Low resting heart rate
Discussion
Recently got a fitbit and it's telling me my resting heart rate is about 47-48, which seems pretty low. I'm no athlete though I'm also not overweight and don't smoke. How worried should I be?
Just looking at numbers, heart rate is around mid 50s when sat on the sofa of an evening, can drop down to 40 ish when asleep.
Just looking at numbers, heart rate is around mid 50s when sat on the sofa of an evening, can drop down to 40 ish when asleep.
I was diagnosed as being mildly bradycardiac ( low RHR) about 10 years ago. Had a thorough cardiac MOT which found no issues that would affect my RHR. I regularly sit at 54-56bpm but can drop in to the 40's at night in bed.
The consultants I've spoken to say that unless you have symptoms (breathlessness/light-headedness/fainting) then it's nothing to be too concerned about.
I was unfortunate enough to have to have a stem cell transplant last year. My vitals were monitored every 4 hrs for 3 weeks. The early part of treatment is big doses of nasty chemicals. My RHR dropped to 34! The nurses were horrified and kept asking me whether I felt light-headed. I had no problems with it at all and was doing 2hrs a day on the exercise bike. Anyway one night at 2am when my BP/temp etc was being measured the nurse suddenly said' Sorry but we're now going to be charging you for your treatment'. I looked at her and said 'What?'. She said' Your heart rate is 32, if it won't increase I'm going to have to get the doctor on call, I was trying to shock you!'
The consultants I've spoken to say that unless you have symptoms (breathlessness/light-headedness/fainting) then it's nothing to be too concerned about.
I was unfortunate enough to have to have a stem cell transplant last year. My vitals were monitored every 4 hrs for 3 weeks. The early part of treatment is big doses of nasty chemicals. My RHR dropped to 34! The nurses were horrified and kept asking me whether I felt light-headed. I had no problems with it at all and was doing 2hrs a day on the exercise bike. Anyway one night at 2am when my BP/temp etc was being measured the nurse suddenly said' Sorry but we're now going to be charging you for your treatment'. I looked at her and said 'What?'. She said' Your heart rate is 32, if it won't increase I'm going to have to get the doctor on call, I was trying to shock you!'
Even if the Fitbit was accurate, I wouldn't worry about a heart rate around the high forties when inactive - that's just about within the normal range for a non-athlete who has a reasonable level of activity.
In addition to that, the technology used by wrist-based HRM is notoriously inconsistent - they are normally there or there-abouts when you are inactive, but they can under-read when you are sleeping (and they can be all over the place when you are exercising). Overall, I think they do have a tendency to display a rate that is slightly lower than it actually is.
Strangely, low heart rates are often more of a problem for life-long athletes...the sheer volume of oxygenated blood that enters the heart of an endurance athlete over time can contribute towards some of the heart muscle tissue mutating slightly (for want of a better word) so that it starts producing random electrical signals which prompt extra atrial beats. The lower your resting heart-rate, the more time there is between normal beats for those extra beats to occur and, if you are unlucky, you end up with Atrial Fibrillation.
If you have not taken part in a considerable volume of endurance training over a period of many years, your heart is unlikely to have undergone the changes that promote the extra beats.
I'd say that high-forties resting to mid-sixties is pretty much the ideal zone and, all other things being equal, your heart is having a slightly easier time of it than someone's who has a higher resting rate.
In addition to that, the technology used by wrist-based HRM is notoriously inconsistent - they are normally there or there-abouts when you are inactive, but they can under-read when you are sleeping (and they can be all over the place when you are exercising). Overall, I think they do have a tendency to display a rate that is slightly lower than it actually is.
Strangely, low heart rates are often more of a problem for life-long athletes...the sheer volume of oxygenated blood that enters the heart of an endurance athlete over time can contribute towards some of the heart muscle tissue mutating slightly (for want of a better word) so that it starts producing random electrical signals which prompt extra atrial beats. The lower your resting heart-rate, the more time there is between normal beats for those extra beats to occur and, if you are unlucky, you end up with Atrial Fibrillation.
If you have not taken part in a considerable volume of endurance training over a period of many years, your heart is unlikely to have undergone the changes that promote the extra beats.
I'd say that high-forties resting to mid-sixties is pretty much the ideal zone and, all other things being equal, your heart is having a slightly easier time of it than someone's who has a higher resting rate.
Edited by ian996 on Tuesday 9th February 16:47
Good to hear it's not that unusual then. No other symptoms, I'm generally "fit and well" as they like to say.
Interesting thing at the other end of the scale is my heart rate can go very high when exercising - I have hit 200 bpm (a couple of years ago, measured using a chest strap), which is usually high for someone my age.
Interesting thing at the other end of the scale is my heart rate can go very high when exercising - I have hit 200 bpm (a couple of years ago, measured using a chest strap), which is usually high for someone my age.
Flibble said:
Good to hear it's not that unusual then. No other symptoms, I'm generally "fit and well" as they like to say.
Interesting thing at the other end of the scale is my heart rate can go very high when exercising - I have hit 200 bpm (a couple of years ago, measured using a chest strap), which is usually high for someone my age.
Also fairly normal Interesting thing at the other end of the scale is my heart rate can go very high when exercising - I have hit 200 bpm (a couple of years ago, measured using a chest strap), which is usually high for someone my age.
High HR more common in little people I always see.
El stovey said:
Some of these heart rates in the 30s etc do seem low to me.
Have you all been checked out by professionals?
I know that some endurance athletes have very low heart rates but that’s not all that common is it?
It isn't common because most people in the UK are obese lumps of sHave you all been checked out by professionals?
I know that some endurance athletes have very low heart rates but that’s not all that common is it?
t.40's totally normal for anyone who does some cycling, running, rowing etc. Mine usually low 40's in the day, never bothered checking it at night, would imagine mid to high 30's.
I do about 40 mins cycling a day on average, indoors. I've lowest I've had was 38BPM while awake, was doing more like 10-12 hours a week on the bike at that point. Dizzy when standing up etc, also fairly normal if you're doing a lot of training.
Frustratingly for my Mum and others I know, my RHB is generally around 70 bpm. I’m 51. Smoke faaar too much, drink faaar too much but eat very nicely.
If I exercise (not much BTW) my heart goes mental but calms down quickly. I’m never out of breath.
Genetics plays a part. Don’t worry about it unless it makes you feel uncomfortable.
If I exercise (not much BTW) my heart goes mental but calms down quickly. I’m never out of breath.
Genetics plays a part. Don’t worry about it unless it makes you feel uncomfortable.
ian996 said:
Strangely, low heart rates are often more of a problem for life-long athletes...the sheer volume of oxygenated blood that enters the heart of an endurance athlete over time can contribute towards some of the heart muscle tissue mutating slightly (for want of a better word) so that it starts producing random electrical signals which prompt extra atrial beats.
I think LVH is a far more likely development for an endurance athlete. Never even heard of extra atrial beats. Is it quite common?Usual resting range for me is anywhere between 50 and 60, usually the lower end of that scale. Not unusual to see 45-49 though if I’ve been sat on the sofa for some time.
Gets lower when the temperature is cold too.
I was worried for a while when I got my Apple Watch and started monitoring it, but I feel fine with no faintness/dizziness etc and that’s the important bit, as others have mentioned.
40yrs not particularly fit and maybe a few pounds overweight, but fairly active.
Gets lower when the temperature is cold too.
I was worried for a while when I got my Apple Watch and started monitoring it, but I feel fine with no faintness/dizziness etc and that’s the important bit, as others have mentioned.
40yrs not particularly fit and maybe a few pounds overweight, but fairly active.
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