Introducing HRV Autodosing, A Precision Medicine Approach To Mental Health


Lief Team
February 4, 2020 • 2 min read

Lief launches digital dosing algorithm, enabling personalized biometric prescriptions for better mental health

Lief Rx is the world’s first smart patch for mental health that improves heart rate variability (HRV), a biomarker of anxiety, depression and other mental health disorders.

Lief’s evidence-backed program

Highly cited meta-analyses show improving HRV through training (called HRV biofeedback) is more effective in treating anxiety (effect size = .83) than either cognitive behavioral therapy (effect size = .70) or pharmaceuticals (effect size = .60).

In line with earlier empirical findings, Lief’s 8-week clinical trial found that mean anxiety scores dropped below the clinical threshold for anxiety in 88% of participants, all of whom had enrolled with a high level of anxiety. The steady drop in participants’ anxiety symptoms from week 1 to week 8 of the study is depicted in Figure 1, below:

HRV Autodosing

Lief’s clinical trial also examined whether Lief’s patented biofeedback exercises, known as “doses”, could improve participants’ HRV. Analysis of over 2,700 doses performed during the study showed that study participants on average increased their HRV by +10 (p-value < 0.001) during a 3-minute dose of Lief’s HRV biofeedback, indicating that Lief is effective at training wearers to improve their HRV.

HRV Autodosing

Personalized digital medicine

Lief’s patented new “HRV autodose” feature makes HRV biofeedback responsive to your body, giving you just the right amount of training to move your HRV biomarkers into a healthy zone.

It works like this: Lief “invisibly” communicates with you through patented vibration patterns when your body dips below your target HRV range, similar to how a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) device might alert a diabetic to low blood sugar.

HRV Autodosing
An illustration of Lief’s HRV autodose training during physiological stress response.

When you’re in this low HRV state, Lief automatically begins an HRV biofeedback dose. As you breathe with Lief’s vibrations, the smart patches monitors your HRV biomarker rise, then automatically ends the dose when your HRV is back above the target range. As a result of this simple, continuous feedback loop, your body spends less and less time in the low HRV zone, and your average HRV increases over time, enabling your nervous system to respond more calmly in all situations.

As a challenge, try to turn off your autodose with just a few breaths, if you can! However, if it’s not a convenient time to train, as always just tap the device or go to Settings in the app to mute.

Note: If you have an earlier generation Lief, your device will spend a few hours recalibrating to adjust to your new HRV zones (tense, alert, neutral, calm, & restore) after upgrading. Please be patient as your device learns your HRV zones during this period.

Tailored coaching to help you train better

In addition to personalized biofeedback training guided by your Lief Smart Patch, your Lief Coach helps interpret your biomarker data and makes tailored recommendations based on how you’re doing each week. As you progress in the program, your coach will set your HRV goals higher week-to-week. Similar to training for a marathon, your Coach will work with you to gradually increase your resiliency using Lief’s HRV biofeedback exercises. As you advance in the program, your Lief will initiate biofeedback exercises with more frequency until you’ve reached your peak HRV potential.

In app reminders to keep you on track

To help you stay on track with your daily biofeedback practice goals, your Lief counts down the number of minutes left to practice each day. The number inside the white Lief icon at the top left corner of the app represents the number of minutes left to practice each day, but of course you’re always encouraged to do more.

In addition, whenever your HRV has been low for a while, Lief will prompt you to share the situation, thoughts, and emotions you’re experiencing in that moment. These mini thought diaries will help increase your awareness about your triggers for stress and anxiety, and keep your Lief Coach up to date about anything you wish to discuss.

Help us help you

We’re excited for you to take advantage of the latest, most advanced version of Lief’s HRV biofeedback training! As always, subscribers can reach out to their Lief Coach with any questions. If you’re not yet subscribed but have questions or are curious to learn more, email hello@getlief.com or visit us at www.getlief.com.

Check out the latest version of the Lief Training Program using promo code NEWYEARSLIEF10 at  www.getlief.com to get 10% off your first month’s subscription.

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