Heart Coherence, Movement and Moods: How Exercise Helps Us Feel Better
- Noora Kassem
- Apr 23
- 3 min read
There’s a phenomenon called heart coherence, which is a synchronization between the brain, heart and nervous system that’s achievable in the moment through regular breathing techniques, but also reached in the long-term through sustained and routine movement.
It doesn’t necessarily need to be rigorous exercise that improves the flow between our heart, body and mind, although if that’s the preferred form of movement then it’s also effective in strengthening communication between our body’s central systems.
Studies have shown that a commitment to an ongoing form of movement that intuitively feels good to the body – which means this will vary from one person to the next and amongst different cultures – and allows the brain within our heart to connect more optimally with our central nervous system through the “calm highway” of the vagus nerve.
Our hearts were created with an intricate web of unique neurons, called the heart-brain, that act independently from the rest of our bodies by feeling and storing memories and perceptions of our life experiences in ways specific to t
he heart’s function. Our heart-brain is also directly linked to our cranial brain through the vagus nerve, and the bidirectional communication between these aspects of our biology largely inform our cognitive function by regulating our hormones and the electrical signals between the neural synapses, which impact our moods.
The vagus nerve is a major component of our parasympathetic nervous system acting as the central bridge connecting these vital aspects of our being, stretching from the medulla oblongata of our brainstem and descending through our jugular towards the neck, chest, heart and lungs and all the way down to our digestive system. It’s essential for involuntary functions such as breathing, digestion and heart rate. This is where the significance of heart coherence steps in, and why enjoyable physical movement can enhance it.
Feel-good hormones like endorphins, dopamine and serotonin are released during forms of movement that our personality feels safe doing, while stress-related hormones such as cortisol are lowered. The ability to maintain a balance in the chemistry of these emotions contributes to longterm heart coherence, otherwise known as psychophysiological coherence, a term established by researchers from HeartMath Institute in the 1990s. It’s identified as an optimal state of inner harmony where the body functions with higher efficiency by reducing stress and improving cognitive clarity. Improved vital functions such as stabilized blood pressure, the healing of inflamed blood vessels, and a “sweet spot” resting heart rate are some of the results of heart coherence.
Amazingly, heart coherence also results in the formation of an electromagnetic field around the heart that emanates outwards, impacting those around us with peaceful energy. Studies have also found that this field can be established in coordination with others also practicing breathing or exercises that take them to that frequency within their hearts.
Heart coherence extends beyond the individual. Because the heart’s electromagnetic field is so strong, a high-coherence individual can "transmit" this signal, influencing the nervous systems of people nearby. Research suggests that when a group shares a state of high coherence, it enhances collective intuition and empathy, (HeartMath Institute).
When Heart Rate Variability (HRV) patterns become ordered and harmonious through mindful or rhythmic physical activity - such as yoga, dancing, walking in nature, or swimming - the body is shifted from a sympathetic (fight or flight) or a parasympathetic state (rest and digest), releasing toxins and pent up challenging emotions to make room for our body to renew itself. The beautiful part is that our bodies want us to feel good, so they create a baseline state of a regulated nervous system and heart rhythm out of regular somatic exercises which provide a positive feedback loop across our whole system. This offers us resilience building - the formation of a capacity within our physical bodies to process and overcome difficult experiences by taking care of the connections within our physiology.
Who doesn't want that?
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