📌 Baseline rule: always compare to the client's own 14-day average — never to another client.
| 👀 IF you see this | 🧠 THEN it means | ✅ DO this |
|---|---|---|
| 📉 10–15% drop below 14-day average for 5+ days | Recovery capacity declining | Reduce intensity 20%. Swap HIIT for Zone 2. |
| 📉📉 20%+ drop below baseline for 14 days | Significant autonomic dysfunction | Deload week. Full rest until trend stabilises. |
| 🚨 30%+ drop for any duration | Severe autonomic imbalance or systemic shock | Stop structured training. Monitor 2–4 weeks. |
| 📈⚠️ Abnormal SPIKE well above baseline | NOT a green light — possible parasympathetic overreaching | Do not increase load. Investigate illness or extreme fatigue. |
| 👀 IF you see this | 🧠 THEN it means | ✅ DO this |
|---|---|---|
| 📈 3–5 bpm gradual rise over 14 days | Accumulated fatigue or impending illness | Check lifestyle stressors. Reduce total volume 3–5 days. |
| 🚨 8–10 bpm acute spike for 1–2 nights | Acute stressor: illness, alcohol, or late heavy meal | Hydrate. No hard training today. Monitor. |
💡 Use Total Sleep Time — not Deep/REM stage durations. Staging accuracy is low on all consumer devices.
| 👀 IF you see this | 🧠 THEN it means | ✅ DO this |
|---|---|---|
| 😴💸 5+ hours accumulated sleep debt in a week | Metabolic and hormonal health impaired | Add 30–60 min sleep opportunity. No strength testing. |
| 📉 Sleep efficiency declining for 5+ days (even if time in bed looks fine) | Recovery environment compromised | Sleep hygiene: earlier meals, cooler room, fixed schedule |
🔴 Female client in luteal phase (last ~14 days of cycle): RHR rise + HRV drop is normal physiology. Do NOT flag as poor recovery.
✈️ Travel or time-zone change in last 3 days: ignore daily scores entirely. Wait for data to re-baseline.
😤 Known stressor this week (alcohol, illness, work stress): note as probable cause BEFORE assuming training load is the issue.
🤔 Subjective feel contradicts device score: always flag the conflict. Trust how the client feels over the number.