EP 135: Reading the Nervous System: What HRV, Heart Rate, and Autonomic Signals Are Actually Telling You in Clinical Practice

Why are your concussion clients still struggling even after their symptoms have completely vanished?

You might be making the common mistake of basing a client's return to play or recovery timeline solely on symptom resolution, completely missing the invisible physiological dysfunction happening underneath.

Even when patients feel better, their autonomic nervous system often remains stuck in a sympathetic-dominant state, leaving them vulnerable to secondary injuries and persistent fatigue. In this episode, we dive deep into the science of autonomic health, how to use Heart Rate Variability (HRV) as a window into real physiological healing, and why creating a "safety effect" in rehab changes everything.

BY THE TIME YOU FINISH LISTENING, YOU'LL DISCOVER:

What HRV actually measures and why it is the go-to biomarker for concussion research and autonomic health. How concussions cause autonomic dysregulation that lags far behind symptom resolution. Alternative ways to spot autonomic dysfunction during your sessions when you don't have fancy wearable tech. How to build autonomic literacy with your clients to foster self-efficacy without letting wearable tech override how they actually feel. Tune in to master the "chapter two" of complex concussion care and elevate your clinical outcomes!   Want to take your complex concussion care to the next level? Join Natasha for the free "Fired Up About Concussion" live event on October 1st at 4:00 PM Pacific to work through a live case and grab your spot for the fall cohort (limited to 25 clinicians).   Register here: https://www.natashawilch.com/fired-up-for-concussion