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Recovery Score Calculator

Daily readiness score based on HRV, resting heart rate, and sleep quality. Transparent formula, no wearable app required.

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For reference only. This score is a simplified composite and does not replace clinical assessment. Use it as one data point alongside subjective wellness and training context.

Morning HRV from your wearable or app (e.g. Garmin, HRV4Training)

Your recent 7-day average HRV, from your wearable's weekly summary

Morning resting heart rate before getting out of bed

Your recent 7-day average resting HR

Sleep score from your wearable, or estimate: 90+ = excellent · 70 to 89 = good · 50 to 69 = fair · <50 = poor

Recovery = (HRV_score × 0.40) + (RHR_score × 0.35) + (Sleep × 0.25)

RECOVERY SCORE

54.0

Good

Recovery Score · HRV 40% · RHR 35% · Sleep 25%

Normal training. Avoid pushing into new maxima.

HRV · 40%

46

RHR · 35%

48

Sleep · 25%

75

Score reference

ZoneScoreAction
Ready64 and aboveTrain hard
Good ← you52 to 63Normal session
Moderate46 to 51Reduce intensity
Low40 to 45Recovery only
Very lowbelow 40Rest
Also useful: HRV Deviation Calculator → · VO2max Calculator →

Source: none. Nobody publishes a weighting for a recovery score. Every wearable maker computes one its own way and none of them publish the weights, so the 40, 35 and 25 percent split here is this site's own convention, with the reasoning set out under How it works.

Recovery score explained

Three signals, one score

The recovery score combines three daily measurements into a single 0 to 100% readiness number using a transparent weighted formula. Unlike wearable apps, every step is visible and adjustable.

These weights are this site's own convention. No published consensus sets them, because no published consensus defines this metric at all: every wearable computes a recovery figure differently and none disclose the weighting. What follows is the reasoning, so you can disagree with it knowingly.

How each signal reaches the 0 to 100 scale

Before weighting, each signal is turned into a score where being exactly at your baseline scores 50. HRV is today divided by baseline, times 50; resting heart rate is baseline divided by today, times 50; both are capped at 100. So a doubled HRV is needed to reach 100, and a day exactly on baseline with a sleep score of 50 returns a total of 50, which this page labels Moderate. Read the number as a position relative to your own normal, not as a percentage of some ideal.

Why the bands are not spread evenly over 0 to 100

Because the score does not use 0 to 100. Swept across 1,298,661 realistic combinations, HRV from 0.5 to 1.5 times baseline, resting heart rate from 0.8 to 1.25 times baseline and sleep from 30 to 100, the score runs from 31.5 to 76.9, with a median of 53.6 and half of all days between 47.9 and 59.4. The band edges are the 5th, 20th, 40th and 85th percentiles of what this formula produces across its realistic input space, rounded to whole points, so each label means roughly how unusual the day is rather than a share of some maximum. A score near 53.6 is an ordinary day.

The top of the scale stays out of reach by construction. Getting the resting heart rate component near 100 would need today’s pulse at about half your baseline, which does not happen in a healthy person, so scores above roughly 77 are not achievable. That is the price of scaling each signal against your own baseline, and it is why the highest band starts at 64 rather than at 85.

HRV component (40% weight)

HRV today is compared to your 7-day rolling baseline. A ratio above 1.0 (today above baseline) scores above 50; below 1.0 scores lower. HRV carries the largest share because it is the most direct day to day reading of autonomic state.

Resting HR component (35% weight)

The inverse logic applies: a lower resting HR today relative to baseline scores higher. Elevated resting HR indicates sympathetic dominance, the body is still under stress, regardless of how you feel subjectively. Resting heart rate is nearly as informative and far more stable between devices, so it carries the second share.

Sleep component (25% weight)

Sleep score is used directly (0 to 100). This can come from any wearable or be self-estimated. Sleep carries the smallest share because it is the most subjective and the most platform dependent of the three.

The formula is deliberately simple and transparent. Wearables use proprietary algorithms with dozens of inputs. This calculator gives you a clear, interpretable number you can reason about.

Frequently asked questions

What is a good recovery score?

A score above 70 indicates good readiness for normal or hard training. Scores of 85+ suggest optimal recovery with all signals above baseline, a good day for intensity work. Scores below 50 indicate meaningful fatigue and warrant a recovery or rest day. Your personal trend matters more than any single number.

How is this different from Whoop, Garmin or Oura?

Wearable recovery scores use proprietary algorithms that are not published or auditable. This calculator uses a fully transparent formula you can inspect and reason about. The trade-off: wearables use more inputs (SpO2, skin temperature, HRV during sleep) and continuous monitoring, while this tool uses three manually entered numbers. The advantage is clarity, you know exactly why your score is what it is.

What if I do not have a HRV baseline?

Start by entering your current HRV as both today and baseline (ratio = 1.0, neutral score of 50). After 7 days of morning measurements, use the average as your baseline. Most wearable apps show a 7-day HRV average in their summary view. Apps like HRV4Training and Elite HRV also calculate and track rolling averages for free.

My HRV is much higher than baseline, is that good?

Usually yes. HRV significantly above baseline often indicates parasympathetic rebound, a supercompensation effect after a rest period. However, if the reading is more than 50% above your baseline, verify measurement accuracy (sensor contact, breathing pattern). Anomalously high readings can occur from measurement errors and are flagged with an advisory in this calculator.

Should I train if my score says Low or Very Low?

A Low score (40 to 45) suggests swapping structured training for a walk, light swim, or complete rest. A Very Low score (below 40) warrants full rest. If scores are persistently low over multiple days, look at cumulative training load, sleep debt, nutrition, and life stress rather than trying to push through.

How do I estimate my sleep score without a wearable?

Use this scale: 90 to 100 = slept well, no waking, felt rested; 70 to 89 = mostly good sleep, maybe one brief waking; 50 to 69 = fair sleep, some waking or poor quality; 30 to 49 = poor sleep, frequent waking or under 5 hours; 0 to 29 = very poor or almost no sleep. Be consistent in how you rate, your relative scoring matters more than absolute accuracy.