Garmin Explorer's Guide - ONTO NOTHING
instructions

ONTO NOTHING Research Lab

GARMIN
GUIDE

Researcher's Guide - from unpacking to the first serious measurement

Version 1.0
2026
10 sections
HRV · Body Battery · Sleep · Stress
Contents of the document
  • 01 History of Garmin and place in research
  • 02 What to buy: models and choice
  • 03 First launch: change language, setup
  • 04 Key parameters: what they measure
  • 05 How to Read Data Like a Researcher
  • 06 2-Minute Stress Test: Protocol
  • 07 Meditation app: nuances
  • 08 Contact with ONTO NOTHING practitioners
  • 09 Tips for experienced users
  • 10 Data export and analysis
01

History of Garmin and place in scientific research

Garmin was founded in 1989 by Gary Burrell and Min Kaon, initially as a manufacturer of GPS navigators for aviation.. By the 2010s, the company entered the consumer segment of fitness trackers, and by the 2020s it became one of the key instrumental partners in academic research.

Key difference from Apple Watch and Fitbit: Garmin was originally created for professional conditions - army, aviation, extreme sports. Hence, high GPS accuracy, long battery life and an open data ecosystem through the Garmin Health SDK.

By 2022, Garmin has participated in more than 1,000 scientific studies, with 500+ completed. Key partners: Harvard, Stanford, King's College London, Technical University of Munich.

Why Garmin and not Apple Watch or Whoop?
Parameter Garmin Apple Watch / Whoop
Battery 7–28 days 1–7 days
GPS Built-in, standalone Requires a phone or has one (Apple)
Data openness Health API + SDK, FIT format Limited access
Algorithms Firstbeat Analytics (public white papers) Closed black boxes
HRV accuracy MAPE 10.5% (night measurement) Oura is better, Apple is average
Research program Grants, SDK, API, Fitrockr Limited partnership
Algorithm bias No by race/gender/BMI (validated) There are a number of competitors

For research purposes, ONTO NOTHING Garmin is optimal for three reasons:

01
Battery allows you to wear the device 24/7 without interruption - data continuity is critical for longitudinal observations
02
Data is exported in open FIT format - full access to raw values ​​without intermediaries
03
Firstbeat Algorithms transparent and academically validated—every calculation can be understood and verified
02

What to buy: models and choice for research tasks

The main question is not “which model is better”, but “what exactly do you need to measure”. For consciousness, HRV and recovery studies, the middle segment is sufficient. For long-term exits or biomechanics - the flagship.

Recommended Models
recommended
Garmin Venu 3
Sleep, HRV, stress studies
AMOLED display, excellent sleep monitoring, HRV Status, Body Battery. Battery life 14 days.
No built-in GPS (available in Venu 3S GPS version)
recommended
Forerunner 265
Runners + Explorers. Golden mean.
Built-in GPS, HRV, Training Readiness, Morning Report. Battery life 13 days.
No skin temperature sensor
advanced
Forerunner 965
Full set of metrics + long-term research.
VO2max, lactate threshold, Hill Score, Endurance Score, 31 day battery.
Price. Redundant for pure HRV studies
flagship
Fenix 7 Pro
Extreme conditions + maximum accuracy.
Everything from 965 + solar charging + tactical functions. Titanium case.
Price and weight
budget
vivoactive 5
Mass research, budget.
HRV, sleep, stress, Body Battery. Battery 11 days. Cheap.
Limited sports metrics

Optimal for starting research Garmin Venu 3 or Forerunner 265. Both have a full set of parameters for working with conditions: HRV Status, Body Battery, Stress Score, Sleep Score, Training Readiness.

What must be in the device
  • HRV Status - required. This is the basis for all recovery analytics
  • Body Battery is an integral index, most valuable for daily monitoring
  • Sleep Score by phase (Light / Deep / REM)
  • Stress Level - 24/7 monitoring based on HRV
  • Optical HR (optical heart rate sensor) with night mode
  • Bluetooth sync with Garmin Connect (iOS or Android)
03

First launch: step-by-step instructions

  • 01
    Unpacking and Charging

    Charge the device fully before turning it on for the first time - use the original cable. Press and hold the LIGHT button (or top right button) for 2-3 seconds to turn on.

  • 02
    Changing the language (if the clock is in Chinese)

    A common situation when purchasing through AliExpress or parallel import.

    1. Press the MENU button → hold for 2-3 seconds
    2. Find the gear icon (Settings) - it is recognizable even without knowledge of hieroglyphs
    3. Scroll to the section with the letter “A” or the dialog bubble icon - this is “System”
    4. Find the language submenu: characters 语言
    5. Select your preferred language. After the change, the watch will reboot.

    Alternative: Download Garmin Connect → Bluetooth → Device Settings → Language and Region → Sync.

  • 03
    Download apps

    Main - Garmin Connect (iOS / Android). Additionally: Garmin Connect IQ — app and watch face store; Garmin Clipboard — team monitoring for researchers.

  • 04
    Initial profile setup

    This is critical - many algorithms depend on the accuracy of the profile.

    • → Age—affects the calculation of HRV standards and Fitness Age
    • → Gender—affects standard VO2max values
    • → Height and weight - affect Training Load and calories
    • → Maximum heart rate - critical. Formula 220-age gives an error
    • → Resting pulse - measure in the morning while lying down, before getting up
    Important: incorrect maximum heart rate gives an error of VO2max up to 7%. An error of 8 beats per minute can triple the calculation error. For accuracy, use the test: warm up for 15 minutes, then run for 3-5 minutes at maximum pace.
  • 05
    The first 3 weeks are the baseline period

    Don't try to interpret the data in the first 2 weeks. The watch collects the base:

    • → HRV Status requires 19 nights of wear
    • → Body Battery becomes accurate in 5–7 days
    • → Training Readiness stabilizes after 3–4 weeks
    • → VO2max - after several workouts with GPS and heart rate

    Researcher's rule: the first 3 weeks are to collect the database. Don't analyze it, just wear the device 24/7, including sleeping.

04

Key parameters: what they measure

All Garmin algorithms are developed by Firstbeat Analytics (acquired by Garmin in 2020) - a Finnish company with a 20-year history of scientific development. White papers of algorithms published. This provides transparency that is rare for the market.

Group 1 - Recovery and resource
HRV Status Heart rate variability
What does it measure?
Heart beat interval variability (RMSSD, ms). Night analysis during sleep.
Meaning
High HRV = parasympathetic dominance = good recovery. Low = sympathy = stress, illness, overload.
Baseline
Formed for 19 nights. Compares to your norm, not to population averages.
Statuses
Balanced / Low / Unbalanced / Poor
Accuracy
MAPE 10.5% relative to ECG. CCC 0.87. Suitable for trend analysis.
Body Battery Energy charge of the body
Range
0–100. Charged during sleep and rest, consumed during activity and stress. Updated every 5 minutes.
Algorithm
Combines HRV + stress + activity + sleep data. Own development of Garmin/Firstbeat.
Interpretation
Below 40 in the evening = insufficient recovery. Below 70 in the morning = night did not allow recovery.
Value
In ML models, it turned out to be the most predictive parameter for sleep quality - importance of the feature 34.2%, higher than heart rate or activity.
Stress Level Stress level 0–100
Method
HRV analysis at rest. Low resting HRV = high physiological stress.
Limitation
The device does not distinguish positive stress (joy, excitement) from negative. 2025 Study: Correlation with Subjective Stress Almost Zero.
Application
Identifying chronic patterns, assessing response to interventions. Context is required.
Sleep Score Sleep assessment + phases
Components
Duration + quality (phase distribution) + regularity + awakenings + nighttime HRV stress.
Phases
Light / Deep (SWS) / REM / Awake - determined by accelerometer + heart rate.
Accuracy
Sleep duration: high (MAPE ~5%). Phases: moderate. Overestimation of total sleep +46.9 min.
For ONTO NOTHING
After Quantum Genesis sessions: deep sleep SWS +16% (from 92.5 to 107.4 minutes on average for the period).
Group 2 - Training and Performance
Training Readiness Training readiness 0–100
Components
Training Load (7 days) + Recovery Time + Sleep Score + Sleep History (7 days) + HRV Status + Stress History
Application
Index below 33 = enduring a tough workout. 76+ = successful completion of a key session.
Group 3 - Physiological sensors
Parameter Accuracy Application in research
Heart rate at rest MAE ~2 beats/min, r>0.95 Decreased RHR is a marker of fitness
Heart rate during exercise MAPE 13% at >85% HRmax Use HRM-Pro chest strap for high intensity
SpO2 CCC 0.10 - critically low Not for clinical decisions. Trend screening only.
Respiration rate Moderate, only at rest/sleep Overtraining marker. Normal 12–20 bpm
Steps MAPE 4.6% Reliable at speeds of 3.2–4.8 km/h
Calories MAPE 19.1% - low For relative trends only. Do not use as an absolute.
05

How to Read Data Like a Researcher

The key difference between the layman and the researcher: the layman looks at the number. Researcher looks at trend, context and deviation from personal norm.

Three principles of exploratory reading
Principle 1

Personal baseline is more important than population norms

HRV 35 ms is “low” according to the table, but if this is your norm, you are in balance. A decrease of 20% is a warning sign, even if the absolute value is “normal.”

Principle 2

7+ day trends rather than single values

One day of low HRV - information noise. Five days in a row - a signal. The steady decline in Body Battery over 3 weeks is a pattern that requires explanation.

Principle 3

Context required

High stress on the day of negotiations is the norm. The same speed on a rest day is an anomaly. The algorithm doesn’t know the context—that’s your job.

Time horizons of analysis
1 week
Acute reactions: illness, stress, poor sleep, hard training. Visual inspection of the dashboard, identifying anomalies.
HRV Status
Body Battery
Stress Score
1 month
Baseline formation, first cyclical patterns. Average values ​​by week, identification of anomaly days.
HRV baseline
Sleep Score trend
VO2max
3 months
Adaptation to load/practice, seasonal patterns, intervention effect. Moving average, correlation analysis.
VO2max dynamics
Training Status
RHR trend
6–12 months
Fundamental changes in physiology, neuroplasticity in body metrics. Mixed models, time series.
VO2max
Basic HRV
Fitness Age
Deep sleep
Don't forget: record the firmware version at the beginning of each study period. Garmin Updates Algorithms Without Warning - This Creates Gaps in Longitudinal Data.

In the ONTO NOTHING architecture, a fitness tracker (Garmin) forms second physiological layer data: Layer 1 - Brain (Neiry EEG), Layer 2 - Body (Garmin HRV, heart rate, stress, sleep), Layer 3 - Subjectivity (diary, questionnaires).

06

2-Minute Stress Test: Protocol and Application

Garmin supports real-time manual stress measurement. This is not automatic monitoring - it is an on-demand measurement lasting 2 minutes, giving an instant snapshot of the vegetative state.

During measurement, the watch analyzes a short HRV window - a sequence of R-R intervals over 2 minutes. The Firstbeat algorithm calculates the ratio of sympathetic to parasympathetic activation and produces a speed 0–100.

Standard measurement protocol
The participant sits quietly or lies down. Minimum movements - the accelerometer affects accuracy.
On the watch: Applications → Stress → Measurement (or stress widget → press measurement).
2 minutes of complete rest. Don't talk, don't check your phone.
Result: speed 0–100 + state description (Rest / Low / Medium / High).
Write down the context: time, what was done before the measurement, subjective feeling.
Protocol before and after the practice session
Measurement BEFORE - in the initial state, 5 minutes after arrival and before the start of preparation.
Measurement AFTER - 3-5 minutes after the end of the session, in the same position.
Record both values ​​in the protocol along with a subjective assessment.

In the ONTO NOTHING studies, a 2-minute measurement recorded an average decrease in stress rate by 30–48% after the Pure Nothing and Quantum Genesis sessions.

Where to find it on the watch
Model Path to measurement
Venu 3 / vivoactive 5 Widgets → Body Battery → DOWN → stress measurement. Or: Apps → Stress
Forerunner 265 / 965 Keep UP → My Day → Stress. Or through widgets.
Fenix 7 / Epix MENU → Apps → Stress. Or set up quick access.
Nuances: metering only works when at rest. Alcohol, caffeine, poor sleep distort the results. Immediately after eating, accuracy decreases. The optimal time is in the morning, 5–10 minutes after waking up, before meals and coffee..
07

Meditation Application: Nuances and Research Potential

Basic breathing exercises are built into the device firmware. Path: Applications → Breathing / Breathwork.

Built-in breathing techniques
Technique Options Physiological effect
Tranquility 10 min. Inhale 4s, hold 7s, exhale 8s (4-7-8) Parasympathetic activation. Increase HRV. Getting ready for bed.
Coherence 15 min. Inhale 6s, exhale 6s. Smooth breathing. Synchronization of breathing and heart rate. Maximum HRV coherence.
Relax & Focus 5–10 min. Variable patterns. Reduced anxiety, increased focus.

During a Coherence Breathing session, the stress rate decreases in real time, the Body Battery begins to slowly increase, and the heart rate fluctuates rhythmically in phase with breathing - this is coherence.

Research Trick: Recording Meditation as an Activity
Before the session, start recording an activity like “Meditation” or “Yoga” (Activities → others).
Carry out the session as usual.
Stop recording. The activity will be saved as a FIT file with minute-by-minute heart rate, stress and accelerometer data.
Export via Garmin Connect → Activities → desired → Export to FIT or GPX.
Synchronization with Neiry MindTracker
Start the Garmin recording (Meditation activity) - remember the exact start time.
Start a Neiry session - it should start within 30 seconds.
Marker in Neiry (if any) - place it at the beginning of each mode/block.
After the session: Garmin FIT file contains timestamp with second precision → compared with EEG.
Important: a 5–15 minute difference between data streams distorts cause-and-effect analysis. Synchronization should be no worse than ±30 seconds.
08

Linking Garmin parameters to ONTO NOTHING practices

What Garmin Shows in Different Modes
Pure Nothing
Stress rate -20 - -40 points. Heart rate decreases by 8–15%. Body Battery stops discharging.
2-minute before/after measurement. Dynamics of heart rate in activity recording.
Visceral Mind
Moderate stress reduction. Heart rate stabilizes, then decreases. The breathing rate decreases.
The duration of the heart rate reaching a plateau is a marker of the depth of presence.
Quantum Genesis
Maximum changes. Deep decrease in heart rate. Strong reduction in stress rate. At night: increase in Deep Sleep.
Comparison of night's sleep after the session with the baseline is the main marker.
Active Presence
Paradoxical pattern: heart rate is moderately higher than rest, stress remains low - “the body is mobilized, but relaxed.”
Body Battery does not drop despite activity. HRV is normal.
Embodied Flow
Heart rate 70–85 beats/min. HRV high with eyes open - rare pattern. Stress is low despite being active.
Stress rate in activity recording. Comparison of heart rate in phases.
Long-term markers of transformation - data from Victor, 8 months
HRV
38.5 ms
44.3 ms
+15%
Resting pulse
52.7 beats/min
49.4 beats/min
-6%
Deep sleep
92.5 min
107.4 min
+16%
Recovery
67.9%
70.3%
+4%
Stress
Chronically ↑
Stable
peak reduction

The 15% increase in HRV over 8 months is comparable to the upper bound of what 6 months of daily meditation provides in meta-analyses. This is an objective physiological verification through the body of what is happening in the brain.

Standard measurement protocol ONTO NOTHING
Daily: check HRV Status, Body Battery, Sleep Score in the morning in Garmin Connect.
Before the session: 2-minute stress measurement + recording of subjective state.
During: launch the “Meditation” activity to record heart rate + parallel to Neiry.
After the session: 2-minute stress measurement (after 3–5 minutes) + subjective assessment.
At night: make sure the watch is on your wrist (Sleep Score and HRV night measurement).
Weekly: export FIT files and save to research folder.
09

Tips for experienced users

Watch face customization

The main screen should have metrics that you monitor daily - not pretty widgets, but working tools. In Garmin Connect → Watch Faces, select Multi-field and add: Body Battery, HRV Status, Stress, Heart Rate. Morning Report (Forerunner 265+) automatically shows Training Readiness, HRV, Sleep Score and weather after waking up.

Proper Wearing

Watch 1–2 cm above the carpal bone. The strap does not dangle, but does not squeeze either. During sleep - the same position, loosen one notch. Do not remove for showering (5 ATM waterproof) - signal interruption distorts Sleep Score. Tattoos, dark skin, and thick hair will reduce PPG accuracy - use a chest strap for critical measurements.

Silence mode for practice

Notifications → disable everything except critical ones. For sessions with Neiry: enable the “No Bluetooth” mode - saves battery and removes vibrations from the phone. Do Not Disturb is enabled via the side button or automatically.

2-minute measurement as a ritual: 4 checkpoints of the day
Morning
Immediately after waking up, before coffee: baseline
Before practice
5 minutes before the session: entry point
After practice
After 3–5 minutes: immediate effect
Before bed
In 30 minutes: preparation for recovery

Four measurements per day provide a time profile of the vegetative state. For a month - 120 points, is sufficient to identify patterns and correlations.

Synchronization and battery

Sync daily - some data is updated only when synced. Charge on a schedule: Most models in 1-2 hours (while showering or working on the computer). For more accurate data, set the heart rate frequency to “Every second” in the settings - this increases battery consumption by 15–20%.

10

Data export and analysis

Via the Garmin Connect app

Activities → select session → (...) → Export. Formats: FIT (full data), GPX (track + heart rate), TCX (training data). FIT is preferred for research.

Via the web (garmin.com/connect)

Desktop: Activities → required → export. For wellness data (HRV, sleep, stress): Health → download CSV for the period.

Via API (advanced)

Garmin Health API for automatic data acquisition. Alternative without API registration: library python-garminconnect (GitHub).

What does the FIT file contain?
Field What it contains
timestamp Time stamp with second precision - key for synchronization with EEG
heart_rate Heart rate, beats/min
stress_level Stress 0–100 (if activity was recorded)
sleep_data Sleep phases by epoch (Light/Deep/REM) + time stamps
hrv_rmssd Nighttime HRV value by sleep period
Data Tools
Tool For what
Garmin Connect Dashboard Visualization of trends over a period. Basic level.
FIT File Viewer View the FIT file, including undocumented fields.
Python: garminconnect Automatic data download. Longitudinal studies.
Python: fitparse Decoding FIT files in DataFrame. The main tool.
Grafana + InfluxDB Custom dashboards. Open-source.
Fitrockr Research platform with Garmin support.
Basic Python code to get started
# Installation: pip install garminconnect fitparse pandas
import garminconnect, fitparse, pandas as pd
from datetime import datetime, timedelta

# Connect to account
gc = garminconnect.Garmin("email", "password")
gc.login()

# Receive data for 30 days
end = datetime.now().strftime("%Y-%m-%d")
start = (datetime.now() - timedelta(30)).strftime("%Y-%m-%d")
wellness = gc.get_wellness_data(start, end)
df = pd.DataFrame(wellness)
print(df[["calendarDate","hrv","avgStress","bodyBattery"]].head(10))
Research period documentation checklist
  • Device model (for example: Garmin Forerunner 265)
  • Firmware version (Settings → About system → Software version)
  • Start date of wearing and end date of period
  • Device serial number
  • Wrist position (dominant/non-dominant hand)
  • Garmin Connect version on every export
  • Breaks in wearing longer than 24 hours (with dates and reason)
  • Firmware replacement (date + version before → after)
Everyman vs researcher
Everyman does Researcher does
Looks at the numbers today Analyzes trends over weeks and months
Satisfied/dissatisfied with each number Looks for patterns and anomalies
Compares with “norms” from the Internet Compares with own database
Doesn't document context Keeps a diary of events in parallel
Believes algorithms as absolutes Knows the accuracy and limitations of each metric
Looks only in the app Exports FIT files and works with statistics
Interprets one parameter Reads the interconnection system

Garmin is not a gadget. This is the second layer of data about what is happening in your nervous system.

Treat him this way and he will return it to you with precision and depth.

ONTO NOTHING Research Lab · 2026