Change in Resting Heart Rate Charge 5

[chazbury]

Due to a change in medication my resting heart rate has increased. My Charge 5 still sees the original resting heart rate. So now I am getting 50 to 60 Zone Minutes just doing normal things. Previously I might get 3 to 5 when not doing more strenuous activities like walks, bike ride, or exercising (those days I would get 15 to 20+). Can I reset the resting heart rate to what is now my new normal?

[LZeeW · Accepted solution]

Hello @chazbury and welcome to the Community.  First, please look at you resting heart rate graph verify if it changed or is still the same.  You can see this by tapping on your heart rate tile (or icon if you have it at the top) or by looking in your Health Metrics.  What do you see?

Your zones might change every day if your RHR changes every day.  If you tap on your zone minute icon, you can see your zone ranges.  I was sick last month, my RHR went up, then came back down.  My zones changed almost every day my RHR changed.

This might be a medication effect.  Many people who take beta blockers to slow their heart rate ask for help.  The beta blockers make it hard to get their heart rate faster.  Your medication might have the effect of increasing your heart rate more than usual.  There is a way to adjust your zones.  You do this by setting a Custom Max Heart Rate.  You can find this by tapping on your profile picture/gear icon in the upper right > Heart Rate > Heart Rate Zones > toggle Custom Max Heart Rate on.  You will see your 220 - age max heart rate.  You would need to increase this.  I think you should talk with your health care provider before making a change like this.  You might have another health reason why you should just leave your settings the way they are.

[chazbury]

Hi LZeeW,

The beta blocker idea was exactly what led me to asking the question. I was on a BP medication that was a beta blocker, after a recent hospital stay it was recommend to go off the med and get a different BP medication as it was slowing my resting heart rate to less than 50 at ties. Since getting off I think the Fitbit is slowly adjust the graph to my new higher 60+ BPM. But I still am getting well over 75 to 100 Zone Minutes with very minimal activity so really getting a false sense of my activity. I will give it more time an hope that it will finally settle down to more normal readings. Again thank you for the response.