Female veteran’s recovery from combat-related trauma remains vastly understudied. Heart rate variability (HRV), a vagally mediated index of parasympathetic tone, provides a direct lens on autonomic engagement and recovery. The aim of this study was to quantify parasympathetic regulation via daily HRV as evidence of the biological efficacy of the first female-only combat-veteran retreat in attempts to scientifically validate their healing journey.
An IRB-approved observational case series was conducted during a five-day retreat (June 17–21, 2025, Montana). Ten veterans enrolled; nine contributed daily HRV via FitBit wear, spanning May 18–July 17, 2025. HRV was cleaned (duplicate same-day values averaged; implausible zeros flagged), aggregated by participant-day, and summarized within predefined windows: Pre (June 10–16), During (June 17–21), and Post (June 22–28). Window coverage was adequate for most participants (Pre n = 8, During n = 9, Post n = 8).
Group mean HRV was 28.2 ms (Pre), 24.5 ms (During), and 28.4 ms (Post); the average During–Pre change was −3.8 ms and Post–Pre ≈ +0.1 ms, indicating a transient reduction during the emotionally activating retreat period with post-retreat normalization. Individual trajectories showed dynamic, context-dependent modulation, and several participants exhibited Post > Pre HRV, consistent with strengthened parasympathetic tone and greater autonomic flexibility after intervention.
Continuous HRV monitoring proved feasible and informative in this high-risk, understudied population, highlighting HRV as a biologically meaningful endpoint for retreat-based trauma care. Limitations include small sample size, uncontrolled observational design, limited covariates, and potential wearable artifacts. These findings are preliminary and hypothesis-generating, motivating larger controlled trials centered on HRV outcomes in female veterans.
An IRB-approved observational case series was conducted during a five-day retreat (June 17–21, 2025, Montana). Ten veterans enrolled; nine contributed daily HRV via FitBit wear, spanning May 18–July 17, 2025. HRV was cleaned (duplicate same-day values averaged; implausible zeros flagged), aggregated by participant-day, and summarized within predefined windows: Pre (June 10–16), During (June 17–21), and Post (June 22–28). Window coverage was adequate for most participants (Pre n = 8, During n = 9, Post n = 8).
Group mean HRV was 28.2 ms (Pre), 24.5 ms (During), and 28.4 ms (Post); the average During–Pre change was −3.8 ms and Post–Pre ≈ +0.1 ms, indicating a transient reduction during the emotionally activating retreat period with post-retreat normalization. Individual trajectories showed dynamic, context-dependent modulation, and several participants exhibited Post > Pre HRV, consistent with strengthened parasympathetic tone and greater autonomic flexibility after intervention.
Continuous HRV monitoring proved feasible and informative in this high-risk, understudied population, highlighting HRV as a biologically meaningful endpoint for retreat-based trauma care. Limitations include small sample size, uncontrolled observational design, limited covariates, and potential wearable artifacts. These findings are preliminary and hypothesis-generating, motivating larger controlled trials centered on HRV outcomes in female veterans.