We ran our first cohort of Away Signal participants through twelve weeks of observation — four weeks before the retreat, seven days during, and four weeks after. Twenty-three guests across four paths. Here's what the data shows.
Heart rate variability (HRV) is the metric we trust most. It's a proxy for autonomic nervous system health — how flexibly your body can respond to demand. High HRV is associated with better cognitive performance, emotional regulation and resilience. Low HRV is associated with chronic stress, burnout and disease risk.
Across all participants, mean HRV at arrival was 34ms (RMSSD). That's low. The reference range for people in this age bracket (32–58) doing meaningful cognitive work is 50–80ms. Our cohort came in depleted.
By day four of the retreat, mean HRV had risen to 47ms. By departure it was 52ms — within the healthy reference range. At four-week follow-up, it was 55ms. The effect persisted and, in most cases, continued improving after the guests returned home.
Sleep architecture told a similar story. On arrival, participants averaged 14% slow-wave sleep (the deep, restorative stage). The healthy target for adults is 20–25%. By the end of the retreat that figure was 21%. At four-week follow-up, 22%.
What does this mean in practical terms? These people weren't just resting. Their bodies were actively recovering — rebuilding the physiological infrastructure that chronic stress had eroded. A week of separation, structure and guided support did in seven days what months of 'trying to recover' at home had not.
The data doesn't make the case for retreat as wellness. It makes the case for retreat as medicine.