Stress monitoring

Aidlab estimates stress from the rhythm of your heart. More precisely, it uses RR intervals from ECG, which are the time gaps between consecutive heartbeats.

How to view stress data

1. Open the Aidlab app and log in.
2. Pair with your Aidlab if it is not connected yet.
3. Go to the Dashboard tab and tap the button in the top-right corner.
4. Add the Stress component to your dashboard.
5. Open the component to view current values and trends.

What must be true for Aidlab to calculate stress

Aidlab calculates stress only when the data quality and context are suitable:

• Aidlab must be worn correctly on the chest.
• The electrodes need stable skin contact, because the calculation depends on ECG-derived RR intervals.
• The app must receive RR interval data from Aidlab.
• You need to stay still. In the mobile app this means the detected activity is still and accelerometer-based movement is low.
• After movement stops, Aidlab waits about 7 minutes before it starts producing stress values.
• If movement is detected again, the calculation resets and starts waiting for a new stationary period.
• Aidlab needs enough heartbeats in the analysis window. Currently the app requires at least 40 RR intervals.

This is why stress values may not appear immediately after you connect the device, stand up, walk, adjust the strap, or begin exercising.

How Aidlab calculates the stress index

The mobile app uses a rolling 3-minute window of RR intervals and updates the result at most once per minute.

In simplified form, Aidlab:

1. checks how RR intervals are distributed within the current 3-minute window,
2. looks at how strongly they cluster around the most common value,
3. combines this with the overall spread between RR intervals to calculate a Baevsky-style stress index.

The raw index grows when many RR intervals cluster around one value and the overall spread between intervals becomes small. In other words, a more rigid heartbeat pattern usually means a higher stress index, while a more flexible pattern usually means a lower one.

How to interpret the value

In the app, Aidlab presents stress as a simple score with labels:

Compare stress mainly with your own trend from previous days. A higher value can reflect mental stress, but also physical strain, poor recovery, illness, dehydration, caffeine, or measurement noise.

Raw value vs app value

For display in the mobile app, Aidlab applies a square-root transformation to the raw stress index and caps the visual score at 100. This makes the chart easier to read, because the raw index can grow quickly.

Aidlab Cloud stores and exposes the raw stress index. The cloud value is not square-root transformed.

Learn more

For a broader explanation of stress physiology and why multiple biosignals matter, read: Measuring Stress.

Important information

Aidlab stress monitoring is informational. It is not a medical diagnosis and should not replace medical advice.