Heart Coherence… Some also call it cardiac coherence. It doesn’t matter how you call it, it has the potential to make one’s life oh so better!

For several years I have been building and perfecting a routine in my life which I now call my “Daily Morning Ritual“. Nothing very fancy, just a few things I do every morning to start my day on a positive note. This allows me to get ready to tackle everything life will throw my way.

Why I Practice Heart Coherence: Finding My Center Stage as an Actor

As an actor, my ability to tap into a wide range of emotions and maintain focus under pressure is crucial. That’s where heart coherence comes in. It’s not just a trendy term; it’s a powerful technique that has become an essential part of my daily routine, helping me find my center stage both on and off camera.

Years ago, I was struggling with performance anxiety and finding it difficult to truly embody my characters. I stumbled upon the concept of heart coherence through the HeartMath Institute’s research and was immediately intrigued. Their work showed how regulating your heart rhythm could lead to greater emotional balance, resilience, and mental clarity – all qualities essential for an actor.

What is Heart Coherence?

Simply put, heart coherence is like tuning your heart to beat in a smooth, regular rhythm. Instead of erratic spikes and dips, your heart rate becomes more consistent, creating a sense of inner calm and focus. This harmonious state has a profound impact on your entire being.

Think of it like an orchestra: when all the instruments are in sync, the music flows beautifully. Similarly, when your heart, mind, and emotions are in coherence, you experience a sense of ease, focus, and optimal performance.

For actors, the benefits are numerous:

• Enhanced emotional range and control: Access and portray emotions with greater authenticity and nuance.
• Improved focus and concentration: Stay present in the moment, memorize lines effortlessly, and react genuinely to fellow actors.
• Reduced stress and anxiety: Navigate the pressures of auditions and performances with greater ease and confidence.
• Increased creativity and intuition: Tap into a deeper well of inspiration and make bolder choices in your craft.

My Daily Ritual: Finding Coherence Through Sound and Breath

While there are various ways to practice heart coherence, I’ve developed a routine that resonates deeply with me. It involves two 5-minute cycles of focused breathing, incorporating sound and muscle engagement to deepen the experience.

First, I establish a baseline calm by inhaling through my nose for 5 seconds and exhaling for 5 seconds, repeated for 5 minutes. This simple practice helps quiet my mind and bring my attention to the present moment.

Then, I move into a second 5-minute cycle where I inhale for 5 seconds and exhale for 10 seconds while creating a tonal sound. This involves vocalizing “Ooooooohhhhhh” for the first 5 seconds of the exhalation, followed by “hhhhhhmmmmmm” for the remaining 5 seconds. During this final stage of the exhale, I also engage my pelvic floor muscles (similar to performing a Kegel exercise). This combination of extended exhale with sound and muscle engagement deepens the relaxation response and promotes a profound sense of grounding.

I find this practice particularly effective because the combination of sound and extended exhalation helps me connect with my body and release any tension I might be holding. It’s like a mini reset for my nervous system, leaving me feeling refreshed, focused, and ready to take on the day.

Heart Coherence in Action: On Stage and On Set

Integrating heart coherence into my daily routine has significantly impacted my acting career. Before an audition, I use it to center myself and calm my nerves. On set, it helps me stay present and connected to my emotions during long takes. And when preparing for a role, it allows me to access deeper emotional states and connect with the character’s inner world.

For example, when I was preparing for the emotionally demanding role of [Character Name] in [Play/Film Name], heart coherence helped me tap into the character’s grief and vulnerability while maintaining my own emotional balance. It allowed me to explore those depths safely and authentically, resulting in a more nuanced and powerful performance.

My Go-To Resource: The Soundbrenner App

To guide my practice, I use the Soundbrenner app. I find it incredibly helpful because it provides a clear auditory cue with its metronome function, allowing me to maintain the 5-second inhale and 10-second exhale rhythm without visual distractions. This allows me to focus on my breath, the sounds I create, and the sensations in my body.

Embrace the Rhythm of Coherence

If you’re an actor looking to enhance your performance and well-being, I highly recommend exploring heart coherence. It’s a simple yet powerful tool that can help you find your center stage and bring greater authenticity and presence to your craft.

I encourage you to experiment with different techniques and find what resonates with you. And if you have any questions or want to share your experiences with heart coherence, feel free to leave a comment below!

A key moment of this morning routine is when I take 10 minutes to practice heart coherence.

In a nutshell, heart coherence is when your heart rhythm pattern goes from this: (Source of this graph: Science of the Heart)

To this: (Source of this graph: Science of the Heart)

Below is a short video example of passing from an incoherent heart rhythm pattern to a coherent heart rhythm pattern. The speed of the clip has been accelerated 2x just to illustrate getting from one state to the other… You can notice my heart rhythm getting into coherence the second I started breathing regularly. And this was just to show how quick it is to get from one state to the other. Believe me, once you get into coherence and sustain the state for a few minutes, the coherence of the rhythm pattern is even more apparent and that is when you reap the many benefits of this exercise.

The best way to use this resource in order to help you practice heart coherence would be to sit comfortably somewhere quiet where you can remain undisturbed for at least five minutes (if you’re a busy mom with fifteen kids, you can ask your better half to watch the little ones over while you go to the “bathroom” 😉). Start the video and follow the bubble with your eyes while trying to keep your focus on the bubble as much as possible. If you drift away in your thoughts during the process, that’s ok, just imagine your wandering mind as a young child whom you gently take by the hand and bring back to where your attention should be. For a balanced state of heart coherence, you want to inhale gently when following the bubble on the screen from one side to the other, then exhale on the way back to its initial position. Five seconds in, five seconds out. Once you get accustomed to the regular pattern, you can begin visualizing your heart and try to see it expanding while you inhale and coming back to its initial shape while you exhale. Yes, I agree, visualizing your heart at the same time as you need to focus on the bubble can be tricky, and that’s why I suggest the “resource #2” which is an audio guide.

The best way to use this resource in order to help you practice heart coherence would be to sit comfortably somewhere quiet where you can remain undisturbed for at least five minutes and simply start the video, close your eyes and synchronize your breath to the beat of the metronome that counts the seconds and has a distinct tone which identifies each time the 5th second is reached in the pattern. Once you get accustomed to the regular pattern, you can begin visualizing your heart and try to see it expanding while you inhale and coming back to its initial shape while you exhale.

If you want to download a metronome app to achieve the same result and adjust it to your own flavor, you can find the “Soundbrenner” app I personally use here on the Apple Store or here on the Google Play store. Then, simply select a beat pattern of 5/4 with a tempo of 60 bpm (beats per minute).