Apparatus, methods, and systems for receiving physiological measurements relating to a user, wherein the physiological measurements comprise heart beat measurements; determining, based on intervals between peaks of the physiological measurements, a first physiological pattern; determining a cognitive activation score based on a comparison between the first physiological pattern and a baseline physiological pattern of the user, wherein the baseline physiological pattern relates to a baseline state of the user and the first physiological pattern relates to a first emotional or cognitive state of the user.