Blaze - Heart Rate Help

[SunsetRunner]

Hi - I got my First Fitbit (Blaze) this week which I'm really excited about.

however im having some issues with the heart rate and specifically the resting heart rate. 

My resting heart rate is 44/45 bpm which seems really close to my heart rate at sleep (but that can go as low as 40bpm).  

My work is pretty sedentary and during the day my heart rate would be in the 50's / 60's. 

i am a bit freaked out by the low resting heart rate (44/45) as I'm not particularly fit - I do workout but nothing major and can stand to drop some weight.  Should I be looking at my resting heart rate as during the day (50/60) when just sitting or is it best to look at it based on sleeping rate (44/45)?  

Im 37, do exercise but not super fit - any advice would be great ! 

Thanks a lot ! 

[Colinm39]

@SunsetRunnerWelcome.. It's difficult for us non-medico's to advise. But I'm over double your age and my RHR is typically 51 and gets down to the low 40's when asleep. Maybe you are genetically born like me. Both my RHR and V02Max have me in the elite athlete class. Over the years I have been told it's my genes. I don't get giddy etc and have never had issues. While typing this my HR is 52 bpm.

My doctors always given me the all clear on my checkups and a treadmill stress test shows nothing for me. Just a healthy heart and lungs.

Many tend to worry about the low RHR because the this link from the US Heart Org has 60-100 as normal..but qualifies that for us with lower RHR.

I tried to get another stress test but my doctor recently, in his fifties says, "too many of you have fashionitus fit stuff, too many have Omrons and worry unnecessarily, go out and enjoy life".  But that's directed at me, whether he would say that to a client in their 40's..

Like many, we advise you to check with your GP and take the worry out of it..

[SunsetRunner]

Hi Colin thank you very much for your response - funny you should say that, a few years back I had a full physical which h included a stress test and they said that my resting heart rate is really low which was put down to years of marathon running - I was much fitter then! I didn't really think twice about it at the time.

Perhaps my rhr is naturally low - I think that's the way I will look at it anyway !! Thanks again ! 

[Colinm39]

@SunsetRunnerGreat that you are coming to the same conclusion as me.. Which tells me, for you to acvhieve that and have the tenacity would indicate your body type could handle marathons.

When I hit my early 40's one of our major hospitals,over the road from where I was working wanted volunteers for a test group for Adult onset Diabetes.. It was testing Omega 3's etc over a 3 month period. We didn't know each others results, but on the graphs I could identify mine. I asked the medical testing team who were cardiologists, other specialists, why I had never had the flu and why my blood flow was nearly double the other volunteers.. A simple answer "blame your parents...."

Your few years back was many more for me.. But my wonderful GP then said to me.. "Your body type is, ducks disease, his expression for stubby legs, broad shoulders and you are built for endurance"..  I never did marathons, plenty of sport, in my late teens I would play Australian rules football on Saturday morning..Another game in the afternoon and another on Sunday afternoon. Each of those was about 2 hours of elapsed time..Dad would say, "son, sport is going to kill you".. So at 77 I'm still going strong.

Yesterday I was talking to my Physio (he is 60, and as a side issue he lectures at our University, so I believe he knows enough). We were talking about RHR and HRV (Heart Rate Variability) and over the years he feels that the 80/20 rule applies and genetics has a great deal to do with our outcomes. He has a RHR under 40. A road bike rider..

I'm not as fit, but all of my bloods are perfect.. Down here,. when you are over 75 they test you for everything. Trying to keep us home as long as we are able..

All the best from downunder OZ...