Stress Score: Tracking & Managing Your Daily Stress

Understanding Your Stress Score

Your stress levels appear on a 0 - 100 scale and are colour coded into four zones:

• Low (0 – 24) - Calm, clear headed, and physiologically balanced.

• Moderate (25 – 49) – Alert yet composed; capable of handling everyday demands

• Elevated (50 – 74) – Noticeable tension; a cue to monitor how you’re feeling and adjust as needed.

• High (75 – 100) – Significant physiological strain that may warrant more immediate attention.

As with all metrics, trends matter more than a single data point. Consecutive days in the Elevated or High range can signal a need to reassess workload, recovery habits, or lifestyle factors.

How is Stress calculated?

Sonar analyses real-time readings from your wearable such as heart-rate and HRV, comparing them to your personalised baselines captured during restful periods. Stress updates are paused during workouts so that cardiovascular load (i.e. Strain) isn’t misclassified as psychological stress. Your stress levels are influenced by several factors including:

• Heart Rate Variability (HRV) - Drops below baseline signal higher levels of tension

• Heart Rate (HR) – Elevations above resting norms can indicate that your body is in a heightened state of alertness or ‘fight-or-flight’ mode.

• Resting Heart Rate (RHR) – Persistent rises indicate cumulative stress load or insufficient recovery.

• Maximum Heart Rate (Max HR) – Knowing your personal ceiling helps distinguish stress-related spikes from exercise-induced peaks.

• Motion Data – Accelerometer data isolates true mental stress from exercise induced changes.

Inactive vs. Sleep Stress

Sonar segments stress based on context, so you can see how daytime tension compares with overnight recovery:

• Inactive (Daytime) Stress – Detected while you’re awake but not exercising (e.g., commuting or back-to-back meetings).

• Sleep Stress – Reveals how effectively your body down-regulates overnight and can foreshadow next-day recovery.

How Stress Interacts with Your Recovery & Strain

Persistent stress elevates resting HR, depresses HRV, and often drives your Recovery Score down - leaving you less prepared to absorb Strain from training. Monitoring all three metrics together empowers you to:

• Plan workouts on days when stress is low and recovery is high.

• Prioritise rest when chronic stress pushes recovery into the red.

• Identify habits (late night screens, skipped meals, caffeine binges) that spike stress and strain simultaneously

Evidence Based Ways to Lower Your Stress

Reducing stress doesn’t require a total lifestyle overhaul - small, science-backed habits practised consistently can make a profound difference. Some tactics to consider include:

• Mindful Breathing & Meditation – Even five minutes of cyclic sighing or box breathing can restore HRV and calm the sympathetic surge.

• Prioritise Quality Sleep – Target 7 – 9 hours with a consistent wind down routine - dim lighting, no caffeine after midday, and device curfews.

• Strategic Movement – Mix moderate exercise with mobility, yoga, or a short walk to release muscular tension and boost endorphins without overshooting strain.

• Balanced Nutrition & Hydration – Stabilise blood glucose and cortisol with regular meals, adequate protein, and smart caffeine timing.

• Micro Breaks – Insert two minute pauses between tasks to reset posture, breathing, and mental focus.

• Social Connection – Meaningful conversations with friends, family, or colleagues buffer the physiological impact of stress.

Common Stress Triggers to Watch

Just as important as knowing what lowers stress is recognising what silently drives it up. Keep an eye on these frequent culprits and build buffers around them:

• Overscheduled Calendars – Back-to-back commitments with no recovery windows.

• Excess Caffeine or Alcohol – Especially later in the day when they disrupt sleep quality.

• Continuous Screen Exposure – Long stretches without eye- or body-breaks overstimulate the nervous system.

• Poor Posture & Prolonged Sitting – Contributes to muscular tension and shallow breathing.

• Ignoring Early Warning Signs – Racing thoughts, clenched jaw, or rapid breathing indicate it’s time for a quick reset.

Balancing Data with Self Awareness

Sonar’s Stress Score is a powerful tool for understanding and improving your stress response, but it’s only part of the picture. Use it to experiment: notice how a morning walk, breathing exercise, or meeting schedule tweak shifts your stress level - and more importantly, how you feel. Listen to your body, trust your instincts, and balance the data with your own experience. By treating Stress Score as a guide rather than a grade, you’ll build a resilient routine that supports peak performance and long-term well-being.