Whats your resting heart rate?

[Howanxious]

Yes, it's a stupid question because it surely will spike my anxiety even more, but I REALLY want to know if someone of my age can relate. I'm 21, male, no overweight, I don't smoke and I eat relatively healthy and my HR it's usually between 72-96 bpm, but it fluctuates a LOT trough my normal routine. Generally at night I can have my lowest heart rate (72 and even around 66 a couple of times) but during the day and while doing routine stuff in home I can easily reach the 80's or EVEN 90's and that's kind of creepy :scared15: (that makes me think that my heart it's working more than it should be at my age). If I sit down or lay for 5 minutes it goes down but just a little (78-80).
Yeah, I don't have "bad life habits", but I know that I should be doing some exercise because there's a big lack of physical training in my routine and maybe that's linked to this "issue".
Can someone relate to this higher heart rates? :huh:

[mare serenitatis]

There’s no “issue.” Your heart is a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger and more adept it becomes at pumping oxygen rich blood through your body. Your heart rate is perfectly normal. It doesn’t stay at your “resting” rate when you move about. It SHOULD go up a little when you’re moving around. Typically, athletes have lower resting heart rates. Mines about 50-60, but I’m an endurance athlete.

If you’re concerned about longevity, start using that muscle. That can be trained through cardiovascular excercise. Running, biking, swimming, etc.

[spacebunnyx]

Your heart rate is normal... Anything between 50 and 100 is fine. You can lower your heart rate through exercise. Mine is 45-50 when I sleep, and 60-70 when just sitting around. But I run and exercise a lot.

[Shadowhawk]

Your heart rate is normal... Anything between 50 and 100 is fine. You can lower your heart rate through exercise. Mine is 45-50 when I sleep, and 60-70 when just sitting around. But I run and exercise a lot.
While i have been working out more, i am by no means in shape, and can also rest at 60's, and sleep in the 48-55 range (according to my Garmin). That said, months ago in March, my resting was up in the 70-80s.. but then i started working out and taking blood pressure meds, which may have something to do with it.. ;)

[spacebunnyx]

Shadowhawk - if you have a virus or dehydrated your heart rate can go up a bit too. I've noticed this when I've been under the weather and definitely notice a big jump in my kids when they have a fever. Being anaemic will also raise your HR.

[Shadowhawk]

Shadowhawk - if you have a virus or dehydrated your heart rate can go up a bit too. I've noticed this when I've been under the weather and definitely notice a big jump in my kids when they have a fever. Being anaemic will also raise your HR.

Now that is an interesting statement - when i went to the hospital, my blood tests did have me a very minorly anemic (was ok a month later), and my WBC was also borderline elevated (10.5) (and came down later as well). Certainly could be possible why it was higher then.

Still.. i would rather chalk it up to positive changes made by my efforts, so... :whistles:

[Howanxious]

Thank you all! It seems that your heart rates are great lol. I hope that mine could be in the 60's someday. I think I'm gonna start some cardio soon to see if that helps.

[ankietyjoe]

Yes, it's a stupid question because it surely will spike my anxiety even more, but I REALLY want to know if someone of my age can relate. I'm 21, male, no overweight, I don't smoke and I eat relatively healthy and my HR it's usually between 72-96 bpm, but it fluctuates a LOT trough my normal routine. Generally at night I can have my lowest heart rate (72 and even around 66 a couple of times) but during the day and while doing routine stuff in home I can easily reach the 80's or EVEN 90's and that's kind of creepy :scared15: (that makes me think that my heart it's working more than it should be at my age). If I sit down or lay for 5 minutes it goes down but just a little (78-80).
Yeah, I don't have "bad life habits", but I know that I should be doing some exercise because there's a big lack of physical training in my routine and maybe that's linked to this "issue".
Can someone relate to this higher heart rates? :huh:

What you're describing here is 100% what your heart should be doing. Your heart rate reaching the 90s as you walk around and do stuff is 100% normal, that's what it should do. Your heart rate increases as your activity increases. If you (for example) took a brisk walk down to the shops it's likely that it would significantly pass 100bpm. That is what it is supposed to do.

In terms of what a resting heart rate 'should' be, that's open to interpretation. Your only true resting heart rate is either just after you wake up when you're fully at rest (unless of course you wake up with anxiety....) or when you have been seated, quietly for 15-20 minutes. Sitting for 5 minutes after being active and/or anxious is NOT a resting heart rate.

The problem here is you are checking, and deciding for yourself that something that is completely normal and perfectly within a healthy range is a problem, and it's not. Everything your heart is doing is 100% normal.

I know this, because I used to do exactly the same as you, dozens of times a day.

I don't check any more, and I've been exercising heavily for the last six months and my heart rate is usually about 55-60 when I wake up, 65-80 at various points during the day depending what I'm doing, over 100 if I walk up some stairs and over 150 when I'm lifting heavy weights. I'm 47 now.

When I used to check my HR all the time, all those numbers were about 10-20% higher.

So stop checking.

[pulisa]

Why are you checking your heart rate anyway?

[Howanxious]

Why are you checking your heart rate anyway?

Well it all started when I've had to go to see a cardiologist to have a stress test a few weeks ago (because I've been having palpitations the past months with ligt efforts). The dr said that my heart was OK, no electric issues, no arrythmia, good BP, but he seriously suggested me to do more exercise because he noticed that my heart raised so quickly with just a little effort during the test (I have to say that I also was a little anxious back then like during almost every test lol, so my basal HR before starting the test was 102). Yes, that words were enough to put my mind in an anxiety circle again.
Also had a 24hr holter and it came back normal, the only thing that showed it is that my heart is a bit accelerated sometimes but without arrythmia or something weird. The doctor sent me on my way after that.

---------- Post added at 20:17 ---------- Previous post was at 20:16 ----------


What you're describing here is 100% what your heart should be doing. Your heart rate reaching the 90s as you walk around and do stuff is 100% normal, that's what it should do. Your heart rate increases as your activity increases. If you (for example) took a brisk walk down to the shops it's likely that it would significantly pass 100bpm. That is what it is supposed to do.

In terms of what a resting heart rate 'should' be, that's open to interpretation. Your only true resting heart rate is either just after you wake up when you're fully at rest (unless of course you wake up with anxiety....) or when you have been seated, quietly for 15-20 minutes. Sitting for 5 minutes after being active and/or anxious is NOT a resting heart rate.

The problem here is you are checking, and deciding for yourself that something that is completely normal and perfectly within a healthy range is a problem, and it's not. Everything your heart is doing is 100% normal.

I know this, because I used to do exactly the same as you, dozens of times a day.

I don't check any more, and I've been exercising heavily for the last six months and my heart rate is usually about 55-60 when I wake up, 65-80 at various points during the day depending what I'm doing, over 100 if I walk up some stairs and over 150 when I'm lifting heavy weights. I'm 47 now.

When I used to check my HR all the time, all those numbers were about 10-20% higher.

So stop checking.
Thank you very much for your words! I'll try to stop checking but for the moment it seems too hard to me lol

[ankietyjoe]

From what you've said about your tests and anxiety you sound exactly like I was about 3-4 years ago.

Exercise will absolutely solve a lot of the issues. It was really, really hard for me to do at first. My heart rate would jump over 100 every time I did anything, simply because I was so out of shape. After 6 months of it though, I can do a 60 minute workout pushing my heart rate way above 140bpm dozens of times and be fine with it.

Not checking is hard, but until you do stop, you WILL keep suffering and your perception of there being a problem will increase. I got so obsessed with my heart rate (I've mentioned this in other threads) that I could tell what my heart rate was without even checking my pulse and usually be within 1-2bpm of being correct. It becomes an obsession, and because you are worried about it, a self created one as the more you check, the higher your heart rate gets.

Maybe look at some Youtube videos on HIIT training. It's a relatively easy way to undertake exercise that's very good for your cardiovascular system, and one that will allow you short bursts of increased heart rate that are within your control.

[Fishmanpa]

Maybe look at some Youtube videos on HIIT training.

When I was healthy, that's what I did for cardio. Now, with heart issues and all the meds, a moderate paced walk is all I can do but eh... still getting out there every morning (sans weather) and walking around 2 miles. It's hilly here too so it's a bit of a challenge ;)

So HIIT... it's intense but it works!

Positive thoughts

[ankietyjoe]

When I was healthy, that's what I did for cardio. Now, with heart issues and all the meds, a moderate paced walk is all I can do but eh... still getting out there every morning (sans weather) and walking around 2 miles. It's hilly here too so it's a bit of a challenge ;)

So HIIT... it's intense but it works!

Positive thoughts

HIIT can be done 'relatively' low impact too, especially when you're starting out.

And a man with your health issues still out there exercising is a lesson to us all :yesyes: