How to read the Health Report

There’s a clear structure to the health report.

The Health Score gives you an overall overview of your health. It’s calculated from the scores of the five areas: Activity, Sleep, Stress, Risk, and Nutrition & Lifestyle. Each of these areas has its own health parameters, which contribute to the area score. The weighting of each parameter is based on scientific evidence.

You can see at a glance what your current state of health looks like, how you performed in each area, and where you can take action to improve your well-being:

Green stands for good results, orange for areas with potential for improvement, and red for more critical areas.

In the mesana health report, a comparison group is shown. It appears as a black dot placed directly within the traffic light color scale.

Your comparison group consists of people who indicated the same gender and fall into the same age group. Each group is based on at least 300 data points.

mesana has defined 4 age groups: <30, 30–44, 45–59, 60+

The purpose of this value is to raise awareness of your own health. It helps you better assess and understand your health status. You can immediately see how you compare to people similar to yourself.

mesana evaluates 19 health parameters. These are based either on your responses in the questionnaire or on the data collected by the sensor during the 48-hour measurement.

This means that the overall evaluation combines both self-reported answers and measured values.

To help you understand what each health parameter is based on, a symbol is shown next to it.

A pencil icon indicates that the parameter is derived from your questionnaire responses.

The sensor icon shows that this is a measured value.

The colors show you when and for how long you engaged in different types of physical activity during the mesana measurement (in particular, prolonged sitting – more than 30 minutes at a time – is harmful!).

In the “Duration” row beneath the 5 activity classes, you can see how much time you spent lying down, sitting/standing, etc. in total over the period summarized on this page (usually 24h).

Here you can see how many steps you took per hour during the mesana recording.

The header shows the total number of steps you took that day – just as a reminder: 7,500 per day are recommended!

How fast was your heart beating? The values are given in beats per minute (bpm).

Normally, heart rate increases during activity (yellow or red areas in the activity chart above) and should decrease during rest (especially during sleep – blue areas).

You can see when your stress levels are particularly high or low during the day. This allows you to identify recurring stress-triggering moments. Pay attention to these and compare the chart with your activities. This will help you develop targeted strategies to minimize stress – for example, taking short breaks or using relaxation techniques.

Optimize your daily routine by shifting stressful tasks to times when you can handle them more effectively.

A final and important note: For us humans, it’s crucial to maintain a good balance – like a tightrope walker who pauses again and again to steady themselves whenever they start to sway.

A positive stress value only becomes problematic if it turns into a permanent state and is not balanced out by enough recovery. So, if you have a high stress value and are unable (or only slightly able) to change your situation – for example, because you’re involved in a demanding project or are juggling both professional and personal responsibilities – the solution lies in sufficient recovery. Make sure you then achieve a clearly positive recovery value.

This chart helps you better understand your recovery phases and improve them if needed. It shows exactly when your recovery is at its best and when it decreases. This way, you can identify patterns and times when you are particularly good at resting.

It’s worth taking the time to carefully study this chart and compare it with your daily activities, especially with your breaks and leisure time. This analysis can provide valuable insights into how well your relaxation strategies are working.

With these insights, you can take targeted actions to enhance your recovery in everyday life. For example, you could schedule regular breaks to ensure you get enough rest. You could also integrate relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises into your daily routine. In addition, shaping your leisure time with activities that bring you joy and promote calmness can further improve your recovery.

Through conscious adjustments to your daily routine, you can sustainably increase your well-being and health. This should be a particularly high priority if your stress value is positive. In that case, carefully planned recovery strategies are especially important to create balance.

Here you can see your value within the traffic light color scale.

First, we describe the parameter and explain what kind of statements can be made with its help.

Marked by a blue bar at the edge of the text, you’ll find a personal assessment – how good or poor is your value? Practical tips will help you improve the parameter.

At the end of each section, you’ll receive offers from your company – tailored specifically to you. This targeted support is designed to help you achieve a healthier everyday life.

These sections provide a shortened overview, as they are based only on your responses in the questionnaire.

They highlight important recommendations and connections for you.

In the following box, you’ll find concrete tips that you can try out in your daily life. They are meant to give you initial ideas on how to optimize this area.

Subjective sleep quality is measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). At mesana, this has been shortened to the 10 most relevant questions.

The PSQI covers six areas: perceived sleep quality, time to fall asleep, sleep duration, sleep efficiency, sleep disturbances, and daytime sleepiness.

The total score ranges from 0 to 18 points, with 5 points marking the threshold between “good” and “poor” sleep. The PSQI provides a quick overview of sleep quality but cannot diagnose specific sleep disorders.

Getting enough sleep is essential for both physical and mental well-being. Too little as well as too much sleep increase the risk of cognitive and chronic diseases. Poor sleep is linked to daytime sleepiness, fatigue, depressed mood, reduced performance, and other health problems.

Mesana determines sleep duration using an adapted method from Cole et al. (1992) and evaluates it according to Hirshkowitz et al. (2015). However, the optimal amount of sleep often varies depending on the individual and their specific needs.

In the mesana report, only sleep phases longer than three hours are considered when assessing recovery during sleep, since the body recovers particularly well during this time. The degree of recovery is determined by the dominance of the parasympathetic nervous system in the ECG signal during sleep (see regeneration value).

Although the body can also recover while awake, sleep is the most important recovery phase. Good recovery during sleep promotes both health and performance.

The STOP-Bang questionnaire was developed in 2008 by Chung et al. It consists of eight simple “yes/no questions” and collects additional body data. Based on the answers, a score is calculated that classifies the risk of sleep apnea into three categories (low, medium, high). People with a high risk should consult a doctor.

The STOP-Bang questionnaire is well suited for detecting moderate to severe sleep apnea. Modifiable risk factors include overweight, alcohol and other relaxing substances, hormonal disorders, smoking, and nasal congestion.

To measure mental stress and its impact on health, it is important to understand how people perceive stressful situations in their daily lives. Perceived stress is linked to depression, anxiety, fatigue, and reduced quality of life.

In the mesana report, subjective feeling of stress is assessed using an adapted PSS questionnaire. This is the shortened German version of the “Perceived Stress Scale” (PSS) from 1983 (developed by Sheldon Cohen, Tom Kamarck, and Robin Mermelstein). It asks how stressful certain life situations are perceived to be in order to determine an overall stress score.

In the mesana online questionnaire, 10 stress symptoms are assessed, which were identified as important based on an analysis of 30,000 mesana datasets. For each symptom, users can indicate in 5 levels whether it applies to them (from “does not apply” (0 points) to “applies” (4 points)). The maximum total score in this case is 40 points. The symptoms are divided into three subcategories: cognitive symptoms, depressive symptoms, and physical symptoms.

To determine whether your stress level is within a normal range or if you are overly stressed, we calculate the stress score.

This gives you an assessment of how stressed you are compared to other people. The stress value is calculated as an average value over the entire measurement period. With a positive stress score, stress reactions occur on average more frequently than in other adults. If the value is below 0, they occur less frequently. If the stress score tends toward +1, it means that only about one in five adults [around 20% of all adults] shows a higher level of stress.

With the stress value as an average value for the entire measurement, you therefore receive an assessment of your overall level of stress.

The regeneration value as an average value gives you an assessment of your recovery during the entire measurement period.

This allows you to determine whether you are getting enough recovery in your daily life. It shows how well you recharge compared to other people. The recovery score is calculated as an average over the full measurement period by comparing your level of recovery with data from other adults.

A positive regeneration value means you are recovering more effectively than your peers. If the value is below 0, you recover less often. A regeneration value close to +1 indicates that you belong to the top group, since only about one in five adults (around 20%) shows better regeneration.

The number of steps per day gives a good overview of how active your day was. The more active your daily routine, the better. Walking more than 7,500 steps a day can optimally support your health. But even from 3,500 steps a day, perceived mental performance and mental health can already be strengthened. mesana data also clearly shows that the number of daily steps has a positive effect on both measured and perceived stress.

Just 1,000 additional steps per day significantly help prevent cardiovascular diseases and lower the risk of diabetes, for example. 1,000 steps roughly correspond to 6 minutes of slow jogging or about 10 minutes of walking.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends 150 to 300 minutes of light physical activity per week. Activity points summarize your daily physical activity. Here, each minute of vigorous activity counts twice as much as a minute of low-intensity activity. At least 42 points per day are recommended, which corresponds to 42 minutes of light physical activity.

Every small increase in active minutes can improve health. This is especially true for people who don’t move enough in their daily lives. Every workout or movement, no matter how short, is valuable!

The recommendation to interrupt long inactive phases every 30 minutes comes from back pain therapy. A short break is enough, making it easy to integrate into everyday life.

Long, uninterrupted sitting increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Less sitting and more movement support heart health. For people who are less active, even light physical activity reduces the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and overall mortality.

A study with more than 1 million participants shows that 60–75 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity per day can reduce or even eliminate the negative effects of long sitting.

A low resting heart rate is associated with better health and longer life expectancy. Resting heart rate can indicate changes in the nervous system and inflammatory conditions. It is individual but usually ranges between 60 and 80 beats per minute. If it is above 80 beats per minute, lifestyle changes are recommended to help lower it.

Resting heart rate is the average heart rate during physical rest (= inactivity), with the first 15 minutes of rest not taken into account. Heart rate tends to decrease slightly with age. Women often have higher values than men. BMI and sleep duration also influence resting heart rate.

Note: The heart rate measured directly at the heart using ECG, as done with mesana, usually—but not always—matches the pulse rate detectable at the wrist. For assessing heart function, however, heart rate is the more accurate parameter.

The waist-to-height ratio is a better early warning system for health risks than BMI. It takes body fat distribution into account and distinguishes between muscle mass and fat tissue. The threshold values apply to all age groups as well as to both men and women, which makes it easier to use.

A value of 0.5 is considered optimal for determining the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Values of 0.4 or less indicate underweight, while values of 0.6 or higher point to increased obesity.

Eating and drinking a balanced diet keeps you healthy and promotes performance and well-being. The German Nutrition Society (DGE) has formulated how this can be achieved based on current scientific findings.

In the mesana online questionnaire, 10 recommendations from the DGE are assessed. The evaluation depends on how many of these recommendations are already being implemented in daily life.

https://www.dge.de/gesunde-ernaehrung/gut-essen-und-trinken/dge-empfehlungen/

Alcohol consumption is one of the main risk factors for numerous chronic diseases as well as for accidents.

In the mesana online questionnaire, you are asked whether and how often you drink alcohol.

From a frequency of 1–3 times per week, we provide initial recommendations. If you indicate drinking alcohol more than 3 times per week, your parameter falls into the critical range.

Cigarette smoking is the greatest preventable health risk.

In the mesana online questionnaire, you are asked whether and how often you smoke.

A distinction is made between regular or occasional smoking of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, or other tobacco products.

The PROCAM test from the Assmann Foundation is used as the basis for calculation. Age, gender (male), smoking, diabetes, and blood pressure increase the risk. We provide percentage values for the risk of having a stroke within the next 10 years.

The score only applies to adults between 35 and 65 years, which covers about 65% of our participants.

If you did not provide a blood pressure value, the standard value of 120 mmHg was used for the evaluation.

The PROCAM test from the Assmann Foundation serves as the basis for the calculation. Key factors such as age, gender (male), smoking, diabetes, blood pressure, positive family history, weight, and medication use increase the risk, while height decreases it. We provide percentage values for the risk of having a heart attack within the next 10 years.

The risk score only applies to adults between 20 and 75 years of age, which includes more than 98% of our participants.

If you did not provide a blood pressure value, a standard value of 120 mmHg was used for the evaluation.

HRV describes the differences in the intervals between consecutive heartbeats. Even if the heart beats an average of 60 times per minute, this does not mean it beats exactly once every second. Instead, the time between beats varies – for example, 0.9 seconds between two beats and 1.1 seconds between the next ones.

This variability in heart rhythm is normal and healthy. A little irregularity in the heartbeat is important, and it is independent of movement or strong emotions.

As people age, HRV tends to decrease. Younger individuals show significantly higher variability in their heart rhythm than older ones. That is why HRV should always be assessed in comparison with people of the same age and gender. This is exactly what we do at mesana to maximize the reliability of our results.

The mesana sensor records the heartbeat throughout the entire measurement period. From the interval between two consecutive heartbeats, the current heart rate is calculated.

If the interval between two heartbeats is exactly one second, the resulting heart rate, derived from this measured time interval, is 60 beats per minute. This is calculated by dividing 60 seconds (one minute) by 1 second, i.e., the measured time interval, which equals 60 beats per minute.

This calculation is performed for each heartbeat interval. The measured intervals are then displayed as a graph. This graph shows how heart rate changes over time. Shorter intervals between heartbeats make the graph rise, indicating an acceleration of the heartbeat. When the intervals become longer again, the graph drops, showing that the heartbeat is slowing down. From this graph, changes and patterns in heart rate can be identified.

When we talk about high or low heart rate variability (HRV), we always compare it with a group of people of the same age and gender. In simple terms, it is about the range within which the heart rate fluctuates, especially at rest.

From the time intervals between two heartbeats and the HRV graph, a wide range of additional HRV values can be calculated. These values provide deeper insights into a person’s stress level, ability to recover, and overall well-being.

At mesana, we use this knowledge to provide individual recommendations in our reports, based on scientific evidence, to improve stress management, recovery, and everyday habits. In this way, we support our users in leading a healthier and more balanced life.

HRV shows how well the body can respond to different demands such as stress, relaxation, activity, and rest—through the constant speeding up and slowing down of the heart rate, even at rest. You can imagine it like a goalkeeper moving back and forth before a penalty kick, ready to react quickly.

HRV is also an expression of our vitality. A higher level of variability is usually a good sign, as it indicates better adaptability and overall health. In contrast, a lower HRV may suggest that the body is under stress and not responding optimally to challenges. It may even point to an underlying state of exhaustion.

HRV gives us an early warning when something in our life is moving in the wrong direction. In our car, we have warning lights on the dashboard that signal when we need to take action to keep the car in good condition. HRV works in a similar way in our body. A low HRV can be a warning sign that the body is under stress or that our lifestyle is affecting our health. By measuring our HRV, we can recognize early on when we should allow ourselves more rest, adjust our diet, or introduce stress management strategies. In this way, HRV helps us lead a healthy and balanced life—just as the warning lights in a car help us stay safe and reliable on the road.

Let’s imagine chronic stress as a constant rush of speed:

When we drive at high speed on the highway all the time, it may initially feel exciting and stimulating. But if that speed continues for too long, our body begins to feel the constant tension and alertness. Driving at high speed without a break becomes exhausting and dangerous. Our reflexes may slow down, our concentration may decrease, and the risk of accidents increases significantly.

It’s the same with chronic stress: our body and mind remain in a state of heightened alertness. In the short term, we can cope, but if this state continues over a longer period, it can lead to physical and mental exhaustion.

Drivers also often misjudge their speed, thinking they are slower after braking than they actually are. In the same way, the effect of recovery measures is often misjudged, so the inner restlessness continues.

When chronic stress becomes the norm, we often don’t even notice how much our body suffers under the constant state of alarm. A decreasing HRV can be an early warning sign of chronic stress, even before we notice the physical or mental consequences ourselves.

By measuring HRV, we can not only better understand how much strain we are under overall and how our body reacts to different stressors. It can also reveal whether relaxation techniques and other stress management strategies are actually effective.

By keeping an eye on our HRV, we can respond in time to slow down our “rush of speed”—before it leads to serious health problems. It’s like learning to drive more safely and calmly: we control our speed and take regular breaks to recover and recharge.

In strength training, there’s a saying: “Train hard, recover hard.” This principle also applies to our daily lives.

Because the main problem is not stress itself, but the fact that we don’t recover enough. By listening to our body and taking breaks in time, we can live healthier and more balanced in the long run.