“Something fascinating happens every time we interact with another person in a meaningful way: Several of our biological signals start to synchronize. This has been shown for various brain waves and body parameters, such as heart rate variability (HRV).
The latter is particularly interesting in the context of stress research. It has been shown in several studies that a higher high-frequency HRV is linked to better stress resilience and better ability to relax. In contrast, a lower high-frequency HRV has been linked to worse stress resilience and problems relaxing.
What is largely unclear, however, is to what extent the synchronization of heart rate variability in two people is linked to stress experience and resilience. This could, however, be really interesting for getting a better understanding of what stress does to relationships and why some couples have bigger issues than others when dealing with stressful situations.”