Three Strands
The body's daily readiness is shaped by three biological systems that work together. Helix tracks each one separately and combines them into a single picture.
Sleep
How well your body restored itself overnight. Helix looks at how long you slept, how consistent your sleep schedule is, the quality of your deep and REM sleep, how many times you woke up, your overnight breathing rate, and — if your device supports it — your overnight wrist temperature. Each of these tells a different part of the restoration story.
Load
The physiological cost of what you've done recently. Helix calculates your training load by looking at what you've done in the last seven days relative to your last 28 days. A sudden spike in training stress — even if each individual session felt manageable — is a meaningful signal.
Recovery
How well your autonomic nervous system has bounced back. Helix looks at your heart rate variability, resting heart rate, the depth of your overnight heart rate dip, and your overnight breathing rate. These signals reflect whether your body is in a state of readiness or still absorbing prior stress.
The Helix Index
The three strands combine into the Helix Index — a single number between 0 and 100.
Sleep and Recovery are weighted equally and together carry more influence than Load. This reflects the underlying physiology: how well you absorb training stress depends on how well you sleep and recover, not the other way around.
The index also accounts for the relationship between strands. Good sleep genuinely enhances overnight recovery. High training load suppresses it. These interactions are reflected in the final number.
A large imbalance between strands — strong in one, collapsed in another — produces a balance penalty. The helix metaphor is intentional: the three strands are structurally interdependent. One strong strand cannot compensate for two compromised ones.
Posture
Each day produces one of three postures alongside the Helix Index.
All three strands are in strong alignment. The body is well-restored and ready for meaningful effort.
One or more strands are below your normal. Steady, controlled effort is appropriate. Not a day to push hard, not a day to rest completely.
The biological cost of recent stress is showing across your strands. The body is signalling a need for recovery.
Posture is descriptive — it reflects what the data shows, not a training recommendation.
Your Normal, Not a Population Average
Helix does not compare you to anyone else. A resting heart rate of 52 bpm means something completely different for a trained endurance athlete than for someone who rarely exercises. HRV in the 20s might represent excellent recovery for one person and significant suppression for another.
Every signal is compared against your own exponentially weighted 90-day history. Helix learns what normal looks like for you, and scores each day relative to that baseline.
The baseline becomes more accurate over time. The first 14 days produce an initial score. After 90 days, your baseline is well-established and the scores become highly personalized.
Works with Any Wearable
Helix reads from Apple Health, not from any specific device. If your wearable writes data to Apple Health, Helix can use it. Apple Watch, Oura Ring, WHOOP, Garmin, Polar, Fitbit, and many others all write to Apple Health automatically.
You do not need to change devices or connect anything new. Helix works with what you already have.
All data processing happens on your device. Nothing is sent to a server.
Contact
Questions: support@alphahelix.app
Eventide Heron LLC
Eugene, Oregon