhausted or overwhelmed — HRV drops. When you breathe deeply, practise Reiki, meditate — your HRV naturally rises.

Cortisol – our main stress hormone

Cortisol is the hormone that rushes in when your body hits the alarm: stress, pressure, uncertainty. In the short term, cortisol saves lives — it gives us energy to act. But when it stays high for too long, it quietly harms us. That’s when insomnia, weight gain, brain fog and constant irritability start to creep in.

What do studies say?

Modern research is clear:

Meditation, Reiki, sound therapy, and deep breathing increase HRV.
The same gentle practices lower cortisol — not just for an hour, but long term.
Clinical trials confirm that people who practise regularly feel less stressed, sleep deeper and recover faster.

How does this look in my sessions?

During a Reiki treatment or a sound healing session with Koshi chimes, drums or tuning forks, I often hear my clients say: “I feel like my body finally let go.”That is the moment your nervous system shifts from fight-or-flight to true rest-and-repair. Your HRV rises, your cortisol drops. Your body remembers how to heal itself.

Why does it matter?

It’s not just a nice, relaxing feeling. Higher HRV and lower cortisol mean:

Your heart, brain and immune system get a real chance to recover.
You sleep deeper and wake up more refreshed.
You handle life’s ups and downs with more calm and inner strength.

How can you support this every day?

👉 Pause. Just five mindful minutes a day. Place your hand on your heart. Breathe slow and deep.👉 Try Reiki. Even short sessions make a difference to your HRV and stress levels.👉 Let sound calm you. Chimes, bowls, drums — the vibrations sink into your cells, not just your ears.👉 Move gently. A peaceful walk calms your hormones more than ticking off another 20 tasks in a rush.

If your body is asking for relief…

You’re warmly welcome to experience Reiki or a Sound Healing Session with me. This is not magic — this is your biology remembering how to rest, heal and trust life again.

With love,

Marta Jedlinska- Reiki & Sound Healing