Heart Rate Spike upon Waking

[Callytimecat]

I bought a Charge 2 about five weeks ago, and I am fascinated by the spikes that occur in my heart rate occasionally.

The strongest spike I have found was 202 beats per minute, which is significantly more than my maximum heart rate.

Considering my resting heart rate is 50-60 bpm this seems to be quite a contrast. Usually when I am walking my heart rate increase to 70-120 bpm. I have looked up the British Heart Foundations fact sheet and it doesn't mention anything about this.

https://www.bhf.org.uk/-/media/files/publications/medical-information-sheets/pps007_fact-sheet_your-...

[Dominique]

It does seem weird. Does your heart feel like it’s beating at a crazy pace?

Keep in mind your Charge 2 is not a medical device. If you have reasons to believe you may have some kind of heart condition, you should seek medical advice. 

[y2kcrash]

Decided to withdraw my original comments. 

Good Luck !

 Hope you find a solution which has a positive outcome.

Fingers Crossed !

[CeeJaneRun]

It might be a palpitation? Do you find your heart doing "flips", or skipping beats occasionally when you're resting?

[Callytimecat]

Yes, sometime my heart does seem to beat crazily fast...I haven't yet correlated all.the moments on the graph with when it happens in real time. Yes..I know I would need proper monitoring to be sure.

[Callytimecat]

When I was seventeen...long before the age of Fitbit...I first noticed my heart rate going  really high...and I did mention it to my doctor who said it was a panic attack. Perhaps I will check it out with my current general practioner next time I visit my doctor's surgery.

[Callytimecat]

Yes, sometimes when I am about to fall asleep I feel like I am falling and I wake up with a really fast and strangely skipping heartbeat. Thanks for all three responses. I will find out about palpitations and check at my doctors.

[Dominique]

Are you fit enough to exercise in peak zone for 10-15 minutes straight? If so, what happens if you record your exercise (e.g. running) as an activity?

If you’re seeing these odd spikes everyday or so, I’d try to link them to the time of the day when they occur, and see whether you were doing anything special then.

If you’ve never had a full check-up for your heart health (complete with effort test, echocardiography etc.), it could be a good idea to get one done, even if you have no particular reason to believe there’s something wrong with your heart.

[Callytimecat]

I think I am fit enough to exercise in peak zone for that amount of tie, but usually when. I exercise I am two levels below that zone - the 'fat burn' level. One thing about the Fitbit app is there seems to be a delay before I can see the full graph of my heart rate - but now the whole Monday (27 March) is showing, and I had a 146 bpm spike around 21:00. I had been doing a fair amount of non-strenuous walking, and climbed some steps within a building. However, I often climb stairs and don't see a peak like that.

What would be be useful is if I could access the heart rate data quicker. Is it possible  to set the Charge 2 to alert me when I move into a new heart rate zone - if it buzzed when a certain bpm level is reached?

[Dominique]

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@Callytimecat wrote:

Is it possible  to set the Charge 2 to alert me when I move into a new heart rate zone - if it buzzed when a certain bpm level is reached?

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No, there’s no such feature on the Charge 2. I had that in Runtastic, back when I was using it together with my Mio Alpha (I was using the first generation model): Runtastic would tell me (vocally) each time I entered a new time zone.

The approach with HR is different in Fitbit trackers and sport watches (Garmin, Polar, Suunto etc.). Fitbit focuses on 24/7 monitoring, sport watches more on monitoring intense activity over a shorter period of time. For higher intensity activities, sport watches will likely be more accurate and responsive than Fitbits (especially those that get HR readings from a chestraps). Fitbit may miss beats every now and then during the course of the day, or may detect spikes that aren’t real (as - possibly - in your case).

If you want to see the daily curve in the red (peak zone) for more than a single spike, you need to sustain some kind of intense activity (e.g. running) for at least 5-10 minutes. This will get you something like this:

 

It’s funny btw that the Android app (above) doesn’t display that graph exactly like the iOS app (below):

 I like the fact the Android app gives me the total time spent in exercises zone.

[Dominique]

Some more red (and "spikes"), after a 21 minute run this morning:

Also shows the standard formula for max. HR (220 - age) does not necessarily apply: for me, it should be 164, but I have no problem pushing it higher.

Again, because of its focus on 24/7 monitoring, climbing the stairs a couple of time may not be sufficient for Fitbit to detect and record the highest values on its 24-hour graph. However, if you do something hard for 5-10 minutes or longer, it should show up, especially if you record it as an activity (like above).

[Callytimecat]

Thanks for the useful responses @Dominique. I will see what happens when I sustain intense exercise. Climbing lots of stairs or hills might do the tricky - oitherwise I will got for a 15 minute run and see what happens.

[McLoki]

I have had both a charge HR (inherited from my wife) and now have a Blaze (wanted the text message feature).  With both bands, while walking - it would jump my HR from a walking average of 103-105 (about right for me) up to 160-180 and would stay there until I adjust the band in some way.  it does not happen all the time, but is not uncommon while walking.  (does not seem to happen when biking or elliptical, something with the hand pointed down and swinging my arm seems to do it).

if you feel the HR you are getting is accurate (your heart is racing while it is happening) definitely get a doctor involved, but if you feel about the same as before and after the spike, just consider it an equipment issue and go on with your life... 🙂

Good Luck,

Michael

[wijody]

google this and you will find that it is a common occurrence and is erroneous.  I get these 'spikes', too, and have caught them 'in the act' and verified that my heart was NOT racing when it was showing 170+ bpm when simply walking (when my true heart rate is around 105).  I would set your Fitbit to have the pulse on the main screen so you can try to catch it and then check your pulse on your neck to see if it's racing.- I'm guessing not.  I work in a cardiac dept at a hospital and have seen patients come in for Holter Monitors due to this issue on their fitbits!!  People see those spikes and it's scary.  Fitbit really needs to let people know that this can happen and that they shouldn't worry unless they can actually confirm their heart is racing. 

[Mukluk4]

I'm also getting this spike in the middle of my morning walks (not heavy exertion since I'm at work).  It's funny that my cross fit and basketball (where I'm huffing and puffing and drenched in sweat) come nowhere near this.

[jrlog]

I started getting these spikes, too, the day I started wearing an Ionic. I'm 99% sure it's just a bug.

[shipo]

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@jrlog wrote:

I started getting these spikes, too, the day I started wearing an Ionic. I'm 99% sure it's just a bug.

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Yeah, lots of folks are noticing the Ionic spikes shortly after starting a workout.  This is pretty typical for me:

[Dantosz]

This is exactly what happened to me! I had an attack at 16 that was chalked up to panic and dehydration. I had random attacks over the years, assumed to be panic attacks. They got worse when I was pregnant, which can be normal. Finally had one in the hospital after giving birth and was seen by a cardiologist. It is SVT, essentially an extra circuit in my heart that sends my heart racing over 200 beats a minute. Freaked the nurses and OB out, lol. It’s very treatable. Def see a cardiologist. Possible it’s not the same thing, but the symptoms sounded so similar I wanted to share! 

[Sammy2cool]

I have the same problems just walking at the same pace it goes from 87 to 209 in seconds than i check my HR with an app on my phone it was 101.

than drven to work spike to 138 stay there for a few minutes so i check again with my phone and it was at 78, i know the Versa sucks their HR monitor not accurate it all so mow i dont pay attetion to the Fibit just how feel, if you keep checking the HR it wll ho up because you worrying about is true, so don’t worry just be happy and keep walking at slow pace n you will be fine

[Nikki113]

Came looking to see if I was the only one. I have these spikes, often the largest of the day, first thing upon rising.  I'm guessing it's the energy exerted and excitement Of making my way to the coffee pot?