Welcome

Introduction

Heart Rhythms

About Freeze-Framer

Frequently asked questions

Disclaimer

Getting started

Set up Freeze-Framer

Getting started with the Freeze-Framer Emotional Management Enhancer

Collect accurate data

Main Window

Watch your heart rhythm

Look at your entrainment ratio

Look at your entrainment score

Look at your progress

The Zone

Frequently asked questions

Playing the Freeze-Framer games

Balloon game

Rainbow game

Meadow game

Using the Freeze-Framer feedback

Save the data

Interpret the feedback

Tools for physiological balance

Freeze-Frame

Heart Lock-In

Research and benefits

Research Introduction

Neurocardiology: the brain in the heart

The Heart as a hormonal gland

Mental and emotional coherence

Stress, health, and performance

The perception cascade

The connectivity web, neural circuits, and learning

Emotional memory

Tools that enhance performance

Heart rate variability: a key indicator of autonomic function

Entrainment

Emotional balance and health

HeartMath technology in business

Limitations of many stress management approaches

Increasing human performance and organizational effectiveness

About Planetary Publications

Research details

Freeze-Framer menus

File menu

Edit menu

View menu

Time Axis settings

Heart Rate Axis settings

Function menu

Help menu

Troubleshooting

Collect accurate data

Troubleshooting Common Problems

Call Technical Support

Freeze-Framer warranty

More Information

About the Institute of HeartMath

About Planetary Publications

Freeze-Framer™ is a trademark of the Institute of HeartMath. Freeze-Frame® and Heart Lock-In® are registered trademarks of the Institute of HeartMath.


Heart rhythms

Your heart rhythms reveal the activity of your autonomic nervous system. It is normal and healthy for your heart to beat at a continuously changing rate, gradually fluctuating from slower to faster rates and back again. These changes are what create our heart rhythms as they repeat in patterns of activity. The rhythmic patterns are affected by our autonomic nervous system , which controls many of the body’s internal functions and activities. This part of our nervous system is divided into two branches, the sympathetic and parasympathetic. The activity or amount of information sent through these two branches of the nervous system is greatly affected by the emotions we are feeling and changes as our emotional state changes, when we are stressed or relaxed.

When you are sincerely feeling positive emotions, the two branches of the nervous system are more likely to be in balance and the changes in your heart rhythms will usually be increasing and decreasing in a more regular, smooth pattern.

When you are frustrated, depressed, upset, excited, or breathing irregularly, your nervous system can become unbalanced, and your heart rhythm will probably become irregular, jagged and disharmonious.

Being "in the heart" is a feeling state which is subjective, meaning that it cannot be directly measured, as only you can know what you are truly feeling inside. It is not identical with being physiologically entrained which is a measurable physiological state. There is a correlation between the two but there is also a distinction.

Entrained or smooth heart rhythm patterns CAN be achieved through simple breathing exercises without using heart focus tools such as the Heart Lock-In and Freeze-Frame. However, they are hard to maintain for longer periods and they impose a mind-directed pattern on the physiology instead of allowing the body’s naturally resonant pattern to emerge.

Focusing on the heart and shifting our inner emotional state will tend to produce entrained or smooth heart rhythm patterns naturally. When integrated with attention to the breath (as in Freeze-Frame or Heart Lock-In ) this will usually produce better results over simple breathing exercises. This is because in relaxed states, the heart is a primary regulator of respiratory rhythm. Freeze-Frame and Heart Lock-In allow a spontaneous, natural entrainment to emerge, rather than imposing a pattern on the body. With the HeartMath tools, the body spontaneously finds its own resonant frequency, transcending and letting go of "thinking about" the breath. The mind gets out of the way instead of driving the process.

The HeartMath tools can create a profound subjective shift in how we feel inside. Shifting our feelings to increased levels of care and appreciation is extremely important for lots of reasons. Some of these show up physiologically, such as inner entrainment, but the subjective benefits are also numerous.

You will find that the easiest way to generate smooth heart rhythms is to focus on the area around the heart and breathing love and appreciation through the heart in a slow, steady rhythm.


autonomic nervous system

The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is the portion of the nervous system that controls the body’s visceral functions, including the heart rate, the movements of the gastrointestinal tract and the secretion by different glands, among many other vital activities.


About the Freeze-Framer Emotional Management Enhancer

Welcome to the Freeze-Framer

The Freeze-Framer is an entertaining, educational tool designed to teach and assist you in applying two simple techniques that help to balance the emotions and mind—Heart Lock-In® and Freeze-Frame®. It will show you how the use of these tools affect your heart rhythms. Through observing changes in your heart rhythm, which gives you a picture of your nervous system balance, you will be able to see the effects of these two powerful techniques on your body and mind.

The Freeze-Framer was developed based on research findings conducted by the Institute of HeartMath under the direction of Doc Childre in Boulder Creek, California. It embodies the successful merging of the latest scientific findings on physiological balance. IHM’s research indicates that a person’s state of heart, or heart entrainment, is integrally linked with state of mind, emotions and physiology. Learning how to enter and maintain the heart entrainment mode results in coherence which uplifts the mind and body, and results in clearer thinking, improved problem solving skills, increased concentration, and an overall more peaceful outlook. Pages 29 to 36 in the enclosed book Freeze-Frame: One Minute Stress Management by Doc Childre explain these principles in detail.

With the Freeze-Framer, you can, monitor your heart rhythms in real-time by viewing a real-time heart rhythm monitor (also called heart rate variability or HRV). The method is simple, convenient, accurate and efficient.

The Freeze-Framer monitors the beat-by-beat changes in your heart rate with its electronic sensor, which reads the pulse from your finger. It plots the speeding and slowing of the heart rate, and analyzes the heart rhythm pattern. In general, a smoother heart rhythm pattern indicates a more balanced nervous system and a more irregular, jagged pattern indicates a less balanced nervous system. The Freeze-Framer records the degree of smoothness or jaggedness of your heart rhythm and, based on a mathematical algorithm, assigns a score.

In only a few minutes you will be able to use the Freeze-Framer to see and change your heart rhythm, obtain an entrainment score which reflects the balance of your nervous system and play three games that increase your emotional management skills. You will be able to save the data each time you use the Freeze-Framer to gain valuable insight about your emotional/physical states and chart your progress at becoming more balanced emotionally, mentally and physically. Note: It is important to take the time to learn the techniques and practice them using the Freeze-Framer’s real-time heart rhythm mode first, before attempting to play the games.

About The Heart

The Institute of HeartMath’s research, on which the Freeze-Framer is based, explores the physiological mechanisms by which the heart communicates with the brain, thereby influencing our perceptions, emotions and health. Over the years the Institute of HeartMath has experimented with many different types of psychological and physiological measures, but it was consistently the heart rate variability, or heart rhythm, that stood out as being the most dynamic and reflective of our inner states.

IHM’s research shows the experience of negative emotions leads to increased disorder in the heart’s rhythms and in the autonomic nervous system, thereby affecting the rest of the body. In contrast, positive emotions created increased harmony and coherence in the heart’s rhythms and improved balance in the nervous system. The health implications are clear: Disharmony in the nervous system leads to inefficiency and increased stress on the heart and other organs while harmonious rhythms are more efficient and appear to support the body’s systems.

More intriguing are the dramatic positive shifts that often occur in a person’s perceptions when the heart experiences harmonious rhythms. When the heart rhythms are smooth and coherent, a person’s perception of a difficult situation often changes into a more positive outlook. This reduces the stress level and returns the body to a state of well-being. See the book Freeze-Frame, especially page 45 and Chapter 4, "Promoting Physical Health and Vitality."

The Freeze-Frame and Heart Lock-In techniques are designed to engage thoughts and feelings, such as appreciation and caring, associated with positive heart states. Practice of these techniques results in increased coherence in the rhythmic heart beating pattern and a balancing out of the mind and emotions. Using the Freeze-Framer provides a real-time view of your heart rhythm, and helps you practice engaging the power of your heart to achieve mental and emotional balance in daily life.

About Entrainment

The Freeze-Framer monitors your heart rhythm and measures how entrained you are. What do we mean by entrainment?

When two or more oscillating systems lock in at the same frequency, they operate with increased efficiency; this is known as entrainment. A classic example of entrainment is when two pendulum clocks, mounted side-by-side on the same wall, gradually come to swing at the same rhythm. In the human system, the heart, as the body’s most powerful oscillator, is the central "pendulum" which can set the stage for entrainment of other physiological systems.

The Institute of HeartMath experiments have demonstrated that when people experience sincere and sustained positive feelings like appreciation, the heart adopts a more coherent mode of function in its rhythmic beating patterns and can pull other biological systems into entrainment with it. In this state there is harmonious balance between the two branches of the autonomic nervous system, and our physiological systems operate with increased efficiency. The research indicates that you only have to measure the heart rhythm to determine if you are in the entrained state or not. As you learn and practice the Heart Lock-In and Freeze-Frame techniques you will be able to increase your level of entrainment and see that reflected in your entrainment score when you use the Freeze-Framer. Once again, please refer to the book Freeze-Frame for further details.

See Also Entrainment


Frequently asked questions

What is Freeze-Framer?

Freeze-Framer is a heart rhythm feedback tool for helping you observe the state of balance in your autonomic nervous system. The key to improving one’s heart rhythms is learning two HeartMath tools or techniques, the Heart Lock-In and Freeze-Frame. Freeze-Framer can also be used to see the effects of different techniques such as meditation, breathing and other approaches to stress reduction. Remember that the games are controlled by the degree of coherence in your heart rhythm, and the HeartMath tools are particularly effective in increasing the coherence in your heart rhythm and nervous system.

How can I benefit from using this technology?

With a little practice, you can learn to create amazingly positive effects in many areas of your life.

•	Change your physiology in ways that can improve health and well being.

•	Help achieve profound relaxation, reducing the background of fear and anxiety that inhibit the efficiency of our actions and the joy of living.

•	Unwind from stress.

•	Gain a more comprehensive perspective and find real solutions to problems.

•	Enhance both creativity and decision-making ability.

•	Used with Freeze-Frame and Heart Lock-In, you can use this tool to learn to stop stressful reactions the moment they occur.

You will be able to apply these techniques in:

•	Health -- to help enhance the immune system, reduce cardiovascular efficiency and reduce physical symptoms.

•	Business -- to overcome job anxiety, transform stress into creative energy and improve communication with co-workers and clients.

•	Relationships -- to successfully deal with family and spousal conflicts, improve communication and enhance the quality of interactions with spouses, partners and children.

•	Sports -- to achieve a harmonious, "entrained" state, which improves mental, emotional and physical performance.

•	Meditation and other similar practices -- to enhance breathing techniques or achieve new depths of inner vision or calm.

•	Quality of life -- to achieve new levels of concentration, creativity, communication and overall well-being, all of which can contribute to greater clarity, efficiency, purpose and fulfillment in life's activities.

•	With children -- To help children establish healthy attitude shifts and reinforce these healthy patterns.

•	Recreation -- Play the three software games just for fun, and let the benefits sneak up on you!

Can I practice these techniques without using Freeze-Framer?

Yes, in fact, that is exactly what the Institute of HeartMath recommends. They should be done frequently when you are not "hooked up." However, the Freeze-Framer provides real-time physiological feedback which helps you become more sensitive to the state of your nervous system, moment to moment. Bring this sensitivity to your daily use of the tools. It will add clarity and power to the application of your heart intelligence.

What does Freeze-Framer actually measure, and by what means?

The direct physiological function being measured is your pulse as viewed in your finger via a pulse plethysmograph. A small LED (light emitting diode) shines light into the skin of your finger and a photo-sensor records the changes in the reflected light as each pulse travels through your finger.

Freeze-Framer measures the interval between each pulse and computes your heart rate after every new pulse. Most people’s heart rate varies constantly, speeding up and slowing down.

Freeze-Framer then charts your heart rate as it changes. Heart rate variability (HRV) is also called heart rhythm. HRV is a complex wave that reflects many different things that are occurring inside our bodies -- it can be used and interpreted in many ways.

In general, a smoother HRV pattern indicates a more balanced autonomic nervous system, and a more irregular, jagged HRV pattern indicates a less balanced autonomic nervous system. Freeze-Framer notices the degree of smoothness or jaggedness of your heart rhythm and feeds that information back to you via the built-in games and some of the other functions of the program.

Other functions within the Freeze-Framer software provide different ways of recording, viewing, compiling and comparing your HRV readings. Some of these may be helpful in building your awareness of your own level of physiological balance. Others are more technical and will be of interest only to technically oriented users.

Why is heart rate variability (HRV) important?

HRV (commonly referred to as heart rhythm) has been at the forefront of scientific heart research for the past decade. It is an essential indicator of the state of heart/brain interaction. Of all the indicators measured in numerous studies (including years of research by the Institute of HeartMath), HRV stands out as the best way to measure our inner emotional states and stress from moment to moment.

The Institute of HeartMath researchers discovered that the negative emotions disrupt heart rhythms and upset the healthy functioning of the autonomic nervous system, which affects the rest of the body. In contrast, positive emotions create increased harmony and coherence in the heart's rhythms, and improved balance in the nervous system overall. Click on Research summary to read a summary of various studies on HRV.

How can I positively influence my HRV?

Actually, the more appropriate question is "How can I use HRV monitoring to help improve my performance, relationships and well-being?" In our research, the Freeze-Frame and Heart Lock-In techniques have been proven time and again to be associated with By monitoring your heart rhythms as you engage in the HeartMath exercises and other techniques you may want to try, you will receive feedback that can guide, encourage and reinforce positive psychological and physiological improvements. Dramatic changes of both a subjective (internally felt) and objective (outwardly observable and measurable) nature, including changes in HRV, immune function and hormonal balance. However, no single measurement or group of measurements is reflective of all of the subjective and objective changes that occur with these exercises.

It is like listening to you on tape, or watching yourself in an "instant replay." Your experience of an event is not equivalent to listening to or watching yourself, but having that kind of feedback can greatly enhance your awareness and speed your progress in managing your emotions and balancing your physiology.


Disclaimer

Use Freeze-Framer and the exercises contained in the software and in this book as tools for individual balance, optimal performance and growth. Although these instruments and exercises are believed to be very safe and have potentially great benefit, no medical benefits or cures are expressed or implied. These programs and exercises are not to be used as, or used in lieu of, any course of medical or psychological treatment.

None of the feedback or summary data provided in the software are to be interpreted as medically or psychologically diagnostic. Nor are the data samples themselves an objective or direct measure of being "in the heart" or in any specific psychological or spiritual state

Finally, heart rate variability patterns differ widely from one person to another. There are no "right" or "wrong" patterns. The entrainment scores in the programs and games are especially useful for comparing your own progress in increasing your ability to maintain an entrained state as you  practice; they should not be compared between one individual and another.

Individuals suffering from health problems such as: advanced age, diabetes, or heart irregularities (such as atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter or intense clusters of premature atrial contractions) and hyperactive children who are unable to sit still will be unable to use the Freeze-Framer successfully.


Set up Freeze-Framer

Check the package contents

Set up the hardware

System requirements

Connect the finger sensor

Set up the software

Register the software

Install the software


Check the package contents

Each Freeze-Framer product includes a:

•	Quick Start Guide

•	User Manual

•	Finger sensor

•	Freeze-Framer software CD (default) or floppy disks (optional)

•	Registration card

•	Freeze-Frame: One Minute Stress Management, by Doc Childre

•	Heart Zones musical CD

If any of these parts are missing or defective, immediately contact Planetary Publications.


System requirements

To successfully run Freeze-Framer, your system must equal or surpass the following configuration:

•	Pentium 90 MHz

•	Windows 95

•	32 MB of RAM

•	30 MB of free hard disk space

•	available serial port (not being used by your mouse)

•	CD-ROM drive

•	Monitor and graphics adapter capable of Desk Top area of: 800 X 600

•	High color (16-bit) color palette


Connect the finger sensor

The finger sensor can be connected before system start-up or while the computer is running, but before you start the Freeze-Framer program. Some older PC serial ports have a DB25 connector. In this case, you will need a DB25 female - DB9 male adapter, which is available from most computer stores for a few dollars.


Register the software

After you register your software, you will be notified of software upgrades and new product releases. To register, fill out and mail in the enclosed registration card.


Install the software

The Freeze-Framer software is designed to install automatically from the standard Installation CD. After the software is successfully installed on your system, it is not necessary to load the CD when using the Freeze-Framer.

Install the Software from the Installation CD

1. Insert the Freeze-Framer CD into your CD-ROM drive. The software installer will start automatically.

2. Follow the instructions on the screen. * During the installation, if you receive a message asking you to overwrite a *.dll file, click "YES."

3. Restart the computer once the installation is complete.

4. Once the restart is complete, double click on the Freeze-Framer icon on the desktop to start the program.

* The Freeze-Framer serial number can be found on the registration card (located in the front of the manual) and the first page of the User Manual. The number begins with "FF" and must be entered as shown here (with capital letters).


Watch your heart rhythm

Freeze-Framer provides many different screens and measurements of your heart rhythm. Try them all and see which one works best for you. For more details, click on any of the following:

Look at your heart rhythm

Look at your entrainment score

Look at your entrainment ratio

Look at your power spectrum

Look at your progress

Review a previous session


Look at your heart rhythm

The finger sensor records your pulse and sends the information to the computer; the information is then interpreted and displayed on the screen as your heart rhythm. When your heart rhythm is not coherent the graph will appear jagged. When your heart rhythm is coherent, the graph is a smooth series of sine waves. Note that each person’s heart rhythm patterns are unique to them; however, the coherent/incoherent characteristics (smooth or jagged lines on the graph) of the heart rhythm tend to be consistent indicators in most people.

To look at your heart rhythm:

1.	From the Main Menu, click on the Heart Rhythm icon.
The Heart Rhythm screen appears.

2.	Place your finger in the finger sensor and securely attach the Velcro strap, so it is snug but not too tight or uncomfortable. Sit quietly. Click on Collect accurate data for more details.

If you have small fingers, turning the sensor cradle around so that the cord is pointed toward you may improve the sensor connection by placing the sensor window closer to the edge of the cradle.

3.	Click on the Start button.
The program gathers data for 10 seconds before displaying a real-time graph of your heart rhythm. You want this to look like a smooth set of waves.

The program gathers data for 10 seconds before displaying a real-time graph of your heart rhythm. As your nervous system becomes more entrained, your heart rhythm graph line will become smoother and smoother, eventually coming to look like a smooth set of waves.

4.	Shift your heart rhythm to entrainment by practicing Heart Lock-In of Freeze-Frame . If you like, listen to the music CD Heart Zones to help you shift to heart focus.

5.	Click on the Stop button to end the session.
The tool bar changes.

6.	Click on the Save Data button.
This session will be added to your progress report.

You can customize the look and feel of the Heart Rhythm screen to suit your preferences. Click on Adjust the Heart Rhythm screen for details.

In the bottom right hand corner of the screen on the status bar there are two function icons. The first icon indicates the pulse sensor is activated and running, when recording a heart rhythm signal they flash green in color, when recording is stopped they are gray. The second icon, a small floppy disk image, indicates the data stream is being stored in the database. This image begins flashing after initial period (64-seconds) of data has been collected.

More About the Heart rhythm Graph

Viewing your Heart Rhythm Graph as you record it will show you a great deal about your internal physiological states. The Heart Rhythm Graph contains a tremendous amount of information about the constantly changing state of your autonomic nervous system. Ultimately, the Heart Rhythm Graph itself offers you even more information than your simple numerical Entrainment Score.

With regular use, you will be able to look at your Heart Rhythm Graph and visually identify when your are in low, medium or high levels of entrainment. With time, you will be able to recognize your entrainment patterns.

You may notice that as the sensor begins to record data on the Heart Rhythm Graph, one or several red lines may appear in the graph from time to time. This usually indicates that inaccurate or no data has been recorded, and that the program is compensating by leaving a gap in the data. The data inaccuracy or gap may be caused by movement or a poor connection from the finger sensor. Check the finger placement in the sensor for a good connection between the finger pad and the sensor window, and remember to sit quietly without moving the hand connected to the finger sensor while using the program.

An idealized smooth, entrained Heart Rhythm Graph looks like this:

Example 1:  Idealized Smooth Entrained Heart Rhythm

In most real-life situations, good physiological entrainment will not result in quite such an idealized waveform. It is likely to look more like this:

Example 2:  Actual Entrained Heart Rhythm Graph

Entrained heart rhythm data is easy to distinguish from data that is not entrained. Shown to the left is an example of non-entrained heart rhythm data.

Example 3: Non-Entrained Heart Rhythm Graph

When you move your hand and the data is interrupted, the Heart Rhythm Graph will usually show dramatic changes that interrupt its usual shape.

Example 4: Hand Movement Creates Distortion in the Heart Rhythm Graph

Often, you will observe that as you attempt to become entrained, the shape of the graph line will gradually change from a non-entrained to an entrained signal.

Example 5:  Heart Rhythm Graph Gradually Becoming Entrained


Adjust the Heart Rhythm screen

The scale of the Heart Rhythm Graph screen is determined by the Time Axis and Heart Rate Axis settings. Since each person is unique, it may be necessary to adjust these settings to optimally display your Heart Rhythm Graph.

The Time Axis settings range from 5 to 60 seconds per division, with a default setting set at a range of 30 seconds per division. Setting the Time Axis at smaller time interval (such as 5 to 10 seconds) will display less data at one time across the entire screen, giving a "zoom-in" effect. On the other hand, setting the Time Axis at a larger time interval will compress the amount of data displayed thus displaying more data onto the screen at one time, giving a "zoom-out" effect. The Auto setting will show the entire session on a single screen. You can try different settings until you find one you prefer.

The Heart Rate Axis settings range from 2 to 20 beats per minute and includes an Auto option. The default setting is set at 10 beats per minute. Setting the Heart Rate Axis at a lower value will make flat waves appear more pronounced, conversely, by setting the Heart Rate Axis at a higher value will make a steep wave pattern appear less pronounced.

The Auto setting will scale the graph automatically, periodically adjusting the range so that the highest and lowest data points are always visible on the screen.

To adjust the scale of the Heart Rhythm screen:

1.	Click on the Time Axis drop down menu arrow.

2.	Click on one of the menu choices. The new value appears in the Time Axis box.

3.	Click on the Heart Rate Axis drop-down menu arrow.

4.	Click on one of the menu choices. The new value appears in the Heart Rate Axis box.


Time Axis settings

range from 5 to 60 seconds per division, with a default setting set at a range of 30 seconds per division. Setting the Time Axis at smaller time interval (such as 5 to 10 seconds) will display less data at one time across the entire screen, giving a "zoom-in" effect. On the other hand, setting the Time Axis at a larger time interval will compress the amount of data displayed thus displaying more data onto the screen at one time, giving a "zoom-out" effect. The Auto setting will show the entire session on a single screen. You can try different settings until you find one you prefer.

Click on the Time Axis drop down menu arrow.

Click on one of the menu choices. The new value appears in the Time Axis box.

See Also

Adjust the Heart Rhythm screen


Heart Rate Axis settings

range from 2 to 20 beats per minute and includes an Auto option. The default setting is set at 10 beats per minute. Setting the Heart Rate Axis at a lower value will make flat waves appear more pronounced, conversely, by setting the Heart Rate Axis at a higher value will make a steep wave pattern appear less pronounced.

The Auto setting will scale the graph automatically, periodically adjusting the range so that the highest and lowest data points are always visible on the screen.

Click on the Heart Rate Axis drop-down menu arrow.

Click on one of the menu choices. The new value appears in the Heart Rate Axis box.

See Also

Adjust the Heart Rhythm screen


Main window button

Returns you to the main window to select other game or review mode options.

See Main Window


Start button

Starts the real-time recording and display of heart rhythm data.

See Also

Look at you Heart Rhythm


Stop button

Stops the recording of real-time heart rhythm data.


Full screen HRV button

Expands the Heart Rhythm graph window to the full size of you screen.

See also

Look at your heart rhythm


Entrainment ratios button

Press this button to display the Entrainment ratios screen window.

See also

Look at your entrainment ratio


Pulse wave button

Press this button to display your real-time pule wave. This button will only activate the pulse wave graph window during real-time heart rhythm data recording.

See also

Look at your Pulse wave


Look at your entrainment score

The window to the left of the entrainment bar chart is the Accumulated Entrainment Score Graph, which presents a linear view of the entrainment score during the session. The advantage to both views is that you can quantify the overall average low, medium and high entrainment scores and also view your progress over time.

To look at your entrainment score:

1.	Click on the Entrainment Score button.
The Entrainment Level screen appears below the Heart Rhythm screen.

Improve your entrainment score by practicing Freeze-Frame and Heart Lock-In.

YOU CAN’T REALLY COMPARE!

Remember that you are unique and that physiological entrainment scores depend on many factors. Your entrainment score is useful to help monitor progress, but your scores cannot be accurately compared to anyone else’s.

It is helpful to have a simple number that rates your level of entrainment. So, after the Freeze-Framer has collected a little more than one minute (approximately 64 seconds) of data, it will calculate an Entrainment Score that is updated throughout the session every five seconds.

The most current 64 seconds of data is continuously reevaluated every 5-seconds and assigned a score, 0 for low entrainment, 1 for medium entrainment and 2 for high entrainment. The three software lights right below the numeric heart rate display on the Entrainment Ratio’s display reflect this current score. The current score is saved and each newly calculated score is added to or subtracted from the previous scores. This accumulated score is plotted on the Accumulated Entrainment Score graph. In general the scoring algorithm adds one point to the accumulated score for each period of medium entrainment, two points for high entrainment and two points are subtracted when low entrainment is encountered. The actual scoring procedure is slightly more involved and considers the value of the previous score and may modify the addition or subtraction of points if minor fluctuations in the score are encountered.

On the Accumulated Entrainment Score display you can watch as your accumulated entrainment score increases or decreases.

WHAT DOES YOUR ENTRAINMENT SCORE "MEAN"?

The Freeze-Frame and Heart Lock-In techniques have been developed as a result of extensive research and testing at the Institute of HeartMath. You will find that the benefits you will receive exceed all the "objective" measurements that the Freeze-Framer, or any other program, can provide. The Freeze-Framer only measures physiological patterns that are usually reflective of our inner state, and as the research has shown, balanced patterns are quite valuable for our overall health and well-being. For best results, be sure to follow the instructions for the Heart Lock-In and Freeze-Frame techniques.

See Also

The Zone

Look at your entrainment ratio


Entrainment score button

The Entrainment score button activates the accumulated entrainment score screen. It appears below the Heart Rhythm screen.

See Also

Look at your entrainment score


Look at your entrainment ratio

The Entrainment Ratio Bar Chart presents a continuously updated view of your physiological entrainment ratio and heart rate reading during the current session. The information is updated every five seconds in correlation with Heart Rhythm Graph. As the data is continuously added, the program averages the ratios and adjust the scores accordingly throughout the session. During an active recording session the entrainment ratios reflect the average levels of entrainment over the entire length of the current session. As the length of the current active session increases the period over which the entrainment ratio’s reflects also increase. The numeric heart rate display reflects the average heart rate for the most current 5-seconds of data. The three software lights right below the numeric heart rate display on the Entrainment Ratio’s display reflect the level of entrainment for the most current minute of data and is updated every 5 seconds. Once the session ends, the Entrainment Ratio Bar Chart will present the average entrainment ratio and average heart rate for the entire session.

The Entrainment Ratio Bar Chart view is divided into three levels: low entrainment, medium entrainment and high entrainment. The total of the low, medium and high entrainment scores will always equal 100 percent. The Entrainment Ratio Bar Chart can only be viewed in record mode in conjunction with the Heart Rhythm Graph, or in review mode to view saved data from a previous session or after completing a game.

To look at your entrainment ratio:

1.	Click on the Entrainment Ratio button.
The Entrainment Ratio screen appears below the Heart Rhythm screen.

2.	Improve your entrainment ratio by practicing Freeze-Frame or Heart Lock-In.


Low Entrainment

Low entrainment bar represents the percentage of time spent in the Low Entrainment State relative to the total amount of time in the current recording. During real-time recording the entrainment ratios are updated every 5 seconds.

See Also

Entrainment ratios


Medium Entrainment

Medium entrainment bar represents the percentage of time spent in the Medium Entrainment State relative to the total amount of time in the current recording. During real-time recording the entrainment ratios are updated every 5 seconds.

See Also

Entrainment ratios


High Entrainment

High entrainment bar represents the percentage of time spent in the High Entrainment State relative to the total amount of time in the current recording. During real-time recording the entrainment ratios are updated every 5 seconds.

See Also

Entrainment ratios


Heart Rate

During real-time Heart rhythm recording the heart rate numerical display shows 5-seoncd average heart rate and is continuously updated every 5-seconds. In review mode the heart rate numerical display is the average heart rate for the entire recorded session.

See Also

Entrainment ratios


Look at your power spectrum

The HRV Power Spectrum Graph displays the amplitude of various frequency components in your heart signal. It is a purely technical feature of the Freeze-Framer provided for those who enjoy frequency analysis or who are fascinated by the biological events behind heart rhythm properties.

The Power Spectrum graph represents a mathematical transformation of the heart rhythm data into its frequency components. The amplitude on the vertical axis categorizes frequencies or cycles of repeating rhythms in the heart beat pattern.

A good example of a repeating rhythm is our breathing. If we were to inhale slowly for 5 seconds and then exhale slowly for 5 seconds, this would complete one full 10-second respiratory cycle. On a spectrum analysis graph, the frequencies (cycles) are represented by the number of times they repeat in one second. In our breathing example, one respiratory cycle was completed in 10 seconds. On a graph, this rhythm is converted to cycles per second (Hertz). A 10 second rhythm completes one-tenth (1/10) of a cycle per second, therefore the position of this event on the horizontal scale is at 0.1 (1/10 of a second), and the height, or amplitude, of the bar is determined by how deep the breath was. Faster breathing would position the spectral bar further to the right (shorter cycle), while a slower breath rate would move the spectral bar to the left (faster cycle).

In the heart rhythm data, many factors influence the recorded frequencies. The hearts own intrinsic rhythm, breathing, emotions, as well as automatic and other biological functions all contribute to the way the heart rate varies. This creates a complex set of frequencies all represented in the Power Spectrum Graph. In entrainment, many of these influences quiet, and the heart and breath synchronize into one frequency resulting in one dominant peak clearly defined at the entrainment frequency around 0.1 Hertz.

Ideally, you want to build a bell shaped curve that is centered in the yellow band with the tallest column around 0.10 Hz.

Here is an example of a Power Spectrum Graph of an entrained heart signal:

An entrained heart signal produces a Power spectrum graph with frequencies strongest near 0.1 Hz

Click on the Power Spectrum button.

The Spectrum Screen appears below the Heart Rhythm Screen. The Power Spectrum Screen displays 2 graphs: the Heart Rhythm Graph and the Power Spectrum Graph.

In review mode the Power Spectrum Graph will display your power average spectrum throughout the session in a display that looks like the graph below.

See autonomic function for more information about what the power spectrum measures.


Power Spectrum button

Click on the Spectrum button.
The Spectrum screen appears below the Heart Rhythm screen.

In review mode the power spectrum chart will look like this:

See Also

Look at you power spectrum


Look at you Pulse Wave

The Pulse Wave Graph is included as a method to check that the finger sensor is working and has a solid connection from which to record physiological data. This is why the Pulse Wave Graph can be displayed only while in active data recording mode and only along with the standard Heart rhythm Graph. Once data recording is completed, the Pulse Wave Graph ceases and is replaced with the Accumulated Entrainment Ratio graph and chart. It is not possible to view the Pulse Wave Graph once data recording is stopped. In other words, the Pulse Wave Graph cannot be consulted to view pulse beat data from saved previously recorded sessions or after completing a game.

To view the Pulse Wave Graph before starting or during an active data recording session:

Click on  [image]  the Pulse Wave Graph Icon or select View Pulse from the View pull-down menu bar at the top of the window.

See Collect accurate data


Look at your progress

The Freeze-Framer also allows you to view a progress report for a user. The Progress Report displays a bar chart of the Entrainment Level Ratios and a graph of the Average Heart Rate during each session.

1. Click on the "Progress Mode Icon  [image] or select View Progress from the Mode menu, to view a progress report, from the Main Window. A review of all saved data for the current user will appear on the screen.

Alternately, while in the Main Window, select Open User from the File pull-down menu at the top of the window. Select the User Name desired from the Select User dialog box that appears; click the OK Icon at the bottom of the dialog box.

2.	Click on the Select User Icon [image]  from the Icon Bar at the top of the Progress screen to review Progress Report for another User Name. Select a new User Name from the Select User dialog box that appears, and click the OK Icon to proceed. The Progress Report from new User Name folder is displayed.

Another method is to follow Step 1, then select Open User from the File pull-down menu at the top of the window. Select the desired user from the Select User dialog box and click OK at the bottom of the dialog box. At this point, a new User Name appears at the top of the window, but the saved data is not displayed. Select View Progress from the Mode pull-down menu at the top of the window. The View screen changes to display all saved data for the User Name selected in Step 2.

The following graph (from the Freeze-Framer’s "View Progress" screen) shows a user gradually increasing their time in higher and higher levels of entrainment:


Progress report button

Activates the progress report screen allowing you to see summary information from all previously saved recordings.

See also

Look at your progress


Balloon game

As you maintain a balanced nervous system, watch your hot air balloon rise off the ground and travel through the landscape. The higher your entrainment score, the higher your balloon will rise. When the Heart Rhythm pattern becomes less and less balanced, the balloon will go down until it returns to the ground and doesn’t move. As your balloon travels through the landscape it will pass various scenery.  Most of what goes past, the trees, cows, clouds and houses, will not affect the balloon. However,  certain parts of the landscape -- two walls and a tree -- will  hit the balloon and stop its progress if it is not high enough. These items do not appear until several minutes into the balloon’s flight. If your balloon hits one of these obstacles, simply continue to breathe and relax and do the Heart Lock-In or Freeze-Frame technique. When your entrainment score gets high enough, the balloon will rise above the wall or tree and continue to travel across the landscape. After 8 minutes, the balloon game will come to an end.

How to Play a Game

IMPORTANT: DO NOT ATTEMPT TO PLAY THE GAMES UNTIL YOU HAVE PRACTICED ENTRAINMENT. PRACTICE USING THE HEART RHYTHM MODE SCREEN FIRST. ONCE YOU CAN SUCCESSFUL ENTER AND MAINTAIN ENTRAINMENT YOU WILL BE READY TO TRY THE FREEZE-FRAMER GAMES.

To play a game:

(1)	Simply click on the balloon game icon on the Main Menu.

(2)	Then, from the starting screen for the game, click on the Start button located in the lower left corner of the screen.

(3)	You will see the following box appear:

IMPORTANT: THE GAME HAS BEGUN, YOU WILL BE SCORED ON THE DATA BEING ACCUMULATED STARTING THE MOMENT THIS BOX APPEARS. THEREFORE, BEGIN TO APPLY THE HEART LOCK-IN OR FREEZE-FRAME TECHNIQUE AS SOON AS YOU SEE THIS BOX APPEAR.

(4)	After 1 minute, the box will disappear. Within 20 seconds after the box disappears, you may begin to see some response to your entrained Heart Rhythm.

(5)	Play the game until it ends or until you want to stop.

(6)	Click on the Stop Icon located in the lower left corner of the screen.

(7)	You will immediately be shown the review screen. It shows you a summary of the data from your session, including your entrainment ratios. To interpret this data see "Interpret Your Data" on page 00 of this manual. The review screen looks like this:

(8)	To leave the review screen click on the main window button.

You will be prompted to save your data.  At this point, you must either save your data (which takes only a few seconds) or lose it forever, and you must do this before you can move on.

Tip	You will achieve best results when you consciously breathe love and appreciation through the heart through relaxed, regular, full breaths. Then the body will find its own resonant frequency, and you will let go of any mental control of your breath. Ultimately, the best results come when the mind gets out of the way. See Breathing.


Rainbow game

As you maintain a balanced nervous system, watch a rainbow gradually appear in the upper left corner of the screen, and then extend downwards and across your screen until it reaches the pot of gold. Then the pot will fill with gold coins! As the gold coins accumulate in the pot of gold, you will see a score, in dollars, appear near the bottom of the screen. The higher your entrainment score, and the more time you spend in an entrained state, the more dollars will fill your pot of gold! After 7 minutes, the Rainbow game will come to an end.

How to Play a Game

IMPORTANT: DO NOT ATTEMPT TO PLAY THE GAMES UNTIL YOU HAVE PRACTICED ENTRAINMENT. PRACTICE USING THE HEART RHYTHM MODE SCREEN FIRST. ONCE YOU CAN SUCCESSFUL ENTER AND MAINTAIN ENTRAINMENT YOU WILL BE READY TO TRY THE FREEZE-FRAMER GAMES.

To play a game:

(1)	Simply click on the rainbow game icon on the Main Menu.

(2)	Then, from the starting screen for the game, click on the Start button located in the lower left corner of the screen.

(3)	You will see the following box appear:

IMPORTANT: THE GAME HAS BEGUN, YOU WILL BE SCORED ON THE DATA BEING ACCUMULATED STARTING THE MOMENT THIS BOX APPEARS. THEREFORE, BEGIN TO APPLY THE HEART LOCK-IN OR FREEZE-FRAME TECHNIQUE AS SOON AS YOU SEE THIS BOX APPEAR.

(4)	After 1 minute, the box will disappear. Within 20 seconds after the box disappears, you may begin to see some response to your entrained Heart Rhythm.

(5)	Play the game until it ends or until you want to stop.

(6)	Click on the Stop Icon located in the lower left corner of the screen.

(7)	You will immediately be shown the review screen. It shows you a summary of the data from your session, including your entrainment ratios. To interpret this data see "Interpret Your Data" on page 00 of this manual. The review screen looks like this:

(9)	To leave the review screen click  on the main window button.

You will be prompted to save your data.  At this point, you must either save your data (which takes only a few seconds) or lose it forever, and you must do this before you can move on.

Tip	You will achieve best results when you consciously breathe love and appreciation through the heart through relaxed, regular, full breaths. Then the body will find its own resonant frequency, and you will let go of any mental control of your breath. Ultimately, the best results come when the mind gets out of the way. See Breathing.


Meadow game

As you maintain a balanced nervous system, watch a dry, black-and-white nature scene gradually fill with color and running water and even a rainbow and two gentle animals! The Meadow will become more and more colorful as long as you have a high entrainment score. It may complete its cycle, including the appearance of the bunny, the deer and the rainbow, in as little as two minutes. After 3 minutes, however, the Meadow game will come to an end even if the Meadow has not completed the process of becoming colorful and fun. The next time you play, perhaps you can get more color into the picture!

How to Play a Game

IMPORTANT: DO NOT ATTEMPT TO PLAY THE GAMES UNTIL YOU HAVE PRACTICED ENTRAINMENT. PRACTICE USING THE HEART RHYTHM MODE SCREEN FIRST. ONCE YOU CAN SUCCESSFUL ENTER AND MAINTAIN ENTRAINMENT YOU WILL BE READY TO TRY THE FREEZE-FRAMER GAMES.

To play a game:

(1)	Simply click on the meadow game icon on the Main Menu.

(2)	Then, from the starting screen for the game, click on the Start button located in the lower left corner of the screen.

(3)	You will see the following box appear:

IMPORTANT: THE GAME HAS BEGUN, YOU WILL BE SCORED ON THE DATA BEING ACCUMULATED STARTING THE MOMENT THIS BOX APPEARS. THEREFORE, BEGIN TO APPLY THE HEART LOCK-IN OR FREEZE-FRAME TECHNIQUE AS SOON AS YOU SEE THIS BOX APPEAR.

(4)	After 1 minute, the box will disappear. Within 20 seconds after the box disappears, you may begin to see some response to your entrained Heart Rhythm.

(5)	Play the game until it ends or until you want to stop.

(6)	Click on the Stop Icon located in the lower left corner of the screen.

(7)	You will immediately be shown the review screen. It shows you a summary of the data from your session, including your entrainment ratios. To interpret this data see "Interpret Your Data" on page 00 of this manual. The review screen looks like this:

(10)	To leave the review screen click  on the main window button.

You will be prompted to save your data.  At this point, you must either save your data (which takes only a few seconds) or lose it forever, and you must do this before you can move on.

Tip	You will achieve best results when you consciously breathe love and appreciation through the heart through relaxed, regular, full breaths. Then the body will find its own resonant frequency, and you will let go of any mental control of your breath. Ultimately, the best results come when the mind gets out of the way. See Breathing exercise.


Save the data

Saving the data from each session allows for review of progress in working with the Heart Lock-In and Freeze-Frame techniques. The Save feature is designed to provide multiple users with individual files so that each user can save their data to a personal file. The Freeze-Framer has no limit to the number of sessions that can be saved; the amount of hard drive space available and the length of the stored sessions determine this.

If you are recording data in the training mode with the Heart Rhythm Graph as part of the view display, click the Stop Icon from the Icon Bar or select Stop Monitoring from the Function pull-down menu bar at the top of the window. If you have finished playing a game, click on the Exit Icon located on the Icon Bar at the bottom left corner of the game screen to return to the Heart Rhythm Graph view. Note that the Save Data dialog box will appear if you attempt to exit the current session without saving. If you do not want to save the recorded data, click "No" in the Save Data dialog box.

To save your data:

1.	Click on the Stop button.
The toolbar changes.

2.	Click on the Save Data button.
The Save dialog box appears.

3.	Select your user name and click on OK.

Or

Click on New User, enter your user name, and click on OK.

4.	The current data is saved. Click on OK.

5.	If you do not want to save the data, click on No in the Save Data dialog box. Return to the Main Menu by clicking on the Return to Main Window Icon from the Icon Bar, or start a new session by clicking the Heart Rhythm Mode Icon from the Icon Bar.

Important Notes on Saving Data

•  For Home Users

•  For Office Use

•  For Classroom Use

The Freeze-Framer saves the data from your sessions in one or more User Folders. When you enter a User Name, you name one of the User Folders. When you save data, you must select (or enter) a User Name; this determines which folder the data will be saved into.

If the Freeze-Framer is being used only by a single individual, you can click and check the box "Save currently selected user as default - do not prompt for user name."

This will eliminate the extra step of selecting a user folder when saving data. The name of the currently selected user appears at the top of the program screen in the blue bar above the Mode and Function Menus. If you have selected this option, you can change it by unselecting the option. When saving data, click on the dialog box to remove the check mark in front of that option. Now you can save the data to a new user file by selecting that file from the pull-down menu, or create a new user file by clicking on the New User Icon in the dialog box.

If you wish to View Progress, the Freeze-Framer will display summaries from all the sessions saved in a User Folder. If data from several individuals is mingled in a single User Folder, there will be no real meaning in the comparison charts that will be displayed when you View Progress.

For Home Use

If you are the only one using the Freeze-Framer, select and check the box "Save currently selected user as default—do not prompt for user name."

If several family members will be using the Freeze-Framer, create User Names for each of them, and DO NOT select and check the box "Save currently selected user as default—do not prompt for user name."

For Office Use

If you are the only one using the Freeze-Framer, select and check the box "Save currently selected user as default—do not prompt for user name."

If several individuals will be using the Freeze-Framer, DO NOT select and check the box "Save currently selected user as default—do not prompt for user name." Make sure everyone is aware that it is important NOT to select this option.

For the sake of data privacy, User Names can be coded with alphanumeric codes that do not reveal the identities of the individuals to whom the data belongs.

For Classroom Use

Before students are introduced to the Freeze-Framer, create User Names for each of them, and DO NOT select and check the box "Always save to this folder."

When you introduce the tool to your class, make sure everyone can find his or her own User Folder.

Make sure everyone understands that it is important...

1.    To ALWAYS save their data in their OWN User Folder, and

2.    NEVER to check the box "Always save to this folder."

Save Data to a Default Folder

The Freeze-Framer saves the data from your sessions in one or more User Folders. By entering a new User Name in the Save Data dialog box, you are creating a new User Folder in which to save the recorded data. When saving data, you must select a User Name to save to, or save the data to a default folder.

If the Freeze-Framer will be used by a single individual, you may simplify the Save process by choosing a default folder. Choose a default folder by selecting a User Name from the pull-down menu in the dialog box, then click on the box titled "Save currently selected user as default. Do not prompt for user name." The User Name selected will then fade to gray, indicating that all data will be saved to this default folder. The name of the current user is displayed at the top program bar.


Interpret the feedback

Remember that you are unique and that entrainment scores depend on some factors which may not have anything to do with your health or level of internal coherence. Your entrainment score is useful to help you see your progress, but your scores should not be compared to other people. "Competing" with a friend may seem like healthy fun, and if you do it with a sense of humor, it will probably do no harm. But it is important that you do not attach any significance to the differences in your scores.

The Average Heart Rate (BPM) graph shows the average heart rate from each session, plotted over all your sessions.

The Entrainment Ratio bar chart shows the low, medium, and high entrainment level ratios for each of your sessions. You want to see the high level entrainment steadily increasing and the low level entrainment steadily decreasing.

To look at the progress you are making towards entrainment, click on the View Progress icon.
The Progress Report screen appears.

The Freeze-Frame and Heart Lock-In techniques have been developed as a result of extensive research and testing at the Institute of HeartMath. You will find that the benefits you will receive exceed all the "objective" measurements that Freeze-Framer, or any other program, can provide. Therefore, you should not be overly concerned that a "score" does not always seem to match your internal state. No mechanical device can precisely measure one’s inner emotional state. But Freeze-Framer can measure physiological patterns, which can be very reflective of our inner state, and as the research has shown, balanced patterns are quite valuable for our overall health and well-being. For best results, be sure to follow the instructions for these exercises exactly as given.

See also:

Review a previous session


Review a previous session

Since the Freeze-Framer saves data from previous sessions into specified User Folders, it is possible to view saved data from previous sessions. To view data from a previous session:

Click on the "Review Mode" Icon [image]  or select Review Session from the Mode menu.

The Review Session dialog window appears.

1.	Click on the Review Session button.
The Review Session dialog box appears.

2.	Select the user from the User Name pull down menu at the bottom of the dialog box.

3.	Click on the session you want to review.

4.	Click on OK. The Review Mode screen appears. Sometimes this takes a few seconds to load, so be patient.

The saved data from the session selected can be viewed in all graph and chart forms except for the Pulse Wave Graph. The data may also be printed. It is only possible to view one complete session at a time. This method can be repeated as many times as needed to complete the data review.


Heart Focused Breathing

The HeartMath system helps people operate from their innate heart intelligence. Being "in the heart" is a feeling state and cannot be directly measured. It is not identical with being in a physiologically entrained state, which is an objective state that can be directly measured by Freeze-Framer. There is a correlation between physiological entrainment and being "in the heart" but there is also a distinction.

In both the Heart Lock-In and the Freeze-Frame technique, certain steps instruct you to "pretend you're breathing through your heart," This is very important. When you relax and breathe to and from the heart area deeply, slowly and regularly, your entrainment score should respond dramatically. While breathing through the heart area, most people find that their scores will improve further when they make the emotional shift described in the process. By shifting your inner state and experiencing feelings of love and appreciation, your heart rhythms become more coherent, which produces many other benefits.

While doing Freeze-Frame or Heart Lock-In, imagine that your relaxed breaths are flowing in and out of the heart area and then add the texture of love and appreciation. Many people can actually feel this "energy" flowing in and out of the heart, while others feel a warm glow in the area of the heart. Then, feel or imagine that you are breathing this love and appreciation more and more deeply through your whole body. If tensions, doubts, anger or fear arise, relax and accept them, while breathing love and appreciation to and from the heart.

An entrained or smooth heart rhythm pattern can be seen when you do certain breathing exercises without focusing in the heart area or shifting emotional state. However, this approach imposes a pattern on the rhythms of the body, instead of allowing the body’s natural resonant rhythm to emerge. It is hard to maintain this coherent pattern for long without the heart focus and the emotional shift.

A focus in the heart area will also produce an entrained or smooth heart rhythm pattern. This is the best way to do it as it is the body’s natural response to feeling good. When integrated with attention to the breath (like in Freeze-Frame or Heart Lock-In) this will produce the best results. This is because the heart is a primary regulator of respiratory rhythm when we are relaxed. There are nerves that carry information from the heart to the respiratory centers in the brain, and this information regulates the start of the breathing cycle. The Freeze-Frame and Heart Lock-In techniques encourage the natural and spontaneous entrainment pattern to emerge. By transcending and letting go of the mind’s control of the breath, the body operates at its own resonant frequency. The goal is to get the mind out of the way so that coherent, positive feelings are driving the process. This is the "high performance zone" as far as our bodies are concerned.

Heart focus creates a profound subjective shift to care and appreciation which is extremely important. Some of its benefits show up physiologically, but the subjective benefits, all by themselves, are extremely valuable.

Best results with the Freeze-Framer will be achieved as you focus in the heart area and breathe love and appreciation. It is especially effective if your breathing is slow, regular, and full (not shallow). This way you will get the physiologically-balancing benefits of both heart focus and breathing. This is the most effective way to produce physiologically entrained smooth heart rhythm patterns.


Freeze-Frame

This section is paraphrased from the book Freeze-Frame: One Minute Stress Management by Doc Childre that is enclosed with the Freeze-Framer. Please refer to the book for more details including an in-depth, step-by-step technique guide, an explanation of the research and case studies supporting Freeze-Frame, and practical ways to apply the technique in daily life.

As with the Heart Lock-In, Freeze-Frame uses the power and intelligence of the heart to shift perception in the moment, bringing our biological systems, including the brain, into balance and harmony in just minutes. The information presented in this section is more completely presented and explained in the book Freeze-Frame. Chapter 2, "The Five Steps of Freeze-Frame," outlines in detail the steps and methodology to successfully apply the Freeze-Frame
technique.

How to Freeze-Frame

1.	Take a time out so that you can temporarily disengage from your thoughts and feelings-- especially stressful ones.

2.	Shift your focus to the area around your heart — now feel your breath coming in through your heart and out through your solar plexus.
(see Heart Focused Breathing)

3.	Make a sincere effort to activate a positive fun feeling.

4.	Ask yourself what would be an efficient, effective attitude or action that would balance and de-stress your system.

5.	Quietly sense any change in perception or feeling and sustain it as long as you can.

(Heart perceptions are often subtle. They gently suggest effective solutions that would be best for you and all concerned.)

Quick Freeze-Frame Steps

Shift
Activate
Sense

"Once the noise of your mind and emotions is quieted, you can hear what some call the ‘still, small voice.’ Finding this inner wisdom or intuition requires making a shift, like changing the radio setting from AM to FM. As your system becomes more ‘coherent,’ the brain begins to synchronize with the heart, cortical facilitation occurs and more power and intelligence become available to the brain." Doc Childre

Begin by studying the instructions at the top of the Freeze-Frame worksheet inside the User Guide that came with your software. Write down your thoughts and feeling about the situation, then, Freeze-Frame. After doing the technique, write down any new perspectives under "Heart Perspective." Compare your perspectives before and after Freeze-Framing.

When doing your first written exercise, start with a simple problem or reaction, such as frustration with a co-worker or spouse. As you’re understanding and application of the technique grows, apply it to larger problems. After you are comfortable with the Freeze-Frame technique, you will be able to automatically apply Freeze-Frame when you need it. The key lies in the sincerity of your practice.

When to Freeze-Frame

It can be very helpful to put up post-it notes, post the steps on your refrigerator to remind the whole family to practice, program the screen saver on your computer with "Freeze-Frame" or set your watch to beep several times a day to help you remember to practice.


What positive, fun feeling works for you?
"Walking in my favorite park by the lake."
"Having breakfast with my grandchild."
"My last vacation to Hawaii."
"Co-workers and management expressing their sincere appreciation of my work."


Heart Lock-In

The Heart Lock-In technique is designed to help you amplify the power of your heart. As you cultivate the wonderful field of the heart within you, you regenerate your life—physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

In the Heart Lock-In technique, you focus your energies in the area of your heart for 5 to 15 minutes, or longer if you prefer. This is similar to step 2 of Freeze-Frame (see page 13 of the Freeze-Frame book) except that your focus is gentler. The longer you sustain your attention in the heart, the more benefits you will reap and more enduring your heart connection will be. Quieting the mind and sustaining a solid connection with the heart, locking in to its power, adds buoyancy and regenerative energy to your entire system. You’re locking in to the coherent heart rhythms to sustain entrainment. In the process, you’ll begin to balance your nervous system, and energize your cells, organs and electrical system.

To do a Heart Lock-In:

If you choose to use music, Begin by playing Heart Zones . Close your eyes and relax.
The Heart Zones CD is included and can be played on your home stereo, portable disk player or your computer’s CD drive. For some people headphones are a nice addition.

1.	Gently shift your attention to the area around your heart.

2.	Shift your breathing so that you are breathing in through the heart and out through the solar plexus.
(Pretend you are breathing slowly through the heart – five seconds in, five seconds out. Do this a few times to help enter the entrainment state. Breathe naturally , but a little slower and deeper than you normally would with your attention focused in the area of the heart for the rest of the Lock-In. do not over-focus on your breath rate, as it can take your focus away from the heart.)

3.	Activate a genuine feeling of appreciation or care for someone or something in your life.

4.	Make a sincere effort to sustain feelings of appreciation, care or love while radiating them to yourself and others.

As you "lock-in" and maintain positive feelings while focusing your attention in the area around your heart, you are regenerating your entire mental, emotional and physical systems and improving nervous system balance. Practice increasing the ratio of time that you are focused in the heart rather than in the mind. This gives you a refreshing break from the mind and helps to build your heart intelligence. It is recommended to lock-in several times a week. The Heart Lock-In provides an extended moment of increased presence and coherence, building a platform from which Freeze-Frame becomes easier.

After you have practiced the Heart Lock-In, read the steps of Freeze-Frame. After you have practiced this a few times and are able to sustain an entrained heart rhythm you will be ready to play the Freeze-Framer’s games.

The music you will be using in your Lock-Ins, Heart Zones, was scientifically designed by Doc Childre to help you connect more deeply with your heart. Try not to compare Heart Zones to other music you have heard, as its chords, rhythms and sound textures were carefully orchestrated to enhance mental and emotional balance in the listener.


Getting started with the Freeze-Framer Emotional Management Enhancer

The Freeze-Framer™ monitors the beat by beat changes in your heart rate with its electronic pulse sensor. Our heart rate dynamically changes with every single heart beat, even when we are at rest. Typically, these changes form a pattern, with the heart rate increasing followed by a decrease in our heart rate. These patterns, called heart rhythms, are affected by nearly everything we do, including our emotions and how we feel.

The Freeze-Framer is uniquely designed to facilitate the learning and practice of simple yet powerful techniques that allow you to greatly reduce stress, enhance intelligence and performance.

Before you will be able to effectively balance your heart rhythms and play the games contained in the Freeze-Framer, you will need to spend a few minutes reading the following few pages which will guide you through the steps of two important tools, the Heart Lock-In and Freeze-Frame. We will start with the Heart Lock-In. Once you have read through these few pages you will be ready to use the Freeze-Framer.

How to do a Heart Lock-In

The Heart Lock-In is a powerful technique you can use to enhance performance and creativity in your day-to-day life.

If you choose to use music, Begin by playing Heart Zones . Close your eyes and relax.
The Heart Zones CD is included and can be played on your home stereo, portable disk player or your computer’s CD drive. For some people headphones are a nice addition.

To do a Heart Lock-In:

1.	Gently shift your attention to the area around your heart.

2.	Shift your breathing so that you are breathing in through the heart and out through the solar plexus.
(Pretend you are breathing slowly through the heart – five seconds in, five seconds out. Do this a few times to help enter the entrainment state. Breathe naturally , but a little slower and deeper than you normally would with your attention focused in the area of the heart for the rest of the Lock-In. do not over-focus on your breath rate, as it can take your focus away from the heart.)

3.	Activate a genuine feeling of appreciation or care for someone or something in your life.

4.	Make a sincere effort to sustain feelings of appreciation, care or love while radiating them to yourself and others.

As you "lock-in" and maintain positive feelings while focusing your attention in the area around your heart, you are regenerating your entire mental, emotional and physical systems and improving nervous system balance. Practice increasing the ratio of time that you are focused in the heart rather than in the mind. This gives you a refreshing break from the mind and helps to build your heart intelligence. It is recommended to lock-in several times a week. The Heart Lock-In provides an extended moment of increased presence and coherence, building a platform from which Freeze-Frame becomes easier.

Now that you know how to do a Heart Lock-In, you are now ready to begin using the Freeze-Framer to look at your heart rhythms. After you have practiced the Heart Lock-In, read the steps of Freeze-Frame .

The music you will be using in your Lock-Ins, Heart Zones, was scientifically designed by Doc Childre to help you connect more deeply with your heart. Try not to compare Heart Zones to other music you have heard, as its chords, rhythms and sound textures were carefully orchestrated to enhance mental and emotional balance in the listener.

Start using the Freeze-Framer to see and record your heart rhythms. After you have practiced this a few times and are able to sustain an entrained heart rhythm you will be ready to play the fun games


Research Introduction

For centuries, the heart has been considered the source of emotion, courage and wisdom. The Institute of HeartMath Research Center explores the physiological mechanisms by which the heart communicates with the brain, thereby influencing how well we deal with stress, the brains ability to process information, our perceptions, emotions and health. They are asking questions such as: Why do people usually experience the feeling or sensation of love and other positive emotional states in the area of their heart, and how do stress and different emotional states affect the autonomic nervous system, the hormonal and immune systems, our heart and brain? Over the years the Institute of HeartMath has experimented with many different types of psychological and physiological measures, but it was consistently the heart rate variability, or heart rhythms, that stood out as being the most dynamic and reflective of our inner emotional states and stress. It became clear that the experience of negative emotions leads to increased disorder in the heart’s rhythms and in the autonomic nervous system, thereby affecting the rest of the body. In contrast, positive emotions created increased harmony and coherence in the heart’s rhythms and improved balance in the nervous system. The health implications are easy to understand: Disharmony in the nervous system leads to inefficiency and increased stress on the heart and other organs while harmonious rhythms are more efficient and less stressful to the body's systems.

More intriguing are the dramatic positive shifts that can occur in a person’s perceptions, one's ability to reduce stress and more effectively deal with difficult situations after learning Freeze-Frame and the Heart Lock-In techniques which increase the coherence in the rhythmic beating patterns of our heart. The researchers at the Institute of HeartMath observed that the heart was acting as though it had a mind of its own and was profoundly affecting perception. In essence, it appeared that the heart was affecting our intelligence and awareness. Many of the answers have begun to come together and now provide a scientific basis which explains how and why the heart affects our mental clarity, creativity, emotional balance and effectiveness. IHM’s research and others' indicate that the heart is far more than a simple pump. The heart is, in fact, a complex, sensory organ with its own functional "heart brain" that communicates with and influences the brain via the nervous system, hormonal system and other pathways. These influences profoundly affect brain function and most of the body’s major organs.

Stress due to the mismanagement of the human mind and emotions significantly harms our health, inhibits our ability to perform to our optimal potential and constricts the range of intelligence we can access. In contrast, when we bring the mind and emotions into balance and coherence, we are able to self-activate a higher intelligence that results from the synergy of heart and mind working in concert. This intelligence is inherent in all human beings, but only recently have there been practical techniques developed to enable us to access it with consistency and continuity. The HRV 1 provides a real-time view of your hearts rhythmic patterns and Freeze-Frame is a practical tools to self-activate this higher aspect of human potential.

See also:

Neurocardiology: the brain in the heart

The Heart as a hormonal gland

Mental and emotional coherence

Stress, health, and performance

The perception cascade

The connectivity web, neural circuits, and learning

Emotional memory

Tools that enhance performance

Heart rate variability: a key indicator of autonomic function

Entrainment

Emotional balance and health

HeartMath technology in business

Limitations of many stress management approaches

Increasing human performance and organizational effectiveness

HeartMath in education


Neurocardiology: the brain in the heart

Many traditional conceptions of the heart from widely differing cultures have in common the view that the heart harbors an "intelligence" which operates independently of the brain, yet in communication with it. This view is now being confirmed by modern research showing that the heart is a highly sophisticated sensory organ and information processing system which contributes crucial input to the mental and emotional systems in the rhythmic messages it transmits to the brain and throughout the body. In recent years it has become evident that the role of the heart in the human system extends far beyond that previously acknowledged by modern scientific thought.

Some of the first modern psychophysiological researchers to examine the conversations between the heart and brain were John and Beatrice Lacey. During 20 years of research throughout the 1960's and '70's, they observed that the heart talks back to the brain in ways that significantly affect how we perceive and react to the world. They theorized that the heart "tunes" the senses, and indirectly the muscles, with its own language that is transformed into nerve impulses that permeate the brain. The heart appeared to be sending meaningful messages to the brain that it not only understood but obeyed. Even more intriguing was that it looked as though these messages could change a person’s behavior. Shortly after this, neurophysiologists discovered a neural pathway and mechanism whereby input from the heart to the brain could "inhibit" or "facilitate" the brain’s electrical activity.

While the Laceys were doing their research, a small group of cardiovascular researchers joined with a similar group of neurophysiologists to explore areas of mutual interest. This represented the beginning of the new discipline of neurocardiology, which has since provided critically important insights into the nervous system within the heart and how the brain and heart communicate with each other via the nervous system. After extensive research, one of the early pioneers in neurocardiology, Dr. J. Andrew Armour, introduced the concept of a functional "heart brain" in 1991.

Considered a single entity, the brain in the heart is a network of neurons, neurotransmitters and proteins that send messages between neurons. It has support cells like those found in the brain proper and a complex circuitry that enables it to act independently, learn, remember, and, as the saying goes, produce the "feelings of the heart." The information sent from the heart to the brain has profound effects on higher brain functions, influencing our perceptions, emotions, thought processes and learning abilities. The diagram illustrates the key neural pathways forming the communication link between the heart and the brain.

Hormonal, chemical, rate and pressure information are translated into neurological impulses and sent from the heart to the brain through several "afferent" (flowing to the brain) pathways. It is also through these nerve pathways that feeling sensations are sent to the brain. These afferent nerve pathways enter the brain in an area called the medulla, located in the brain stem. The signals have a regulatory role over many of the autonomic nervous system signals that flow out of the brain to the heart, blood vessels and other glands and organs. However, they also cascade up into the higher centers of the brain.

See also:

Research Summary

The Heart as a hormonal gland

Mental and emotional coherence

Stress, health, and performance

The perception cascade

The connectivity web, neural circuits, and learning

Emotional memory

Tools that enhance performance

Heart rate variability: a key indicator of autonomic function

Entrainment

Emotional balance and health

HeartMath technology in business

Limitations of many stress management approaches

Increasing human performance and organizational effectiveness

HeartMath in education


The Heart as a hormonal gland

Another component of the heart-brain communication system was provided by researchers studying the hormonal system. A hormone is a chemical that is secreted by a gland or organ that carries messages to other parts of the body. The heart was reclassified as an endocrine or hormonal gland, when in 1983 a new hormone produced and released by the heart called atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) was isolated. This hormone exerts its effects widely: on the blood vessels themselves, on the kidneys and the adrenal glands and on a large number of regulatory regions in the brain. More recently it has been found that the heart contains cells that make and release a large number of neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine and dopamine which were once thought to be produced only by the brain and nervous system.

See also:

Research Summary

Neurocardiology: the brain in the heart

Mental and emotional coherence

Stress, health, and performance

The perception cascade

The connectivity web, neural circuits, and learning

Emotional memory

Tools that enhance performance

Heart rate variability: a key indicator of autonomic function

Entrainment

Emotional balance and health

HeartMath technology in business

Limitations of many stress management approaches

Increasing human performance and organizational effectiveness

HeartMath in education


Mental and emotional coherence

Dating back to the ancient Greeks, human thinking and feeling, or intellect and emotion, have been considered separate functions. These contrasting aspects of the soul, as the Greeks called them, have often been portrayed as being engaged in a constant battle for control of the human psyche. In Plato’s view, emotions were like wild horses that had to be reined in by the intellect.

Of course, emotions are not always negative and do not always serve as antagonists to rational thought. Modern neurologists now stress the rationality of emotion and emphasize the importance of emotions in decision making. For example it is now known if the brain is damaged in the areas that integrate the emotional and cognitive systems a person can no longer effectively function in the day-to-day world, even though their mental abilities are perfectly normal.

The latest research in neuroscience is confirming that emotion and cognition can best be thought of as separate but interacting functions or systems, each with its own unique type of intelligence. Studies at the HeartMath Research Center are showing that the key to the successful integration of the mind and emotions lies in increasing the coherence (ordered, harmonious function) in both systems and bringing them into phase with one another. Within the wiring of the brain, the neural connections from the emotional system to the cognitive systems are stronger and more numerous than the connections from the cognitive to the emotional system. Once an emotion is experienced, it becomes a powerful motivator of future behaviors, affecting  our moment-to-moment actions, attitudes and long-term achievements. Emotions can easily bump mundane events out of our awareness, but non-emotional events (like thoughts) do not easily displace emotions from awareness. At the Institute of HeartMath, research is showing that by using Freeze-Frame to increase the coherence in the emotional system, we can often bring the mind into greater coherence as well.

The degree of coherence between the mind and emotions can vary considerably. When they are out-of-phase, our overall awareness is reduced. Conversely, when they are in-phase, our awareness is expanded. This interaction affects us on a number of levels: Our vision, listening abilities, reaction times, mental clarity, feeling states and sensitivities are all influenced by the degree of mental and emotional coherence we experience at any given moment.

See also:

Research Summary

Neurocardiology: the brain in the heart

The Heart as a hormonal gland

Stress, health, and performance

The perception cascade

The connectivity web, neural circuits, and learning

Emotional memory

Tools that enhance performance

Heart rate variability: a key indicator of autonomic function

Entrainment

Emotional balance and health

HeartMath technology in business

Limitations of many stress management approaches

Increasing human performance and organizational effectiveness

HeartMath in education


Stress, health, and performance

People have long been aware of the connection between stress, mental and emotional attitudes, physiological health and overall well-being. However, in recent years, a growing body of compelling evidence is bringing these crucial relationships to the forefront of the scientific arena. Unmanaged emotional stress is equally if not more important than physical variables in determining health outcomes. A conservative estimate is that 75% of visits to primary care physicians are due to stress-related disorders. Scientific research now tells us plainly that anger, anxiety and worry significantly increase the risk of heart disease, including sudden cardiac death. Research shows that over one-half of heart disease cases are not explained by "standard" risk factors such as high cholesterol, smoking or sedentary lifestyle, and that patients’ emotional state and relationships in the period after a heart attack are as important as the disease severity in determining their prognosis. A number of landmark studies have revealed that emotional stress is more predictive of death from cancer and cardiovascular disease than smoking; among thousands of individuals studied, people who were unable to effectively manage their stress had a 40% higher death rate over a 10-year  period than non-stressed individuals. Conversely, people with high levels of personal "mastery" — feelings of control over life events — have a nearly 60% lower risk of death than those who feel relatively helpless in the face of life’s challenges.

See also:

Research Summary

Neurocardiology: the brain in the heart

The Heart as a hormonal gland

Mental and emotional coherence

The perception cascade

The connectivity web, neural circuits, and learning

Emotional memory

Tools that enhance performance

Heart rate variability: a key indicator of autonomic function

Entrainment

Emotional balance and health

HeartMath technology in business

Limitations of many stress management approaches

Increasing human performance and organizational effectiveness

HeartMath in education


The perception cascade

The pathway by which our perceptions of potential stresses determine our mental, emotional and physiological patterns of response can be thought of as forming a cycle.

 Much of our perception is colored by the emotional memories we accumulate throughout our lives, which contribute to the configuration of the neural circuitry within the brain. Our emotional memories, "recorded" in our neural networks, become the filter through which we perceive, interpret and experience new situations and events. Our perception of an external or internal stimulus immediately generates thoughts and feelings. These mental reactions and particularly our emotional responses can generate instantaneous physiological changes in the autonomic nervous system, hormonal and immune systems, which have profound effects throughout the entire body and brain. These physiological responses, in turn feed back to the brain where they can either strengthen or weaken existing neural circuits.

See also:

Research Summary

Neurocardiology: the brain in the heart

The Heart as a hormonal gland

Mental and emotional coherence

Stress, health, and performance

The connectivity web, neural circuits, and learning

Emotional memory

Tools that enhance performance

Heart rate variability: a key indicator of autonomic function

Entrainment

Emotional balance and health

HeartMath technology in business

Limitations of many stress management approaches

Increasing human performance and organizational effectiveness

HeartMath in education


The connectivity web, neural circuits, and learning

The brain is made up of nerve cells or neurons — specialized cells for signaling, processing and integrating information. The specialized function of neurons is reflected in their fascinating geometries. Most types of neurons have a cell body, dendrites (providing inputs to the neuron) and axons (conducting the outputs of the neuron). The axons branch out into axon terminals which are highly specialized to convey information to other neurons, the spinal cord and autonomic centers, muscles and glands throughout the body. At the ends of the axon terminals special terminals called synapses or synaptic endings make contact with the dendrites or cell body of other neurons or target cells. When electrically stimulated, the synapses release chemicals called neurotransmitters which modify the electrical properties of the cell with which they are in contact.

Neurons do not function in isolation. They are organized instead into ensembles called circuits that process specific kinds of information. Neural connections are typically made in a dense tangle of axon terminals, dendrites and synapses which together form the connectivity web. It is the electrical activity of the connectivity web that generates the brainwaves or EEG. It takes about 20,000 neurons operating in synchrony to create a signal strong enough to be detected.

See also:

Research Summary

Neurocardiology: the brain in the heart

The Heart as a hormonal gland

Mental and emotional coherence

Stress, health, and performance

The perception cascade

Emotional memory

Tools that enhance performance

Heart rate variability: a key indicator of autonomic function

Entrainment

Emotional balance and health

HeartMath technology in business

Limitations of many stress management approaches

Increasing human performance and organizational effectiveness

HeartMath in education


Emotional memory

Just as physical movements such as walking or driving a car become "stereotyped" and automatic through repetition and the development of new neural circuitry, mental and emotional responses and attitudes can likewise become automatic. Emotional memory is recorded and stored in circuits concentrated in the amygdala and other related brain structures. The amygdala is also a key brain center in the coordination of behavioral, immunological and neuroendocrine responses to environmental threats.

One function of the amygdala is to compare new incoming sensory information with information stored in the emotional memory banks and thereby determine the significance of an event. In this way, the amygdala makes instantaneous decisions about the potential threat that incoming sensory information may pose. Its extensive connections to the hypothalamus and other autonomic nervous system centers in the brain stem enables the amygdala to "hijack" other neural pathways, activating an autonomic and emotional response before our higher brain centers receive the sensory information.

In this way, emotional memory patterns affect our moment-to-moment perceptions, emotions and behaviors. In the figure, this individual sees a person that reminds them of someone they had a bad experience with, it could be that they remind them of a bully from 5th grade, or the person that always "pushes their button." An emotional memory is triggered. Emotional you "see" him as if he were a monster and react. Emotional memories often set in motion inappropriate responses based on past situations rather than on one’s current reality.

The amygdala also receives information from the heart. One of the functions of the amygdala is to organize what becomes "familiar." If the rhythm patterns generated by the heart are disordered and incoherent, especially as a young child, the amygdala learns to expect disharmony as familiar; thus we feel "at home" with incoherence, which can affect learning, creativity and emotional balance. In other words we feel "comfortable" only with internal incoherence, which really is discomfort. On the basis of what has become familiar, the frontal cortex mediates decisions as to what is appropriate or not in any given situation. Thus, subconscious emotional memories underlie and affect our perceptions, emotional reactions and thought processes.

By learning how to self-generate coherent heart rhythms, and with consistent practice, we believe these emotional memory patterns can be reprogrammed so that coherence becomes the normal and comfortable state.

IHM’s research also suggests that the heart transmits information relative to one’s emotional state (as measured by coherence in heart rate variability) to the cardiac center of the brain stem (medulla), which in turn feeds into the thalamus and the amygdala. These areas are directly connected to the base of the frontal lobes, which are critical for decision making and the integration of reason and feeling. The thalamus send signals to the rest of the cortex to help synchronize cortical activity, thus providing a pathway and mechanism which explain how the heart’s rhythms can change the coherence in the brainwave patterns and modify brain function. The research indicates that when the heart is sending coherent information to the brain, cortical function and positive feelings are facilitated. This may also explain why most people associate love and other positive feelings with the heart and why many people actually "feel" or "sense" these emotions in the area of the heart.

From our current understanding of the elaborate feedback networks between the brain, the heart, our mental and emotional systems, it becomes clear that the age-old struggle between intellect and emotion will not be resolved by the mind gaining dominance over our emotions, but by increasing the harmonious balance between the two systems--a skill that provides greater access to our full range of intelligence.

See also:

Research Summary

Neurocardiology: the brain in the heart

The Heart as a hormonal gland

Mental and emotional coherence

Stress, health, and performance

The perception cascade

The connectivity web, neural circuits, and learning

Tools that enhance performance

Heart rate variability: a key indicator of autonomic function

Entrainment

Emotional balance and health

HeartMath technology in business

Limitations of many stress management approaches

Increasing human performance and organizational effectiveness

HeartMath in education


Tools that enhance performance

With stress levels continuing to rise all over the world, people are becoming more conscious not only of the long-term effects of stress, but also of how unmanaged emotions compromise the quality of one’s day-to-day life, limiting mental clarity, productivity, adaptability to life’s challenges and enjoyment of its gifts. At the same time, most of us have experienced how positive emotional states, such as appreciation and care, add a quality of buoyancy and coherent flow to our lives, significantly enhancing our efficiency and effectiveness. Doc Childre, founder of the Institute of HeartMath, understood years ago that the key would be a simple, practical system that would help people achieve these more coherent inner states with greater continuity, even in the face of external stresses. Through many years of research, Doc devised what is now known as the HeartMath System: a set of practical techniques (such as Freeze-Frame and Heart Lock-In) that, through intentional heart focus, help people transmute stress and negative emotions in the moment and enhance human performance and quality of life.

The science underlying the HeartMath techniques involves an understanding of the human heart as a far more complex, self-organized and intelligent system than has generally been acknowledged. As we saw, the heart is intimately connected with our brain and emotional system; the "decisions" made within the heart can directly impact the way the brain perceives and processes information. Freeze-Frame, the most basic of the HeartMath techniques, in essence allows people to disengage from draining mental and emotional reactions in the moment by shifting their attention from the mind to the area around the heart and self-generating a sincere positive feeling state such as appreciation, love or care. Though a seemingly simple process, extensive laboratory research performed at the Institute of HeartMath has shown that the physiological changes accompanying such a shift are dramatic.

A number of research studies have demonstrated that the experience of sincere positive feeling states produces increased coherence in the rhythmic patterns generated by the heart. Through the various pathways previously outlined, this information is communicated throughout the body, and has the effect of driving other important physiological systems, including the brain, into increased coherence as well. The results help explain many of the positive effects experienced by people who practice Freeze-Frame—from greater physical vitality, to clearer thought processes, heightened intuition and creativity, to increased emotional balance and capacity to meet life’s challenges with fluidity and grace.

Our findings underscore what people have intuitively known for some time: Positive emotions such as love, care and appreciation not only feel better, but tend to increase the synchronization between the heart, brain and body, giving us more energy and enabling us to function with maximum efficiency.

In striking contrast are the disordered heart rhythms generated and corresponding incoherence transmitted to the brain and throughout the bodily systems when people experience negative feeling states such as anger or frustration.

See also:

Research Summary

Neurocardiology: the brain in the heart

The Heart as a hormonal gland

Mental and emotional coherence

Stress, health, and performance

The perception cascade

The connectivity web, neural circuits, and learning

Emotional memory

Heart rate variability: a key indicator of autonomic function

Entrainment

Emotional balance and health

HeartMath technology in business

Limitations of many stress management approaches

Increasing human performance and organizational effectiveness

HeartMath in education


Heart rate variability: a key indicator of autonomic function

The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is the portion of the nervous system that controls the body’s visceral functions, including the heart rate, the movements of the gastrointestinal tract and the secretion by different glands, among many other vital activities.

It is well known that mental and emotional states directly affect the ANS. Many of IHM’s research studies have examined the influence of emotions on the ANS utilizing the analysis of heart rate variability, which serves as a dynamic window into autonomic function and balance. Heart rate variability (HRV), can be derived from the electrocardiogram (ECG),or from the pulse wave as the HRV 1 does. It is the measurement of the beat-to-beat changes in heart rate. The normal variability in heart rate is due to the synergistic action of the two branches of the ANS, which act in balance through neural, mechanical, humoral and other physiological mechanisms to maintain cardiovascular parameters in their optimal ranges and to react optimally to changing external or internal conditions.

When activated, the parasympathetic (vagus) nerves, slow heart rate, and the sympathetic nerves, accelerate it. These changes are influenced by emotions, thoughts and physical exercise. Our changing heart rhythms affect not only the heart but also our brain’s ability to process information, including decision-making, problem-solving and creativity. They also directly affect how we feel.

The mathematical transformation (Fast Fourier Transform) of the heart rhythm data into power spectral density (PSD) can be used to discriminate and quantify sympathetic and parasympathetic activity and total autonomic nervous system activity. The power spectrum is divided into 3 frequency ranges. The very low frequency range (VLF) (.0033 to 0.04 Hz), representing slower changes in heart rate, is an index of sympathetic activity. In the HRV 1 this is the narrow pink colored range in the spectrum.

The frequency range around the 0.1 Hz region is called the low frequency (LF) band and is also referred to as the baroreceptor band, because it reflects the blood pressure feedback signals sent from the heart back to the brain, which also affect the HRV waveform. The LF band is more complex, as it can reflect a mixture of sympathetic and parasympathetic activity. It is the yellow region in the power spectrum.

Power in the high frequency range (HF) (0.15 to 0.4 Hz), representing quicker changes in heart rate, is primarily due to parasympathetic activity. This is the much wider pink region to the far right of the HRV 1 spectrum. The high frequency region is also called the respiratory band because it corresponds to the heart rate variations related to the respiratory cycle or what is technically known as respiratory sinus arrhythmia. Heart rate accelerates during inspiration and slows during expiration. The magnitude of the change is variable but can be exaggerated by slow deep breathing. If you breathe at a faster rate the peak in the high frequency range will move more to the right side of the spectrum which shows the faster frequency. A slower breathing rate will move the peak to the left indicating a slow frequency.

The mechanism linking the variability of heart rate to breathing is complex and beyond the scope of this overview, however it is an important relationship and is the primary reason that breathing techniques such as "take deep slow breaths" when feeling stressed can help calm and relax us. When we take several deep slow rhythmic breaths, we are modulating the heart rate variability and the powerful heart rhythms in turn affect the rest of the body.

This is why you are instructed to breathe through the area of the heart in step two of the Freeze-Frame and when doing a Heart Lock-In. There is much more to these techniques than simply breathing at a slower rate however, remembering to breathe through the area of the heart can help the shift the physiology into the Entrainment State which is explained in the following section.

See also:

Research Summary

Neurocardiology: the brain in the heart

The Heart as a hormonal gland

Mental and emotional coherence

Stress, health, and performance

The perception cascade

The connectivity web, neural circuits, and learning

Emotional memory

Tools that enhance performance

Entrainment

Emotional balance and health

HeartMath technology in business

Limitations of many stress management approaches

Increasing human performance and organizational effectiveness

HeartMath in education


Entrainment

Our bodies contain numerous biological oscillatory systems which generate rhythmic patterns of activity, The cells that underlie the timing of these systems are often called pacemaker cells. The heart, the brain, our respiratory and digestive systems and the ANS all have pacemaker cells that underlie their rhythmic activity. When two or more oscillating systems lock in at the same frequency, they operate with increased efficiency; this is known as entrainment. A classic example of entrainment is when two pendulum clocks, mounted side-by-side on the same wall, gradually come to swing at the same rate. This represents the most efficient mode in which the system (in this case the two clocks) can operate. When pendulums of different sizes are set oscillating in a room together at different frequencies, they will all entrain to the largest pendulum, as it generates the most powerful wave pattern (in this case, a mechanical one).

In the human system, the heart, as the body’s most powerful oscillator, is the central "pendulum" which can set the stage for entrainment of other physiological systems. the Institute of HeartMath experiments have demonstrated that when people experience feelings of sincere appreciation, the heart adopts a more coherent mode of function in its rhythmic beating patterns and can pull other biological oscillators into entrainment with it. In this state, in which there is harmonious balance between the two branches of the autonomic nervous system, our physiological systems operate with increased efficiency.

The entrainment mode is an example of a state in which there is increased coherence both between multiple oscillating systems and within each of these individual systems. When we use Freeze-Frame to shift to a positive emotion, the coherence in the information generated by the heart is increased, which increases its capacity to orchestrate and sustain such psychophysiological shifts.

The figure shows an example of entrainment between heart rate variability, respiration and pulse transit time (a way to measure beat-to-beat blood pressure) in an individual who experienced a feeling of deep appreciation using the Freeze-Frame technique.

We know that you only have to measure the heart rhythms to know if you are in the entrained state or not. In order for the heart rhythms to exhibit the sine wave pattern shown in the entrainment figure, the breathing rhythm and the repeating patterns in the blood pressure waves which is measured by pulse transit time have to be entrained with the hearts rhythms. This is not always true for respiration. You can take slow deep  breaths to help shift to the entrained state, but this does not always mean that the heart rhythms will entrain to the breath. For many people, simple taking  a few slower breaths does not lead to entrainment. However, if you also focus of attention to the area of the heart (pretend that you are breathing through the center of you chest) and most importantly, shift your inner feeling state to one of appreciation or other positive feeling, it is much easier to shift to the entrainment state.

With practice, individuals can also achieve what is called head-heart entrainment. We believe that this entrainment of the brain’s electrical activity with the coherent HRV waveform helps explain the heightened mental function, expanded awareness and perceptual shifts that people often experience using Freeze-Frame .

See also:

Research Summary

Neurocardiology: the brain in the heart

The Heart as a hormonal gland

Mental and emotional coherence

Stress, health, and performance

The perception cascade

The connectivity web, neural circuits, and learning

Emotional memory

Tools that enhance performance

Heart rate variability: a key indicator of autonomic function

Emotional balance and health

HeartMath technology in business

Limitations of many stress management approaches

Increasing human performance and organizational effectiveness

HeartMath in education


Emotional balance and health

The studies undertaken by the Institute of HeartMath continue to illustrate the direct and profound impact that our emotions exercise on our overall health. They also provide data demonstrating how emotional management and intentional shifts to sincere positive feeling states achieved via the HeartMath techniques can cause dramatic favorable changes in a number of key indicators of physiological and psychological well-being.

The effects of emotions on the immune system

Research clearly demonstrates that our emotions profoundly affect immune function. At the Institute of HeartMath we measured levels of the antibody secretory IgA in different emotional states. When individuals used Freeze-Frame to generate a heart-focused feeling state of care for 5 minutes, IgA levels rose and remained elevated throughout the day. In contrast, one 5-minute episode of recalled anger produced a dramatic drop in IgA which persisted for the following 6 hours. S-IgA is the predominant antibody class found in mucosal secretions and is the first line of defense against pathogens in the upper respiratory tract, the gastrointestinal system and the urinary tract. Because the cells that produce this antibody (B-lymphocytes) are a major component of the immune system, S-IgA levels are also viewed as an indicator of overall immune function.

Stress, hormones and the nervous system.

The figure  provides a more detailed view of how stress and different emotional states affect key two physiological control systems: the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system (HPA system).

The vertical axis or line shows the activation of the autonomic nervous system, ranging from arousal (fight-flight) to relaxation. The ANS is a quick-acting system that affects the heart, digestive system, adrenaline secretion and many other functions. Perceptions and emotions activate the ANS and affect the balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches. When we are challenged or aroused the balance between the two halves of the nervous system shift to increased sympathetic, and when we relax and especially sleep, the balance shifts towards increased parasympathetic. In fact the goal of most relaxation and stress management techniques is to shift the nervous system balance to increased parasympathetic activity.

The horizontal axis or line represents what is called the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal or HPA system, which coordinates the release of several of the body’s major hormones, including cortisol which is commonly referred to as the stress hormone. This system is influenced by the quality of our emotions (positive or negative) The HPA axis is a slower-acting system than the ANS, and its effects are longer-lasting.

The two axes are activated differently in response to different emotions. Highly "charged" emotions such as anger or exhilaration are associated with a high level of ANS activation. If highly aroused emotions are on the negative side, the HPA axis is stimulated and production of cortisol (the stress hormone) is increased at the expense of DHEA (the anti-aging hormone). Positive emotions, on the other hand, have been shown to increase DHEA and reduce cortisol.

Low arousal states are associated with decreased autonomic activation. These states can also have either a positive or negative emotional tone, and thus induce changes in the HPA axis. For example, depression, a low arousal state, is often accompanied by high levels of cortisol.

When cortisol levels rise at the expense of DHEA, this results in an imbalance in the DHEA/cortisol ratio, which is considered by many to be the key biochemistry of accelerated aging. Chronically high cortisol and low DHEA levels are found in nearly every major illness. High DHEA on the other hand, promotes the healthy maintenance and regeneration of the body’s systems and is believed to counter the effects of the aging process.

By using the Freeze-Frame and Heart Lock-In techniques you are able to bring both of the bodies major control system towards increasing balance which is at the center of the graph.

Heart Lock-In: A tool for physical, mental and emotional regeneration

The Heart Lock-In technique enables people to "lock-in" to positive feeling states associated with the heart in order to boost their energy and heighten peace, clarity and intuition. With practice of this technique, people can effectively retrain their physiology to sustain longer periods of coherent function.

Doc Childre, founder of the Institute of HeartMath, has scientifically designed music for the specific purpose of promoting mental and emotional balance in listeners and facilitating the practice of the Heart Lock-In technique. In one study, Heart Zones, Doc’s first release, was found to produce significant increases in levels of secretory IgA, a key measure of immune system health. An even greater immuno-enhancement was observed when the music was used in conjunction with the Heart Lock-In technique.

Another the Institute of HeartMath study compared the effects of different types of music on mood, tension and mental clarity. Speed of Balance, another of Doc’s designer music works, was the only music tested that was found to produce increases in all positive scales (caring, relaxation, mental clarity and vigor) and decreases in all negative scales (hostility, fatigue, sadness and tension). Our results suggest that music designed to facilitate emotional management can be an inexpensive and practical method to reduce stress and promote overall wellness.

Both studies demonstrate that when people listen to Heart Zones or Speed of Balance while sustaining a sincere, heart-focused state of appreciation through the Heart Lock-in technique, significantly larger positive emotional, mental and physiological shifts are experienced.

See also:

Research Summary

Neurocardiology: the brain in the heart

The Heart as a hormonal gland

Mental and emotional coherence

Stress, health, and performance

The perception cascade

The connectivity web, neural circuits, and learning

Emotional memory

Tools that enhance performance

Heart rate variability: a key indicator of autonomic function

Entrainment

HeartMath technology in business

Limitations of many stress management approaches

Increasing human performance and organizational effectiveness

HeartMath in education


HeartMath technology in business

Occupational stress is pervasive and invasive. In a 1992 United Nations Report, "job stress" was cited as "the 20th century disease." A recent survey revealed that 75% of Americans describe their jobs as stressful, with more than one in four reporting experiencing high levels of stress "nearly every day." In a 1991 survey of 600 workers, one-third considered quitting their job because of stress and 14% actually did. It is now estimated that 60% of the 550,000,000 workdays lost annually because of absenteeism are for stress-related complaints.

American businesses pay the price of workers who suffer from job-related stress. Recent estimates are that job stress costs employers more than $200 billion a year in absenteeism, tardiness, burnout, lower productivity, high turnover, worker’s compensation and medical insurance costs. To put this in perspective, this figure amounts to more than 10 times the cost of all strikes combined, or the sum total profits of the Fortune 500 companies.

Accelerating stress is clearly taking its toll on the health of the workforce. Dr. Paul J. Rosch, President of the American Institute of Stress, reports that 75 to 90% of all visits to healthcare providers result from stress-related disorders. Among the nation’s top executives, an estimated $10 to $20 billion is lost each year through absence, hospitalization and early death, much of it a direct result of stress. Multiple long-term studies involving thousands of workers have now demonstrated that people who perceive they have little control over their jobs have significantly increased likelihood of developing heart disease; this association is independent of conventional coronary risk factors, including smoking and high cholesterol levels.

It has become increasingly clear from these and other studies that the leading source of stress for adults is their work. The problem of job stress has become so ubiquitous and so severe it is now described by the United Nations’ International Labor Organization as a "global epidemic," with no occupation and no nation proving to be exempt. In this "information age," the world faces on the one hand, countless technological breakthroughs that promise unheard-of conveniences to make life easier for all, and on the other, the stark reality of a workforce that experiences ever-increasing levels of personal imbalance.

See also:

Research Summary

Neurocardiology: the brain in the heart

The Heart as a hormonal gland

Mental and emotional coherence

Stress, health, and performance

The perception cascade

The connectivity web, neural circuits, and learning

Emotional memory

Tools that enhance performance

Heart rate variability: a key indicator of autonomic function

Entrainment

Emotional balance and health

Limitations of many stress management approaches

Increasing human performance and organizational effectiveness

HeartMath in education


Limitations of many stress management approaches

Many stress-reduction approaches, such as exercise and fitness programs, time management techniques and nutritional education programs, have been implemented over the past ten to fifteen years to help people cope with increased stress in the workplace. Although there have been some benefits realized from these programs, most have not resulted in the desired outcomes, and the level of stress experienced by workers has continued to rise. The proportion of workers who reported feeling "highly stressed" more than doubled from 1985 to 1990. While most of the adult population reports experiencing personal or emotional problems in the course of a year, about 50% of these people say that they are unable to solve their problems and about one-third state that they are unable to do anything to make their problems more bearable.

While situations, encounters or events may seem intrinsically "stressful," it is truly how an individual perceives and reacts to an event that determines whether or not the stress response is activated. The main limitation of most stress-reduction approaches now in use is that while helpful, they do not target the real source of people’s stress, enabling them to transform their perceptions and reactions to potentially "stressful" situations in the moment they occur.

See also:

Research Summary

Neurocardiology: the brain in the heart

The Heart as a hormonal gland

Mental and emotional coherence

Stress, health, and performance

The perception cascade

The connectivity web, neural circuits, and learning

Emotional memory

Tools that enhance performance

Heart rate variability: a key indicator of autonomic function

Entrainment

Emotional balance and health

HeartMath technology in business

Increasing human performance and organizational effectiveness

HeartMath in education


Increasing human performance and organizational effectiveness

Many businesses have been focusing on reengineering their organizations to enhance productivity and the bottom line. At the Institute of HeartMath, researchers realized that any effort to unleash the full power of an organization would have to start with empowering the individual. When individuals are internally self-managed, they operate at their greatest potential, enabling the organization to maximize its productivity and quality. The HeartMath tools and techniques were specifically designed for practical use in the midst of life’s fast-paced situations and often unpredictable stresses. Their fundamental purpose—to enable people to transform draining reactions and function with maximum effectiveness in the moment—makes them ideally suited for the practical setting of the workplace, where, as the statistics have shown, they are most needed.

Many companies have discovered that the information age requires a new type of intelligence for people to sort through, filter and effectively process an incredible flow of information. As stated in the Introduction, the physiological incoherence created by unmanaged reactions to stress may actually inhibit brain function, reducing us to extremely limited perspectives. Sadly, many people have adapted so thoroughly to the stressful conditions around them that they hardly realize just how limited their perspectives actually are. The basic premise of HeartMath is that as individuals learn to maintain a coherent internal environment through mental/emotional management, the heart and brain entrain, and a synergy of intellectual, intuitive and emotional intelligence takes place, which generates a wide range of benefits. This expands our perspectives, allowing us to transform stressful reactions into healthy responses and effective solutions. It becomes quickly obvious that the benefits extend far beyond stress reduction. Our studies with many major organizations have revealed that the HeartMath tools, sincerely practiced, allow individuals to maximize their personal balance, physical health, intelligence and performance. These benefits, extended to the organization, lead to enhanced interpersonal communication and team dynamics, more effective creative and intuitive problem solving, improved planning and decision making, greater care for customers and co-workers, and overall increased actualization of the organization’s full potential.

A growing number of research studies has demonstrated the profound benefit that training in the HeartMath techniques has provided employees of diverse organizations. Major improvements were apparent in some cases after only six weeks’ practice of the tools learned. The trainings were highly effective in workers at all levels of employment, and proved instrumental in helping several organizations move through particularly difficult circumstances and stressful transitions with increased facility and minimized energy drain. Results indicate that practice of the techniques has not only significantly improved employees’ emotional balance and attitudes but has also affected their physical health, resulting in lowered blood pressure, improved autonomic function, increased vitality and reductions in a variety of physical symptoms of stress (including sleeplessness, body aches, indigestion and rapid heartbeats). Further, the techniques have enabled employees to significantly increase their productivity, mental clarity, creativity and enjoyment of their work, improvements that profoundly impact overall workplace quality and effectiveness.

See also:

Research Summary

Neurocardiology: the brain in the heart

The Heart as a hormonal gland

Mental and emotional coherence

Stress, health, and performance

The perception cascade

The connectivity web, neural circuits, and learning

Emotional memory

Tools that enhance performance

Heart rate variability: a key indicator of autonomic function

Entrainment

Emotional balance and health

HeartMath technology in business

Limitations of many stress management approaches

HeartMath in education


HeartMath in education

With growing evidence of the tremendous benefits to be gained from learning to manage stress and increase physiological, mental and emotional coherence, the importance of learning inner management techniques at an early age is becoming increasingly apparent. In today’s fast-paced society, there is increasing pressure on children to achieve and excel in school at younger and younger ages. These same children, however, experience considerably greater stress in their lives, shouldering far greater responsibilities and emotional burdens than youngsters their age did even as few as 10 years ago.

Our educational systems focus on honing children’s cognitive skills from the moment they enter the kindergarten classroom, but virtually no emphasis is placed on educating children in the management of the inner conflicts and unbalanced emotions they bring with them every day to school. As new concepts such as "emotional intelligence" become more widely used and understood, more educators are realizing that cognitive ability is not the sole or necessarily the most critical determinant of young people's aptitude to flourish in today’s society. Proficiency in emotional management, conflict resolution, communication and interpersonal skills is essential for children to develop inner self-security and become able to effectively deal with the pressures and obstacles that will inevitably arise in their lives. Moreover, increasing evidence is illuminating that emotional balance and cognitive performance are indeed linked. Growing numbers of teachers are agreeing that children come to school with so many problems that it is difficult for them to be good students. At the Institute of HeartMath we are showing, conversely, that when mental and emotional turmoil is managed, the increased physiological coherence and heart-brain entrainment stimulates greater mental clarity and expands the mind’s capacities.

Applying the HeartMath emotional management tools—like mastering any new skill—requires practice. But we have found that children are among the quickest to intuitively understand and naturally integrate the tools into their lives. A child’s brain continues to develop throughout childhood and adolescence, forming new nerve connections and letting others atrophy based on external stimuli and internal attitudes and reaction modes that become familiar. In today’s society, it is easy for children to become familiar with incoherence early on and develop entrained mental and emotional attitudes that perpetuate that incoherence and its deleterious repercussions on body and psyche. Establishing coherence as the norm for children from an early age can be accomplished by surrounding them with a balanced, caring environment and ensuring that they are taught how to maintain a coherent inner environment through effective emotional management.

It is with this intent that many educational administrators and teachers have begun to integrate the HeartMath curriculum into core classroom academics. Results indicate that the techniques have not only increased children’s stress management, interpersonal skills and comfort in the classroom environment, but have also significantly enhanced learning, heightening students’ energy and motivation, sharpening their work management skills and increasing their understanding of the academic subjects studied. Additionally, one study demonstrated how educational professionals have found that using the techniques themselves allows them to respond more effectively to the challenges of their jobs, thereby benefiting the whole learning environment.

See also:

Research Summary

Neurocardiology: the brain in the heart

The Heart as a hormonal gland

Mental and emotional coherence

Stress, health, and performance

The perception cascade

The connectivity web, neural circuits, and learning

Emotional memory

Tools that enhance performance

Heart rate variability: a key indicator of autonomic function

Entrainment

Emotional balance and health

HeartMath technology in business

Limitations of many stress management approaches

Increasing human performance and organizational effectiveness

HeartMath in education


Research Details

Full details on all research published by the Institute of HeartMath can be found at http://www.heartmath.org and its associated links.


File menu

The File menu offers the following commands:

Save Data	Saves most recent session data to the database.
New User	Creates a new user’s record.
Open User	Opens an existing user’s record.
Export Data	Exports the raw HRV data in ASCII text.
Print	Prints a report form.
Print Preview	Displays the report on the screen as it would appear printed.
Print Setup	Selects a printer and printer connection.
Exit	Exits Freeze Framer.


New User command (File menu)

Use this command to create a new user’s record in Freeze Framer database. Use the special dialog window to fill-in user’s personal information.

This command can be executed while in main system mode only.

This command presents a User’s Personal Information dialog box, where you should enter all personal information.

Shortcuts Keys:  CTRL+N


Open User command (File menu)

Use this command to open an existing user’s record.  You can open only one record. The previously opened record is automatically closed.

This command presents a Select User dialog box, where you should select the user’s record to be opened. Use this dialog box to select one of the existing the user’s records. Click on specific line in the list box to make selection. Use scroll bar to list if necessary. Once a selection is made, click on OK. The program will open the selected record.

Shortcuts Keys:	CTRL+O


Export Data

The export data option allows you to export previously saved heart rhythm data as an ASCII text file. Open a previously recorded session that you wish to export as a text file. Once open select the Export data menu option. You will be prompted to supply a filename for the exported data. The exported data will be saved into the working directory of the Freeze-Framer software unless you specified additional path information in the export filename dialog box.


Print command (File menu)

Use this command to print a document.   This command presents a Print dialog box, where you may specify the range of pages to be printed, the number of copies, the destination printer, and other printer setup options.

Shortcuts

Toolbar:

Keys:	CTRL+P

Print dialog box

The following options allow you to specify how the document should be printed:

Printer


Print Preview command (File menu)

This is the active printer and printer connection.  Choose the Setup option to change the printer and printer connection.

Use this command to display the active document as it would appear when printed.  When you choose this command, the main window will be replaced with a print preview window in which one or two pages will be displayed in their printed format.  The print preview toolbar offers you options to view either one or two pages at a time; move back and forth through the document; zoom in and out of pages; and initiate a print job.

Print preview toolbar

The print preview toolbar offers you the following options:

Print

Bring up the print dialog box, to start a print job.

Next Page

Preview the next printed page.

Prev Page

Preview the previous printed page.

One Page / Two Page

Preview one or two printed pages at a time.

Zoom In

Take a closer look at the printed page.

Zoom Out

Take a larger look at the printed page.

Close

Return from print preview to the editing window.


Print Setup command (File menu)

Use this command to select a printer and a printer connection.  This command displays a Print setup dialog box, so  you can select a printer and printer connection.

Print Setup dialog box

The following options allow you to select the destination printer and its connection.

Printer

Select the printer you want to use.  Choose the Default Printer; or choose the Specific Printer option and select one of the current installed printers shown in the box.  You install printers and configure ports using the Windows Control Panel.

Orientation

Choose Portrait or Landscape.

Paper Size

Select the size of paper that the document is to be printed on.

Paper Source

Some printers offer multiple trays for different paper sources.  Specify the tray here.

Options

Displays a dialog box where you can make additional choices about printing, specific to the type of printer you have selected.

Network...

Choose this button to connect to a network location, assigning it a new drive letter.

Print range

Specify the pages you want to print:

All	Prints the entire document.
Selection	Prints the currently selected text.
Pages	Prints the range of pages you specify in the From and To boxes.
Copies

Specify the number of copies you want to print for the above page range.

Collate copies

Prints copies in page number order, instead of separated multiple copies of each page.

Print quality

Select the quality of the printing.  Generally, lower quality printing takes less time to produce.

Print progress dialog

The Printing dialog box is shown during the time that Freeze-Framer is sending output to the printer. The page number indicates the progress of the printing.

To abort printing, click on Cancel.


Exit command (File menu)

Use this command to end your Freeze Framer session.  You can also use the Close command on the application Control menu. You cannot exit from Freeze Framer while you are not in the main system mode.

Shortcuts Keys:  ALT+F4

Mouse:	Double-click the application's Control menu button.


Edit menu

The Edit menu offers the following commands:

User Information	Views and edits user’s personal information.
Options	Accesses various system settings.
Edit Parameters	Displays current program settings.
Delete User	Deletes a selected user’s record.
Delete Data  Select Demo	Deletes a selected user’s session data. Selects previously recorded file for real-time replay


User Information command (Edit menu)

Use this command to view and edit current user’s personal information.

This command presents a User’s Personal Information dialog box, where you should view or edit user’s personal information.

This command can be performed in main system menu mode only.


Options command (Edit menu)

Use this command to view and modify various system settings.

This command presents an Options dialog box with two tabs, General and Advanced.

See

General options
Advanced options


General Options

Use this page to set several optional parameters.

Session Length (min):

This setting controls the amount of time ( in minutes) the heart rhythm screen will record data for before it automatically stops. The time allowance is from 1 minute to 480 minutes (8 hours). Enter the time value desired, from 1 - 480.

Settings on start

The  two radio button options: Default settings and Last Saved affect the heart rate axis and time axis scaling settings. The default settings are 10 BPM/division (Beats Per Minute) for the heart rate axis setting and 30 seconds/division for the time axis. Setting this option to "Last saved" will designate the last saved scale setting as new default startup settings. Use this option to save your own custom settings. The next time you use the heart rhythm recording mode your last saved axis scale settings will be used as startup setting. Each user can have their own custom options. Use in conjunction with the Automatically Save Screen Settings checkbox to save custom settings.

Automatically save screen settings

Checking the checkbox for this item will set the software to automatically save all changes in axis scale to the current users profile. When used in conjunction with Settings On Start, the software can be set to always use the last used settings,  startup with custom settings, or use the built-in default axis settings.

Example 1:  Click on the radio button next to the "Last saved" option and check the box next to "Automatically save screen settings". This will set the program to save and always use the last saved time and heart rate scales settings in both active recording mode and review mode. With these two options set if you make changes to the axis settings the next time you record data or open a session for review, the scales settings will be set the same way they were the last time you used them.

Example 2:  After having set both options as above in Example 1— and you prefer to always have the scale setting set a particular way — set them the way you like them to be and uncheck the box next to "Automatically save screen settings" but leave the radio button set next to "Last save." Now the last saved setting will be used as the default setting each time you use the program.

Artifact detection enabled

Artifact detection option enables or disables automatic artifact rejection option. When checked (default setting) the software will remove any abrupt or noisy signals that could cause errors in the entrainment scoring algorithm. Sections of heart rhythm data that contain artifacts will be marked with a red line on the Heart Rhythm Graph.


Advanced Options

Monitoring Device

Simulator

Generates a previously recorded heart rhythm signal for replay or demo purposes.  When simulator is selected as the monitoring device only prerecorded data can be played on the screen. To replay data select simulator as the monitoring device, return to the heart rhythm screen or any game screen and press start. The prerecorded data will run at original speed. Games and Heart Rhythm Screen will perform as if the data were live. This operation is very much like a player piano.

Pulse Wave Sensor

When the Pulse Wave Sensor option is selected the pulse wave sensor is selected as the software input device. Your real time pulse data will appear on screen. This is the default setting.

Import Tachogram

This option is only available when Simulator is selected as the monitoring device. Checking this option allows you to import a ASCII text file of heart rhythm data for real time display and scoring.

File: After checking "Import Tachogram" type the file name of the text file you wish to import. The default search directory is the working directory of the Freeze-Framer software.

If you did not specify a different directory during installation it is c:\Program files\Planetary\Freeze-Framer.

After specifying the file to import the next time you start a heart rhythm recording or game session, the text file will be read at real time speed. The pulse sensor will not function while importing data in simulator mode. Test files should be single column tab delimited text with values in milliseconds.

Enable HRT Filter

This option applies a smoothing filter to the heart rhythm data during an active recording session. The default for this option is box checked. The smoothing filter removes the sharp steps in rate, generated by the computers plotting method, visible in the Heart Rhythm Mode.

Once selection is made, click OK button or select another page.


Options button

Activates the options menu dialog box

See

General options
Advanced options


Edit Parameters command (Edit menu)

The Edit Parameters option can be used to load the default or advanced scoring parameters.  If you find getting into high entrainment is to easy, and would like change the scoring parameters to make the games and training mode scoring more challenging follow the steps below.

1.	Under the Edit menu select the "Edit parameters" option.

2.	The Setup Values dialog box will appear. Click the button at end of the filename field near the top right corner of the dialog box. This will open the parameter file selection window.

3.	 Click on the filename "Advanced.par" then click on the "Open" button. Click "Ok" on the "Setup Values" dialog box. The advanced scoring parameters will now be used to score your sessions. You can change the setting back at any time by repeating the above steps and selecting "Default.par"


Delete User command (Edit menu)

Deleting a user allows for the User Name and all data sessions saved under that User Name in the User Folder to be deleted. This function is available from all non-active screens such as the Data Review Screens or the Main Window. It is not available during active data recording modes such as during a game. The delete function is equipped with a three-step "fail-safe" procedure to help prevent unintentional data loss.

1.  To delete a user, select Delete User from the Edit pull-down menu at the top of the window. Select the desired User Name from the Select User dialog box, and click the OK Icon at the bottom of the dialog box.

2.  To help prevent unintentional data deletion, a "fail-safe" dialog box will appear with the message "Do you really want to delete selected user record?" This allows for the delete function to be stopped, if needed. If the data should not be deleted, click the No Icon at the bottom of the dialog box; the data remains saved. If the data should be deleted, click on the Yes Icon at the bottom of the dialog box.

4.  A third fail-safe dialog box will appear with the message "All user data will be lost. Proceed anyway?" Click the Yes Icon for the selected data session to be deleted. A dialog box will appear with the message "The selected user has been deleted." Click the OK Icon to proceed.

To continue deleting User Names, repeat steps 1 - 4. It is not possible to delete more than one User Name at a time. This is an additional fail-safe feature to help preserve the recorded and saved session data.


Delete Data command (Edit menu)

Deleting saved data by session allows you to delete specific data sessions filed under a specific User Name. This function is available from all non-active screens such as the data review screens or the Main Window. It is not available during active data recording modes such as during a game. The delete function is equipped with a three-step "fail-safe" procedure. This is to help prevent unintentional data loss:

1.  To delete saved data by session, select Open User from the File pull-down menu at the top of the Window, the Select User dialog box will appear. Select the desired User Name from the dialog box, and click OK at the bottom of the dialog box.

2.  Select Delete Data from the Edit pull-down menu at the top of the window; the Delete Sessions dialog box appears. Select the recorded data session to be deleted, and click OK from the bottom of the dialog box.

3.  To help prevent unintentional data deletion, a second "fail-safe" dialog box will appear with the message "Do you really want to delete selected session?" This allows for the delete function to be stopped, if needed. If the data should not be deleted, click the No Icon at the bottom of the dialog box; the data remains saved. If the data should be deleted, click on Yes at the bottom of the dialog box.

4.  A third fail-safe dialog box will appear with the message "All session data will be lost. Proceed anyway?" Click Yes for the selected data session to be deleted. A dialog box will appear with the message "The selected session has been deleted." Click OK to proceed.

To continue deleting session data for the same User Name, repeat steps 2 Ð 4. It is not possible to delete more than one recorded session at a time. This is an additional fail-safe feature.

To delete session data for a different User Name, repeat steps
1 - 4, selecting a different User Name during step 1.


View menu

The View menu offers the following commands:

Toolbar	Shows or hides the toolbar.

Status Bar	Shows or hides the status bar.

View Ratios 	Displays online data in form entrainment ratios.


Main Mode Toolbar

Click	To
	Start Freeze Frame heart rhythm recording.
	Review selected training session data.
	View training data across sessions accomplished.


Training Mode Toolbar


Function menu

The Function menu offers the following commands:

Start Monitoring	Initiates real-time monitoring of user’s physiology.
Stop Monitoring	Terminates real-time monitoring of user’s physiology.


Help menu

The Freeze-Framer is designed with extensive on-line help menus that cover a variety of topics to assist in your use of the product. Also included is an extensive reference section that presents an overview of the Institute of HeartMath’s scientific research, which formed the foundation for the development of the Freeze-Framer.

The Help Menu is divided into two main sections which provide different access points to the Help Menu information. The two sections are Help Topics and Help Context. To get to the Help Menu, click on the Help pull-down menu from the menu bar.

Context Help

Context Help allows you to access the Help Menu from the main program. While in any of the program screens, select the Context Help item under the Help Menu, or click on the Context Sensitive Help icon from the toolbar at the top of the screen. A question mark will appear next to the cursor. Click on the item in the program window that you would like help with. The help menu for that portion of the program will appear in a dialog box on the screen.

Help Topics

The Help Topics option is divided into three subsections Ð Contents, Index and Find. To get to the Help Topics Menu, click on the Help pull-down menu from the menu bar, and select Help Topics.

Help Menu by Contents

The Contents Menu allows you to find Help Topics by contents category, then each category is divided into subcategories so that the information sought can be more easily targeted and found.

The contents categories are:

Use the Contents Menu when you know what information is needed, or if you would like more information about the Freeze-Framer. IHM research findings are presented under Research and Benefits, which provides in-depth information that is not covered in this User’s Manual or the book Freeze-Frame: One Minute Stress Management by Doc Childre. To get to the Contents Menu, click on the Help pull-down menu from the menu bar, and select Help Topics, then select Contents. Once there, the select the help category of your choice. Once the information you desire is displayed on screen, it can be printed by selecting Print from the icon bar at the top of the window, provided that your computer is connected to a working compatible printer. To go back to the Contents Menu click on the Back icon on the icon bar at the top of the window.

Help Menu by Index

The Index Menu allows you to find Help Topics in a more direct fashion.

The Index Menu includes an explanation of all the program icons and program commands along with their locations on the icon bar and/or pull-down menu bar. Use the Index Menu if you are not sure of the topic, or if very specific information is desired. To get to the Index Menu, click on the Help pull-down menu from the menu bar, and select Help Topics, then select Index. Once there, select the index topic of your choice by double-clicking on the topic from the menu or by pressing Enter on the keyboard. Once the information you desire is displayed on screen, it can be printed by selecting Print from the icon bar at the top of the window, provided that your computer is connected to a working compatible printer. To go back to the Index Menu click on the Back icon on the icon bar at the top of the window.

If you are not sure of the topic, but know a key word, you can use the Find Index feature at the top of the Index window. The Find Index feature allows you to locate the Indexed Help Topics by typing in the word that correlates with the information sought. Use the Find Index feature when you are not quite sure what information is needed or where to find it. Once you locate the Indexed Help Topic needed, select that topic by double-clicking from the menu or by pressing Enter on the keyboard. You can then read the information on screen, or print from the window as outlined.

Help Menu by Find Feature

The Help Menu Find Feature allows you to find all Help entries for a specific word or subject.

Use the Find Feature when you know the subject of the information needed but are not sure of the context. The Find Feature allows you to type in a key word or phrase; the search engine will then find all the entries for that word or phrase.

To get to the Find Menu, click on the Help pull-down menu from the menu bar, and select Help Topics, then select Find. Once there, type in the subject word or phrase to be searched.

1.  Type in the word(s) you want to find. Subject options will appear under the second window.

2.  Select matching words to narrow your search.

Select the words or phrases that you would like to find, or choose the options that will help narrow the search. Then select the topic and click the Display Icon at the bottom of the dialog box.

3.  Click a topic, then click display.

Once the information you desire is displayed on screen, it can be printed by selecting Print from the icon bar at the top of the window, provided that your computer is connected to a working compatible printer. To go back to the Find Menu click on the Back icon on the icon bar at the top of the window. Clear the dialog box for a new search by clicking on the Clear Icon on the right side of the dialog box.

To narrow the search parameters or create a customized search format, go to the Options dialog box by clicking on the Options Icon on the right side of the Find Menu dialog box. Once in the Options dialog box, customize the search parameters as desired using the options provided. For more information, refer to the Help Menu by clicking the "?" Icon at the top of the dialog box, or refer to your Windows 95 or Windows 98 manual.

The Find Feature also allows you to search for subjects by topic using a scrolling list menu. To use the topic list menu, scroll through the list until the desired topic is found. Select the topic from the list by highlighting it with the cursor, then click the Display Icon from the Icon Bar at the bottom of the dialog box. The help topic screen will display the subject information requested.


No Help Available

No help is available for this message box.

<< If you wish to author help specific to each message box prompt, then remove the AFX_HIDP_xxx values from the [ALIAS] section of your .HPJ file, and author a topic for each AFX_HIDP_xxx value.  For example, AFX_HIDP_INVALID_FILENAME is the help topic for the Invalid Filename message box. >>


Collect accurate data

Note: The Freeze-Framer’s finger pulse sensor and heart rhythm charting software is sensitive to motion, such as your pulse beat. It may be helpful to record several practice sessions to become familiar with the product.

In order to record the heart rhythm accurately, you should avoid moving the hand attached to the finger pulse sensor while recording. It is recommended that you cease conversation and sit or lie down quietly while using the Freeze-Framer. Normal conversations often include gestures and body language motions that may be picked up by the pulse sensor and result in inaccurate data recording.

You may notice that as the sensor begins to record data on the Heart Rhythm Graph, one or several red lines may appear in the graph from time to time. This usually indicates that inaccurate or no data has been recorded, and that the program is compensating by leaving a gap in the data. The data inaccuracy or gap may be caused by movement or a poor connection from the finger sensor. Check the finger placement in the sensor for a good connection between the finger pad and the sensor window.

To ensure an accurate pulse signal:

1. Place the tip of your index finger in the cradle of the finger sensor.

2. Attach the Velcro strap. The sensor should be snug but comfortable.

For best results, position your finger so the fleshy part of your finger (where your fingerprints are) presses gently on the sensor window.

If you have small fingers, turning the sensor cradle around so that the cord is pointed toward you may improve the sensor connection by placing the sensor window closer to the edge of the cradle.

3.  Place your hand in a relaxed position. You can place the sensor on a flat surface or rest your hand on your leg, as long as you can easily hold it steady.

4.  From the Main Menu, click on the  [image] Heart Rhythm Icon.  The Heart Rhythm screen appears.

5.  Click on the Start Icon.

6.	Click on the Pulse Icon.

The Pulse screen appears below the Heart Rhythm screen:

7.  Sit quietly and avoid talking.

8.  When you get a pulse similar to the one shown above, you are collecting accurate data. (Remember to take a few moments each time you start using Freeze-Framer to check the pulse signal. Make sure your finger is correctly positioned in the sensor and your pulse wave looks line the picture above.)

9.  After confirming that your data is accurate, you may choose to continue with this session, or you may want to discard this data.

To discard, click the Stop Icon.

...then click the Heart Rhythm Icon.

The Save Data dialog window automatically appears:

Click  "No" to discard

A new Heart Rhythm Graph screen will appear. Alternately, after clicking the Stop Icon, click the Main Window Icon and follow the steps to discard the data. Then the Main Window will appear.


Call Technical Support

For technical support, call (800) 538-0984 or (831) 338-8700, 9:30 AM through 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday, Pacific Time. You can also send email to:
support@freezeframer.com, or fax your question to 831-338-9861.

For a list of frequently asked questions, click on Frequently asked questions or go to http://www.freezeframer.com/info/ and click on Frequently Asked Questions.


Freeze-Framer Warranty

FREEZE-FRAMER SOFTWARE LIMITED WARRANTY

LIMITED WARRANTY.  HeartMath warrants that the SOFTWARE will perform substantially in accordance with the accompanying printed materials for a period of ninety (90) days from the date of purchase (the Limited Warranty).  Any implied warranties on the SOFTWARE are limited to ninety (90) days.

SOME STATES/PROVINCES/COUNTRIES DO NOT ALLOW LIMITATIONS ON DURATION OF IMPLIED WARRANTIES, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.  IN THE UNITED KINGDOM:  NOTHING IN THIS LIMITED WARRANTY WILL AFFECT YOUR STATUTORY RIGHTS, INCLUDING YOUR RIGHTS, IF ANY, AGAINST HEARTMATH.

CUSTOMER REMEDIES.   HeartMath's entire liability and your exclusive remedy in respect of this Limited Warranty, shall be, at HeartMath's option, either (a) return of the price paid or (b) repair or replacement of the SOFTWARE that does not meet this Limited Warranty, and that is returned to HeartMath with proof of purchase (i.e., a copy of your receipt).  This Limited Warranty is void if failure of the SOFTWARE has resulted from accident, abuse, or misapplication.  Any replacement SOFTWARE will be warranted for the remainder of the original warranty period or thirty (30) days, whichever is longer.

IN THE U.S. & CANADA:  NO OTHER WARRANTIES.  To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, HeartMath disclaim all other warranties, either express or implied, including, but not limited to, implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, with respect to the SOFTWARE and the accompanying materials.  This Limited Warranty gives you specific legal rights and you may also have other rights which may vary from state to state, province to province or country to country.

NO LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES.  To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, in no event shall HeartMath or their respective suppliers be liable for any damages whatsoever, including, without limitation, damages for loss of business profits, business interruption, loss of business information or other pecuniary loss arising out of the use or inability to use the SOFTWARE, computer failur or malfunction, or any and all other commercial damages or losses, even if HeartMath or any of such suppliers has been advised of the possibility of such damages.  In such case, HeartMath and their respective suppliers' entire liability shall be limited to the amount paid by you for the SOFTWARE.  Because some states/provinces/countries do not allow the exclusion or limitation of liability for consequential or incidental damages, the above limitation may not apply to you.

INQUIRIES. Should you have any questions concerning this Agreement or the Limited Warranty, or if you desire to contact HeartMath  for any other reason, please contact our office nearest you:

HeartMath, LLC

14700 West Park Avenue, Boulder, CA 95006

or call toll-free:  1-800-372-3100

© 1998-1999 HeartMath, LLC.

FREEZE-FRAMER is a legally protected trademark of HeartMath, LLC in the U.S. and other countries.

FREEZE-FRAMER PULSE SENSOR LIMITED WARRANTY

The Basic Coverage: The pulse sensor, is warranted to the owner for a period of ONE YEAR from the date of original purchase against defects in manufacture by HeartMath - not by the dealer from whom the sensor was purchased.

What HeartMath Will Do:  If this pulse sensor develops such a defect within the one year period, it will be repaired (i.e., a new or thoroughly reconditioned and inspected sensor will be  replaced, provided it is returned with a US$ 5.00 check or money order to cover costs of postage, handling & service (this is not a repair charge), and provided you enclose proof of purchase and date of purchase.

This Limited Warranty Does Not Cover:

1) HeartMath will not repair defects under the limited warranty related to servicing not performed by HeartMath.

2) HeartMath will not provide any warranty service if your pulse sensor shows evidence that it has been tampered with, misused, or altered; for example:

*  moisture damage sufficient to affect the proper function of the sensor;

 	*  damage to the case; or

 	*  visible damage to wire or connector.

3) HeartMath IS NOT LIABLE FOR INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES.  Some states/provinces/countries do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental, special, or consequential damages, so the above exclusion or limitation may not apply to you.

Your Rights Under Implied Warranties and State/Province Law: THIS LIMITED WARRANTY IS IN LIEU OF ALL OTHER EXPRESS WARRANTIES, OBLIGATIONS OR LIABILITIES. HEARTMATH LIMITS THE DURATION OF ANY WARRANTY IMPLIED BY STATE/PROVINCE LAW, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TO ONE YEAR FROM THE DATE OF ORIGINAL PURCHASE.  Some states/provinces/countries do not allow limitations on how long implied warranties last, so the above limitation may not apply to you.  This limited warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state, province to province or country to country.

© 1998-1999 HeartMath, LLC.

FREEZE-FRAMER is a legally protected trademark of HeartMath, LLC in the U.S. and other countries.


About the Institute of HeartMath

The Institute of HeartMath is an innovative nonprofit 501 (c) (3) research and education organization founded by Doc Childre and incorporated in 1991 in Boulder Creek, California. The Institute’s mission is to facilitate balance and health in people’s lives by:

• Researching the effects of positive emotions on physiology, quality of life, and performance.

• Helping individuals engage their hearts to transform stress and rejuvenate their health.

• Providing prevention and intervention strategies for improved emotional health, decision-making, learning skills and violence reduction in communities, families, and schools.

We seek to facilitate a shift in social awareness where heart-based intelligence increasingly replaces conflict with cooperation, division with harmony, and emotional turmoil with peace and security. These principles have formed the foundation of training and retreat programs across the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia. These include programs for major corporations, the armed forces, post-disaster stress relief teams, health and human service professionals, gang risk intervention teams, educators, children at all grade levels, families, and individuals.

The troubles that plague the world today demonstrate a need for emotional balance. The technologies and simple, user-friendly tools developed by the Institute offer hope for all people and begin by helping them access their heart – the key to emotional, mental and physical well being. The Institute of HeartMath intends to continue building bridges between traditional and leading-edge research, and between individuals, families and communities, and to unfold the promise of the true potential of human beings.

www.heartmath.org


About HeartMath, LLC

HeartMath is a unique combination of leading edge science, practical information, and easy to use techniques and skills for personal and organizational effectiveness.  HeartMath programs are designed to help organizations, families and individuals explore and benefit from the role of the heart in boosting human performance, health and intelligence.

We provide consulting, coaching, training, books, music, learning programs and software - all of which provide easy to learn tools that have been proven highly effective in improving productivity, enhancing creativity, boosting emotional management and physiological well-being through the instant reduction of stress and negative moods.

HeartMath®, LLC

14700 West Park Ave.

Boulder Creek, CA 95006

1-800-450-9111 • 831-338-8700 • fax 831-338-9861

www.heartmath.com • info@heartmath.com


The Zone

The Accumulated Entrainment Score Graph contains a field delineated by two red lines and has been named The Zone. This is an additional entrainment practice incentive; it encourages working toward improved high entrainment scores quickly to get into The Zone.

The Accumulated Entrainment Score is a process that builds upon itself. When you are in higher physiological entrainment, points are added so that the score increases, and the line builds toward The Zone. Conversely, when you are in overall low physiological entrainment, no points are scored and the line remains at a low level outside of The Zone. The goal is to quickly build a steadily climbing line within The Zone toward the 100 point mark.

The program requires approximately one minute to begin recording the Accumulated Entrainment Score, which is then revised every few seconds to continuously reflect the accumulated score throughout the session. The object of The Zone is encourage you to achieve higher entrainment quickly, and to maintain higher entrainment. To reach the doorway of The Zone requires approximately an initial 2 1/2 minutes of medium or high entrainment.

Achieving The Zone

However, especially when the techniques are new, it may require more time to reach higher entrainment and The Zone "doorway" could be missed. Since The Zone field does not move over time, it is possible to be in The Zone without the Accumulated Entrainment Score Graph line actually falling within the field markers. If you reach and maintain higher entrainment that is reflected in the Accumulated Entrainment Score Graph by approximately following The Zone line, yet out of The Zone field, you actually have achieved The Zone. This point is illustrated below:

Achieving The Zone entrainment while outside of The Zone field

Conversely, it is possible to reach higher entrainment so quickly that the Accumulated Entrainment Ratio Graph line climbs over the top line in The Zone field. If this happens, it only means that you have achieved higher entrainment more quickly than average and are well in The Zone. Since it is not possible to become "too entrained," perceive this occurrence as a job well done and pat yourself on the back.

Achieving The Zone entrainment quickly

To view the Accumulated Entrainment Score you must be in standard Heart rhythm recording mode viewing currently recording data, or in review mode viewing saved data from a previously recorded session or after completing a game.


Heart Zones

About the Music Heart Zones

We know that music can shift our feelings and attitudes. Music can excite you, relax you, make you happy or nostalgic. It can even evoke a dramatic story. Think about a movie soundtrack, for example. At HeartMath, we use music as an "atmospheric conditioner" creating an environment that makes it easier to feel the heart.

Heart Zones: Music Proven to Boost Vitality by Doc Childre is enclosed with your Freeze-Framer. Heart Zones was scientifically designed to help you connect more deeply with your heart. In fact, it has been proven in research studies to enhance the physiological effects that come from practicing Heart Lock-In and Freeze-Frame. Many people use music like Heart Zones whenever they practice Heart Lock-In. Heart Zones is 17 minutes total in length which works well for a Heart Lock-In, and the segment lengths range from 3 to 5 minutes and can be used while practicing Freeze-Frame. Try not to compare Heart Zones to other music you have heard, as its chords, rhythms and sound textures were carefully orchestrated to enhance mental and emotional balance in the listener. It takes several listening to become familiar with the unique sound of the music.

Doing a Heart Lock-In with music is one of the best ways to increase the effectiveness of your experience. Find music that feels right for you. Use music that you feel helps open your heart and promote internal balance but doesn’t "space you out" or make you drowsy. Remember, the Heart Lock-In and Freeze-Frame techniques are designed to give you a relaxed but highly aware experience.


Main Window

Once the program is installed and the system restarted (reboot), the first program window that will appear is the Main Window. The Main Window is the start point for the entire program, where all areas can be accessed easily and quickly.

The Main Window is divided into three (3) sections: Training Modes, Review Modes, and other. The Training Modes include all activities pertaining to actual use of the software during active data recording. Anytime you practice the Heart Lock-In or Freeze-Frame techniques with the Freeze-Framer, you will use at least one aspect of the Training Mode.

The Training Mode encompasses these features:

1.  Heart rhythm coherence skill building (no time limit)
    Begin here. It is important to practice using Freeze-Framer in the heart rhythm mode first. Practice Heart Lock-In and Freeze-Frame here first until you are comfortable with how Freeze-Framer works before moving on to playing the games.

2.  The Balloon Game: Heart-power your balloon over
obstacles (8 minutes)

3.  Rainbow Game: Follow your heart to fill your pot of gold
(7 minutes)

4.  The Meadow Game: Through heart-focus, add color to the meadow (3 minutes)

The Review Mode allows you to review saved data from previous
sessions using two methods:

1.  Review saved data from previously recorded sessions

2.  View summary data from all previously saved sessions

Three other options provide access to software functions or
information not categorized:

1.  Learn the HeartMath emotional management enhancers; this Icon loads the help menu screen that provides information on the Heart Lock-in and Freeze-Frame techniques.

2.  Set up or change optional settings; this Icon provides access to the Preferences Menu to allow customization of the program.

3.  Close and exit program; this Icon exits you out of the Freeze-Framer, closes the program and brings you back to the Windows desktop.


Troubleshooting Common Problems

Q. The connector on the Freeze-Framer finger sensor doesn't match the serial port connector on my computer.

Q. The game graphics are distorted or the cursor disappears when running the games.

Q. The message "Pulse sensor not found. Please make sure sensor is connected to the serial port on you computer." appears when I select one of the Training Modes.

Q. The Accumulated Entrainment Score and Entrainment Ration graphs don't show up at the bottom the Entrainment Ratios screen. I only see gray area where the graphs should be.

Q. When I run one of the Training Modes, either Heart rhythm waveform on the Heart rhythm screen jump to the top and bottom of the screen, or nothing happens in one of the three games.

Q. The data shown on the Heart Rhythm screen is very choppy, with lots of red segments.

Q. I have a Palm Pilot that I connect to my serial port. Will there be a conflict with the Freeze-Framer finger sensor?

Q. The text and icons on the Main Screen of the Freeze-Framer program are out of place.

Q. The program freezes, and I get an error message like "Program has performed an illegal operation." Click on the Details button and I see a message like "FF caused an invalid page fault in module FF.exe at 0137:0040fbc5"

Q. Where can I download the latest version of the Freeze-Framer program?

Q. The installation program won't accept the serial number.

Q. The Freeze-Framer program runs for about a minute and a half, then stops running.

Q. Reports that I print from the Freeze-Framer program aren't correct - they have missing graphics, incorrect colors, etc.

Q. My mouse movement is very jerky when running the Freeze-Framer.

Q. No matter what I do, I always get the same results.

Q. How do I deinstall the Freeze-Framer program?

Q. I want to move the Freeze-Framer software to another computer. How do I transfer the session data that I've already collected?

Q. How do I back up my session data?

Q. Can the Freeze-Framer program run on a Macintosh?

Q. My computer doesn't have a CD-ROM drive. How can I install the Freeze-Framer software on it?


Q. The connector on the Freeze-Framer finger sensor doesn't match the serial port connector on my computer.

Some older PC serial ports have a DB25 connector. In this case, you will need a DB25 female - DB 9 male adapter, which is available from most computer stores for a few dollars.


Q. The game graphics are distorted or the cursor disappears when running the games.

You may need an updated video driver in order in order for the games to work. We urge you to back up your computer prior to installing any system software updates.

Insert the Freeze-Framer installation CD in the CD drive, while holding down the shift key. If the Freeze-Framer software installation starts up, click the Cancel then Exit Setup buttons.

You can access the installation CD via Windows Explorer, or go to "My Computer" on the Desktop, and right-click on your CD drive icon, and select Open from the list. (If you double-click you'll start the Freeze-Framer installation program. Click the Cancel and Exit Setup buttons if this happens, and right-click on the CD icon.)

1. The installation CD contains a folder named "Directx." Double-click on the "Directx" folder.

2. Locate and double-click on the "Dxsetup.exe" icon.

3. Click on the "ReInstall DirectX" button.

4. Agree if asked to update a video driver.

5. Restart the computer and try the games again.

If this doesn't solve the problem then try the following:

1. Exit the Freeze-Framer software by selecting "Exit" from the file menu. (If the screen has gone black or blank and you cannot access the file menu. Press the "Ctrl" "Alt" and "Delete" keys on your keyboard simultaneously. Then highlight "Freeze-Framer" and select "end task"). This will close the Freeze-Framer program.

2. Right-click on the "My Computer" Icon on your desktop.

3. Select properties from the pop-up menu.

4. Click on the "Performance" tab.

5. Click on the "Graphics..." button.

6. Move the hardware acceleration slider to the left one or two notches, until the description underneath says "Basic accelerator functions:"

7. Click the "OK" button to close the Advanced Graphic Settings dialog box, then click "OK" to close the System Properties dialog box.

8. You will be prompted to restart your computer. Click "Yes" to restart.

9. After the computer restarts try running the Freeze-Framer software again.

If this doesn't work, repeat the above process and move the hardware acceleration slider all the way to the right. If this doesn't work, contact technical support.


Q. The message "Pulse sensor not found. …." appears when I select one of the Training Modes.

Make sure that the sensor is plugged in the serial port on the back of your computer. Then select Exit from the File menu and restart the Freeze-Framer software by double clicking on the Freeze-Framer program icon on your desktop.

Try running the Sensor Test program. Quit the Freeze-Framer program. Click on the Start button, then select Programs, then Freeze-Framer, then Sensor test. Click on the green arrow in the upper right-hand corner. You should see a brown pulse wave and a flatter heart rate line. Take note of the COM port shown in the lower-right corner of the screen.

If you have a serial port mouse - shut down and power off the computer. Switch the finger sensor and mouse connectors on the back of the computer. Restart the computer. Run the Freeze-Framer to see if the finger sensor is found. Another approach would be to install a PS/2 mouse in place of the serial mouse, if your computer has a PS/2 mouse port on the back.

Another way to test the finger sensor is to install the Freeze-Framer software and finger sensor on another PC. If it works, there's probably an issue with your PC's configuration. If it doesn't work, it could be an issue with the finger sensor. Call technical support.

If you have software loaded that connects to external devices that connect via the serial port -- like the Palm Pilot (see below), another computer (e.g., IntelliSync or LapLink) or devices like a digital camera, you will need to disable the software that accesses these devices before starting the Freeze-Framer software. Re-enable the software and reconnect the other device when you want to use the other device. Call technical support if you still get a "Pulse sensor not found" message.


Q. The Accumulated Entrainment Score and Entrainment Ration graphs don't show up. I only see gray where the graphs should be.

This can happen on some computers when the screen resolution is set at 640 x 480. Slide the mouse pointer arrow over the top of the bar that separates the top and bottom halves of the screen. When the mouse arrow changes to two horizontal lines with up and down vertical arrow click and hold down the left mouse button. Then slide the bar up about 1/4 inch. Release the mouse button. If the graphs still appear gray, move the bar up another 1/4 inch until the graphs appear.

Increasing the resolution of your screen to 800 x 600 pixels or greater will also correct this problem:

1. Open the Display Control Panel by clicking the right mouse button on the desktop area.

2. Select "Properties" from the pop-up menu.

3. Click on the Settings tab.

4. Now move the desktop area slider to the left until "800 x 600" is displayed (if your monitor is capable of 800 x 600 resolution.) Click on "OK."


Q. The heart rhythm trace jumps to the top and bottom of the screen, or nothing happens in the games.

Make sure that your finger is snugly held by the band that wraps around the finger sensor. Read the Record and View accurate Data section in this manual to make sure you are getting the correct pulse signal.

Make sure the Finger Sensor test program is not running at the same time the Freeze-Framer program is running.

If your hands are cold, reduced circulation may interfere with recording an accurate pulse signal and affect the data collection process. Rub you hands together rapidly to warm them up and check the shape of the pulse wave in the heart rhythm recording mode. Read the Record and View accurate Data section in this manual to make sure you are getting the correct pulse signal.


Q. The data shown on the Heart Rhythm screen is very choppy, with lots of red segments.

Make sure the finger print area at the tip of your index finger is properly positioned on the finger sensor. If your finger is so positioned that the joint between the segments of your finger is over the sensor's small rectangular area, you will get erratic readings. Read the Record and View accurate Data section in this manual to make sure you are getting the correct pulse signal.


Q. I have a Palm Pilot that I connect to my serial port. Will there be a conflict with the Freeze-Framer finger sensor?

To use the Freeze-Framer, you first have to quit the Palm Pilot HotSync utility by right-clicking the HotSync icon (the icon with the blue and red arrow) in the Windows system tray (lower right corner of the desktop), and choosing "Exit." (It may be necessary to have the Palm Pilot connected to the serial port to exit the HotSync Manager.) When you're done using the Freeze-Framer and want to connect your Palm Pilot to your PC, disconnect the finger sensor from the serial port, reconnect the Palm Pilot to the serial port, and restart the HotSync utility-- Start Menu, Programs, Palm Desktop, HotSync Manager.


Q. The text and icons on the Main Screen of the Freeze-Framer program are out of place.

Change the resolution of your screen to 800 x 600. (How to change the resolution)


Q. "Program has performed an illegal operation." "FF caused an invalid page fault in module FF.exe at 0137:0040fbc5"

Q. The program freezes, and I get an error message like "Program has performed an illegal operation." Click on the Details button and I see a message like "FF caused an invalid page fault in module FF.exe at 0137:0040fbc5"

If during installation, you answered "NO" to overwriting a *.dll file, reinstall the Freeze-Framer software, and answer "YES."

If this doesn't work, some Windows 95 or 98 modules may need to be updated. We urge you to back up your computer prior to installing any system software updates. If your computer is on a corporate network, do not install any Windows updates without the express approval of your IT staff!

The easiest way to update Windows 95 computers that can connect to the Internet is to install Internet Explorer 5. The installer is in the Updates folder on the Freeze-Framer installation CD. Insert the Freeze-Framer installation CD in the CD drive. If the Freeze-Framer software installation starts up, click the Cancel then Exit Setup buttons.

You can access the installation CD via Windows Explorer, or go to "My Computer" on the Desktop, and right-click on your CD drive icon, and select Open from the list. (If you double-click you'll start the Freeze-Framer installation program. Click the Cancel and Exit Setup buttons if this happens, and right-click on the CD icon.)

Once Internet Explorer 5 is installed, connect to the Internet and go to http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com . Click on Product Updates. Choose to install all of the Critical Updates. Windows 98 users may want to install Internet Explorer 5 as well. Once Internet Explorer 5 is installed, Windows 98 users can log on to the Internet, then use the " Windows Update " feature on the Start Menu, which will start your Web browser, and take you to the Windows 98 update Web page. Choose to install all of the Critical Updates.

If the computer isn't connected to the Internet, install the updates appropriate for the operating system on your computer (Windows 95 or 98). To determine which operating system your computer has installed, right-click on the "My Computer" icon on your desktop, and select "Properties" from the menu. The software installers are in the Updates folder on the Freeze-Framer installation CD.

Restart after each installation.

Windows 95 updates:

-- Windows 95 Service Pack 1 -- To see if you need this update, right-click on "My Computer" in the desktop, and select "Properties". If under System: it says "4.00.950" as opposed to "4.00.950 A" or "4.00.950. B", your system needs this update.

-- Windows Library Update

-- OLE 32 Update to Service Pack 1

-- Updated Microsoft Java VM

Windows 98 updates:

-- Microsoft Libraries Update

-- Updated Microsoft VM

Windows NT update:

-- Service Pack 4


Q. Where can I download the latest version of the Freeze-Framer program?

Go to http://www.freezeframer.com/support/ to find the latest release of the program.


Q. The installation program won't accept the serial number.

Make sure you're entering capital "FF". The serial number contains zeros, not the letter "O." Use the serial number from the installation CD jacket, not the serial number on the finger sensor.


Q. The Freeze-Framer program runs for about a minute and a half, then stops running.

Your computer may not have enough memory to run the Freeze-Framer program properly. To check how much memory your computer has:

1. Right-click on the "My Computer" icon on your Desktop.

2. Select "System Properties" from the pop-up menu.

3. The amount of memory the computer has is shown towards the lower right-hand corner of the window. e.g. 32.0 MB RAM indicates 32 megabytes of memory. Computers with less than 32 megabytes of memory will generally not run the Freeze-Framer program properly -- the program will stop collecting data after a short time. Additional memory may be required if the computer has many programs running along with the Freeze-Framer software.


Q. Reports that I print from the Freeze-Framer program aren't correct - they have missing graphics, incorrect colors, etc.

If you have an HP DeskJet or OfficeJet printer, try installing the DeskJet 550C printer driver. Insert your Windows installation CD into the CD-ROM drive.

1. Double-click on the "My Computer" icon on your Desktop.

2. Double-click on the "Printers" folder.

3. Double-click on the "Add Printer" icon.

4. Follow the steps - select "local printer", "HP" from the manufacturers list, and "HP DeskJet 550C" from the printer list. Available ports is most likely "LPT1:". Printer name - leave as is. Default printer - No. Print a test page - yes.

Start the Freeze-Framer program. When you are ready to print, go to the File Menu, Print Setup, and select "HP DeskJet 550C" from the list of available printers, then print the report.

Hewlett-Packard technical support may be able to suggest a different printer driver if this doesn't help. An updated printer driver may be available from http://www.hp.com

Another option is to have the Freeze-Framer report on-screen, then press the "Print Screen" button. This will copy the screen contents to the clipboard. Open a word processing program, and paste (control-V) the screen image into the blank document. Print.


Q. My mouse movement is very jerky when running the Freeze-Framer.

This can happen because of a conflict with a serial mouse. You may need to rearrange COM ports. Try using a PS/2 mouse, if possible.


Q. No matter what I do, I always get the same results.

The Freeze-Framer program may be set to "Simulator" mode - see the "Advanced Options " section of the manual, "Monitoring Device" for details.


Q. How do I deinstall the Freeze-Framer program?

Click on the Start button, then select Programs, then Freeze-Framer, then Uninstall Freeze-Framer.


Q. I want to move the Freeze-Framer software to another computer. How do I transfer the sessions I've already collected?

Your session data is contained in the "Ff.mbd" file in the Freeze-Framer folder (The default location is C:\ Program Files \ Planetary \ FreezeFramer.) Copy this file to a floppy disk. After you install the Freeze-Framer software on the new computer, copy the file from the floppy to the Freeze-Framer folder on the new computer, replacing the existing copy of the file. Fun the Freeze-Framer program on the new computer and check to make sure that the session data is present.

If the Ff.mdb file is too large to fit on a floppy, you could use the shareware WinZip program to compress the file. See http://www.winzip.com for details.


Q. How do I back up my session data?

Your session data is contained in the "Ff.mbd" file in the Freeze-Framer folder (The default location is C:\ Program Files \ Planetary \ FreezeFramer.) Make a copy of this file in another location of your hard drive, or back up to removable media like a floppy disk or Zip drive.


Q. Can the Freeze-Framer program run on a Macintosh?

It is possible using Virtual PC. (SoftWindows does not work at last check.) Screen movement can be somewhat jerky. You *may* have to disable all extensions and restart prior to running Virtual PC in order to avoid having the Freeze-Framer software screen freeze after a few minutes.

To run the Freeze-Framer on a beige Apple Macintosh G3 the following are needed:

* a processor speed of at least 266 MHz, and 64 MB of RAM

* Virtual PC 2.x or 3.x.

* a custom cable purchased from us in order to plug the Freeze-Framer sensor into a beige G3 Mac serial port. (The Palm Pilot cable for the Macintosh cable will not work.)

To run the Freeze-Framer on an Apple Macintosh G4, an iMac, or a blue and white G3 the following are needed:

* Virtual PC 3, with at least 32 MB allocated to the program

* Entrega USB to 9-Pin Serial Converter DB9

See http://www.entrega.com/con_serial9_prodinfo.html for more information.

Download the USB to Mac Serial Converter driver at http://www.entrega2.com/drivers.html

(Other serial to USB adapters may work, but have not been tested.)

Installation instructions:

Install Virtual PC. Install the finger sensor along with the custom cable or the Entrega USB adapter and driver, depending on your configuration. Start the Virtual PC software. Select the Edit Menu, Preferences. Select the "Com Port 1" item. Under Com Port 1 Settings, select the Mac serial port item, and either "Modem" or "USB" from the list, depending on your configuration. Check "non-modem device." Install the Freeze-Framer software.


Q. My computer doesn't have a CD-ROM drive. How can I install the Freeze-Framer software on it?

You'll need a computer with a CD-ROM drive in order to make a set of Freeze-Framer software installation diskettes. You could also use products like LapLink http://www.laplink.com/ or Intellisync http://www.pumatech.com/Intellisync_Notebooks.html which would allow you to access the CD-ROM drive on another computer.

Procedure to create Freeze-Framer installation diskettes:

1. Insert the Freeze-Framer installation CD into the CD-ROM drive. Hold down the shift key as the CD enters the computer. This will prevent the installation program from starting up. If the installation program starts anyway, click on the "Cancel" and "Exit Setup" buttons.

2. Double-click on the "My Computer" icon on your desktop. Right-click on the icon for your CD-ROM drive. Drag down to "Open" on the menu.

3. Double-click on the "FF FLOPPY" folder. You'll see six folders - disk1, disk2, etc. Double-click on the "disk1" folder.

4. Insert a blank floppy diskette labeled "Disk 1" into your floppy disk drive.

5. Make sure that the "disk1" window is on top, and that you can see the "3 1/2 Floppy (A:)" icon. Do a "control-A" to select all the files in the "disk1" window. All of the files in the "disk1" window will darken.

6. Drag one of the selected files to the "3 1/2 Floppy (A:)" icon. The files will start copying to the diskette.

7. Close the "disk1" window. Eject the floppy diskette.

8 . Insert another blank floppy disk labeled "Disk 2". Repeat steps 5-7 for the other folders - disk2, disk3, etc.

9. When done copying the files in all six folder to six blank diskettes, take the diskettes to the PC where Freeze-Framer will be installed.

10. Insert the diskette labeled "Disk 1" into the PC's floppy disk drive.

11. Double-click on the "My Computer" icon on the desktop. Double-Click on the floppy disk icon (A:).

12. Double-click on the Setup or Setup.exe icon, which shows the picture of a small computer.

13. Follow the installation instructions.

14. After the installation is complete, restart the computer. Attach the Freeze-Frame finger sensor to the serial port.

15 Run the Freeze-Framer software.


Increasing the resolution of your screen to 800 x 600 pixels

Increasing the resolution of your screen to 800 x 600 pixels or greater will correct this problem:

1. Open the Display Control Panel by right clicking on the desk top area.

2. Select "Properties" from the popup menu

3. Click on the Settings tab

4. Now move the Desktop area slider to the left until "800 x 600" is displayed, if your monitor is capable of 800 x 600 resolution. Click on "OK"


Replay previously recorded files in real-time

You can select any previously recorded file for demonstration or real-time replay. This can be convenient for demonstration purposes. The replayed data will run at original speed. Games and Heart Rhythm screen will perform as if the data were live. This operation is very much like a player piano.

1.	Click on the review session icon

2.	Open the desired session from the review session dialogue box

3.	Under the Edit menu choose "Select demo"

4.	Under the File menu choose "Exit". (Changes will only take effect after exiting and reopening the program.)

This operation saves the selected file for replay anytime "Simulator" is chosen as the monitoring device. See also: Monitoring Device

Note: When the Freeze-Framer software is installed for the first time a sample heart rhythm file is included and my be used for demonstration or real-time replay by selecting "Simulator" as the monitoring device. When you select a file for demo/replay this original file is replaced with the newly chosen one.