FAQs
Q: WHAT IS SORCE?
Q: HOW DO I DOWNLOAD THE APP?
Q: EXPLAIN MY HRV SCORE?
SORCE gives you the ability to use HRV as a tool for managing stress, increasing energy, and revitalizing your body without putting it at risk for burnout.
For example, if a person’s HRV indicates a high degree of stress and lack of recovery they will get a “RECOVER” HRV score. If a person is somewhat recovered but not ready for higher intensity they get a “MAINTAIN”. If a person is fully recovered and ready to push the limits they will get a “PUSH”.
The patented HRV measurement method was created by HRV Fit Ltd.
Q: HOW CAN I BENEFIT FROM TAKING MY HRV SCORE?
Using this information, you tailor your lifestyle according to your energetic needs and modulate your choices based on your HRV.
Once you are giving your body a lifestyle it can cope with, your health and performance will improve.
It’s hard for anyone to judge whether they are under or over doing it in their life. While the first signs lead to fatigue, brain fog, disappointing performance, the second can result in increased sick days through colds, persistent fatigue or worst case, substantial periods of layoff from work and life.
The easiest way to start using HRV is to take a measurement using SORCE every morning, then your day as normal, according to your own body’s advice.
Q: WHAT IS HRV?
Heart rate variability, or HRV for short, describes the way your heart beat varies – both at rest and during exercise. Contrary to popular belief, the healthy heart does not beat like a metronome but is constantly changing the time between beats in a rhythmic way. These changes are driven by the nervous system, constantly trying to find the most efficient way for the body to operate. The fact that the nervous system makes itself visible through HRV makes the heart a wonderful barometer of how hard your body is trying to preserve its equilibrium.
HRV has been used in hospitals for many years, mostly to help very sick patients whose beats are very regular, with little HRV, and has also been used in high-end systems to help elite athletes. The widespread availability of heart rate monitor chest straps and the computing power packed into an iPhone mean that competitive & recreational athletes can now benefit from the big improvements in training effectiveness that HRV monitoring brings.
Q: WHO USES HRV?
Q: HOW DOES USING SORCE HELP ME INCREASE PERFORMANCE + PREVENT BURNOUT?
Data driven = objectively monitoring your level of recovery so you know if you should “spend” or “save” the energetic capital you have been given that day.Energetic stock market analogy
Human centered = taking a curious and compassionate approach to attaining your goals through the in-app coaching you are given and through the interactions in the community. This is a safe space to explore and be where you are at. Time to release the fear that you are going to fall behind if you slow down here and there. You are not a robot. You are made of organic matter that needs recovery to unlock potential. SORCE will help you time your efforts to precision to you can be more vital through every aspect of your life.
Q: HOW DOES USING SORCE HELP MY COMPANY “REGENERATE HUMAN ENERGY”?
Q: WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF “BURNOUT”?
• Being burned out means feeling empty and mentally exhausted, devoid of motivation, and beyond caring. People experiencing burnout often don’t see any hope of positive change in their situations. If excessive stress feels like you’re drowning in responsibilities, burnout is a sense of being all dried up.
• Good news, burnout is reversible! It is just about giving yourself the support you need.
Getting Started
Q: HOW DO I GET STARTED?
Follow the step below:
- Download the SORCE App in the iTunes Store.
- Plug in the SORCE App Code you received from your employer and locate your armband.
- Follow the welcome screens on your SORCE App and get started!
Q: HOW DO I DOWNLOAD THE APP?
Go to the iTunes Store to download the SORCE App.
Q: WHERE IS MY APP CODE?
You should receive a company-wide app code from your employer. Email info@sorce.io with any questions.
Tech Support
Q: WHAT IS THE CORRECT WAY TO WEAR MY ARMBAND?
On the fleshy part of your forearm between your elbow and your wrist.
Q: HOW DO I GET MY ARMBAND TO WORK WITH MY IPHONE/IPAD?
Here is a step by step guide on how to connect (also known as “pair”) your Bluetooth enabled armband with your iPhone/iPad:
- Put on your armband.
- Go into your Settings and make sure Bluetooth is “On”.
- Once your iPhone finds your SORCE armband, click on it and make sure it says “Connected”.
Q: IF MY ARMBAND STOPS WHAT DO I DO?
- First, make sure it is charged (notice if there is a red light)
- Make sure your armband is paired with your phone
- Try your armband with another device if it is not working on yours
- If none of that works, email support @sorce.io
HRV Score
Q: WHAT IS HRV? WHAT DOES THE ACTUAL HRV SCORE MEAN?
- Heart Rate Variability
- Window into the ANS, tells us how recovered you are from the prior days stress
- The actual score is attached to the RR-interval in your heart beat.
- Low HRV means your body is having a hard time finding equilibrium and you would benefit from more self care.
- High HRV means you are resourced and ready for challenge and demand.
- Unlike body temperature, there is not an absolute scale where everyone is 98.6… High for you, might be low for someone else. Most important thing is to pay attention to your trend and take the PUSH, MAINTAIN or RECOVER to heart.
Q: WHAT DO THE WHITE AND GREEN LINES MEAN IN THE HRV CHART?
Q: HOW DO I EXPORT MY HRV SCORE DATA?
The file is in .csv (comma separated variable) format and can be imported into many spreadsheet programs such as Excel, Numbers, and OpenOffice.
Q: CAN I TAKE MULTIPLE HRV SCORES DURING THE DAY?
Q: I FORGOT TO TAKE MY HRV SCORE IN THE MORNING, WHAT SHOULD I DO?
Q: DOES THE WAY I BREATHE AFFECT MY SCORE?
Q: WHY IS MY HRV SCORE DIFFERENT THAN MY COLLEAGUES?
Q: I GOT A PUSH DAY BUT I FEEL LOW ENERGY. WHAT DO I DO?
Q: IS 1-MIN ENOUGH TO GET AN ACCURATE HRV SCORE?
Q: WHY DON’T I GET THE SAME SCORE WHEN I REPEAT THE ASSESSMENT?
The breathing rate is also very important for consistency, as explained in the following quote from Dr. Liz Miller, a former neurosurgeon, psychologist & author: The emphasis is getting people to breathe right, which maximizes HRV because breathing profoundly affects HRV – Heart Rate Variation is largely due to the changes that occur during breathing – breathe in – Heart Rate goes up – breathe out – Heart Rate goes down. These changes are healthy, normal and partly relate to the mechanics and partly to the autonomic (sympathetic and parasympathetic) nervous system. The greater the changes between breathing in and breathing out, the healthier and fitter your heart and lungs and autonomic system.
In other words, heart rate variability measures the amount your heart rate changes from moment to moment. Most of this difference is due to breathing patterns. Any change in mental state, even if you are an Indian meditation guru will change your pattern of breathing – the two are inextricably linked! Anxiety produces shallow fast breathing, calm produces slow deeper breathing. The slower and more consistently you breathe, the greater your HRV at any moment, up to a maximum that relates to your own personal fitness and gives you a HRV Score.
Inconsistent breathing, even slight, profoundly affects HRV. Although most people learn subliminally that to get their best reading, they need to follow the animation on the screen, and breathe in a slow and measured fashion, it is possible to mess with your HRV by fractionally altering your breathing. This will happen if you are anxious, tired or otherwise stressed.
From a user point of view – taking your HRV Score needs to be a peaceful ritual. You sit and relax for a couple of minutes, watch the graphic on the screen and then when you are feeling calm, join in breathing with it and then when you are happy your breathing is nicely synchronized, switch on the device and take your HRV Score.
Q: WHY DO I NEED TO TAKE MY HRV IN THE MORNING BEFORE CAFFEINE?
Q: HRV + ALCOHOL
Q: HRV + SLEEP
Q: WHY IS MY SCORE DIFFERENT FROM MY COLLEAGUES?
Q: WHAT DO I DO IF I GET A PUSH DAY AND I DON’T FEEL LIKE PUSHING/A RECOVER DAY AND I FEEL HIGH ENERGY?
- The day will come when SORCE tells you to PUSH/RECOVER and you don’t feel like it.
- 80% of the time you can guess your score
- 20% of the time you can’t… this is where you gain an edge
- Follow SORCE as much as you can
- If you go rogue, cool… just be aware of the result that choice created.
Q. WHAT DO THE WHITE AND GREEN LINES IN MY CHART MEAN?
- White line = daily reading
- Green line = rolling average
- When you are way above your baseline = push
- When you are at baseline = maintain
- When you are way below baseline = recover
Q: IF I MISS MY USUAL TIME TO TAKE MY HRV, SHOULD I JUST DO IT LATER?
Q: DOES ANYONE IN MY COMPANY SEE MY DAILY SCORES?
Q: IS IT OKAY IF I HAVE A FEW RECOVER DAYS IN A ROW?
Q : HOW DOES SORCE’S HRV SCORE COMPARE TO THE OTER HRV AND READINESS SCORES I GET FROM OURA, WHOOP, GARMAN OR APPLE WATCH?
- SORCE’s score will be different from all the other players in the market
- All of us are calculating readiness in different ways
- Our algo is super simple and is only looking at HRV where others are looking at multiple bio-markers to determine readiness.
- Our biggest encouragement is to see what platform works the best for you.
- Over time it is our intent to integrate with some other key players