How to Use SomaSync

Welcome to SomaSync! This guide will help you get started with the app and make the most of its features.

You can use SomaSync to:

• Track your HRV
• Practice breathing and movement sessions that make your HRV more adaptive

How Is SomaSync Different?

SomaSync is different from other apps because it combines both the entrainer and the tracker, so you can trace how your sessions affect your HRV and choose the most suitable mode for you.

Unlike other HRV tracking apps, SomaSync also measures fractality of your HRV using DFA — an algorithm widely used in medical science and fitness to estimate how resilient and adaptive your system is. Most apps focus on the absolute value, SomaSync helps you understand the dynamics.

Getting Started

Download SomaSync from TestFlight and install it on your iPhone. The app also works with Apple Watch for a more immersive experience. You can install it to your Apple Watch as well and use it independently from your iPhone.

Connecting Your Devices

SomaSync works with:

• Apple Watch - For real-time HRV tracking and haptic feedback (via automatic recordings, Mindfulness sessions, and ECG app)
• Polar H10 - For ECG-quality heart rate monitoring

Start an HRV Tracking Session

1. Open the app on your iPhone
2. Open the Tracker tab
3. Choose your device: Apple Watch or Polar H10
4. Wait until the device is connected
5. Your most recent reading will be shown
6. If no data exists yet, you will be prompted to perform a recording session
7. Once the recording is done, usually after about 2 minutes you start, you will have meaningful feedback: whether you are in recovering state, adaptive mode, or in a state of tension. Use the advice feature to get an insight into the kind of behavior you can engage in to optimize your HRV pattern.

Starting an HRV Entrainment Session

1. Open the app on your iPhone
2. Optionally: measure your HRV before the session using the Tracking tab above and get insights about your current state.
3. Open the Entrainer tab
4. Select your preferred breathing mode. Default is Deep Breathing.
5. A unique fractal breathing pattern will be generated. The corresponding alpha value, a chart of the values generated, and the remaining time will ne shown as the session begins.
6. Follow the instructions: inhale when the circle expands, exhale when it contracts
7. Haptic feedback and optionally sound can be used to follow the breathing pattern
8. Once you are done, you can record a tracking session again
9. Find the mode that optimizes your HRV fractality. While your absolute HRV value may decrease during breathing, you are looking for a mode of breathing that brings your alpha1 DFA component close to 1 — this is when your body is at its most adaptive state.

Tips for Best Results

• Find a quiet, comfortable place
• Practice regularly for best results
• Start with shorter sessions and gradually increase duration
• Try out the movement sessions. During the sessions, you can use the haptic feedback to count steps: e.g. two steps every vibration - inhale, two steps every vibration - exhale.