heart rate, how low is too low?
Discussion
Always been reasonably active, but quite far from super fit, could do a 5k but would struggle with further at the moment.
Not unusual for me to be in the low 40s when resting and seen 39 when in deep sleep. Resting average showing 58 overall going up to 190 when running at the weekend if I push myself a bit.
Is this too low or perfectly fine?
Web suggests "if you have bradycardia, your heart beats fewer than 60 times a minute. People who are physically very fit can have a heart rate as low as 40 bpm. But in people who aren't physically very fit, bradycardia is often a sign of problems with the heart."
Not unusual for me to be in the low 40s when resting and seen 39 when in deep sleep. Resting average showing 58 overall going up to 190 when running at the weekend if I push myself a bit.
Is this too low or perfectly fine?
Web suggests "if you have bradycardia, your heart beats fewer than 60 times a minute. People who are physically very fit can have a heart rate as low as 40 bpm. But in people who aren't physically very fit, bradycardia is often a sign of problems with the heart."
Is it a new discovery, or have you been like that for years? Or was it like that before you started doing 5ks?
I used to be similar, resting around 40, in to mid 30s when asleep, but that was when I was training around 8 hours a week, so explainable and lacking any other symptoms, I was not concerned.
I guess it largely depends what is normal for you and if anything has changed.
I think if you are not super fit, as you say, then that could be a warning sign.
I used to be similar, resting around 40, in to mid 30s when asleep, but that was when I was training around 8 hours a week, so explainable and lacking any other symptoms, I was not concerned.
I guess it largely depends what is normal for you and if anything has changed.
I think if you are not super fit, as you say, then that could be a warning sign.
Wearing a watch that monitors those types of thing every 10min for a couple of years, lost a bit of weight and get a bit fitter and it seems to drop more often. Struggle to get O2 saturation above 95% which might be related but generally feel fine and wouldn't think about it without the devices reporting. 
If you are doing consistent cardio workouts and have no actual symptoms (dizziness/falls) I wouldn’t worry about HR of 40s or even high 30s especially at night.
Am not that fit, my FTP currently is barely 210watts, but my nocturnal HR is low 40s and last year dipped to high 30s when my FTP was around 10% higher.
Most smart watches now produce an ECG look-a-like, though their 'quality' is pretty poor for diagnosis of bradycardia. For example my Samsung phone say my ECG is 'sinus rhythm'/normal, which it 100% is but that's based on just rate. But the tracing produced is far from sinus, I cannot see any P waves so this could be heart block - meaning needing a potential pacemaker, the QT is also long - Googling Long QT and its worst effects will 100% raise your HR. The QRS complex is also small, normally suggests possible pericardial effusion - fluid around the heart.
So in short, if you have symptoms get it checked out, otherwise don't worry too much, and 100% don't send your smart watch 'ECG' to your GP/doctor!!
Am not that fit, my FTP currently is barely 210watts, but my nocturnal HR is low 40s and last year dipped to high 30s when my FTP was around 10% higher.
Most smart watches now produce an ECG look-a-like, though their 'quality' is pretty poor for diagnosis of bradycardia. For example my Samsung phone say my ECG is 'sinus rhythm'/normal, which it 100% is but that's based on just rate. But the tracing produced is far from sinus, I cannot see any P waves so this could be heart block - meaning needing a potential pacemaker, the QT is also long - Googling Long QT and its worst effects will 100% raise your HR. The QRS complex is also small, normally suggests possible pericardial effusion - fluid around the heart.
So in short, if you have symptoms get it checked out, otherwise don't worry too much, and 100% don't send your smart watch 'ECG' to your GP/doctor!!
My money's on 'perfectly fine'. In lots of cases having all this info available from smartwatches just serves to give people something to worry about if they're not bang on 'normal'. My rhr has always been low - it's under 40 now as I'm sitting at my desk. I do a lot of exercise but my brother who's not as active also seems to tick over at low 40s, as does my dad. Just the way we're made it seems and we're from a long-lived line so all is good.
k all and have that then surely it’s an issue. 
Crusoe said:
Wearing a watch that monitors those types of thing every 10min for a couple of years, lost a bit of weight and get a bit fitter and it seems to drop more often. Struggle to get O2 saturation above 95% which might be related but generally feel fine and wouldn't think about it without the devices reporting.
I would take the watch as only a guideline, certainly for things like O2 saturation - my Garmin Fenix 6 shows O2 sat of 90-92% typically but my fingertip one shows it as 97-99% so the watch under-reads by a considerable amount. However, knowing it under-reads means I can still use it for relative comparison (ie. if it drops to mid-80s then I really ought to check with the fingertip sensor!).A funny anecdote....... 30 years ago I had detached retinas (that's not the funny bit BTW). The doc was doing some checks (BP etc) and had told me a few minutes previously that I'd be operated on that afternoon. He then said "have you been in hospital for an operation before?" I answered in the negative. "Hmm, he said, you don't seem too bothered...... your pulse is only 65" "but it's normally 45 said I"
I was regularly doing 300 miles a week on the bike and competed in 12 hr time trials.
I'd suggest to the OP it's worth getting checked just to put your mind at rest and eliminate anything, but unless you have any symptoms you're probably ok.
I was regularly doing 300 miles a week on the bike and competed in 12 hr time trials.
I'd suggest to the OP it's worth getting checked just to put your mind at rest and eliminate anything, but unless you have any symptoms you're probably ok.
Funk said:
Crusoe said:
Wearing a watch that monitors those types of thing every 10min for a couple of years, lost a bit of weight and get a bit fitter and it seems to drop more often. Struggle to get O2 saturation above 95% which might be related but generally feel fine and wouldn't think about it without the devices reporting.
I would take the watch as only a guideline, certainly for things like O2 saturation - my Garmin Fenix 6 shows O2 sat of 90-92% typically but my fingertip one shows it as 97-99% so the watch under-reads by a considerable amount. However, knowing it under-reads means I can still use it for relative comparison (ie. if it drops to mid-80s then I really ought to check with the fingertip sensor!).Edited by Crusoe on Tuesday 24th January 10:14
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