RHR 38 bpm - but…

[Petrus1983]

But very little exercise, totally normal diet with wine and cheese (although veggie), a couple of 30 min runs per week tops - she’s 36. This seems too low. Happy to be told I’m wrong - but also know that someone could also guide me to options. I didn’t believe her but just put my head on her chest and

[Road2Ruin]

Whilst it is low, it's not unusual. Mine is sometimes as low as 35. Currently day long average is 46. No I am not an athlete. It can be a sign of electrical issues in the heart, but normally isn't.

[Ashfordian]

What's her exercise history? If in the past she did a lot of endurance that would go some way to explain it.

Also, slight build will help a fair bit as well.

Sleeping well, being relaxed and not stressed, not digesting a recent meal, temperature, not having drunk alcohol this evening, etc all contribute to the whole picture

[Piginapoke]

It is obv low, particularly if she’s not doing a lot if cardio exercise.

Does she get dizzy, or feel faint? If so, worth getting her checked out. The hospital can carry out exercise and 24 hour monitoring tests to see what’s what.

[elanfan]

Check her potassium levels, too high and it drops and eventually stops your heart (and never to restart even with intervention im told). Can be dangerous get it checked.

Does she eat lots of spuds (roasties, chips, crisps) and bananas?

[Alex Z]

When you say “resting heart rate” is that sub 40 when just sat down normally watching tv, or an occasional low measured when asleep?

If it’s the former, that feels very low. Mine will be 55-70 in normal rest, but will drop down to low 40s if I’m really calm/asleep.

[Petrus1983]

Thanks for all the replies - I’m not as worried as I was previously. And yes - the sub 40 is just watching tv etc - I don’t know what it would be overnight. She trained for a half marathon once and did that - but never returned and does a fairly regular 30 min run now. Sounds like a blood test could be a good idea to ensure there’s no deficiencies that could be easily sorted.

[classicfred]

Some info here regarding heart rates.

https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/how-a-he...

[MesoForm]

I was speaking to a physio about heart rate when I mentioned off-hand that mine shoots up to 160 as soon as I start running and I can't really get it lower no matter how slowly I run. He used to do some work for the NHS on the referrals side and was saying they're getting an increasing number of referrals about HR these days from people whose HR isn't 'normal' and the GP will send them off to the specialists as they don't want people dropping down dead after doing nothing about it.
Turns out what we thought was normal really isn't and that there's a massive range of how the heart reacts to different situations, he was saying there's only really cause for concern if there are other symptoms (extended light headedness, out of breath really easily, etc.) or the range from resting to max heart rate isn't very wide (ie. 38 resting and 100 max, or 80-120 as you might see in older people).