Low Heart Rate?

[AlexH90]

Hey guys!

New to the forum and new to using a Fitbit - I guess that's what has bought me here. With me being new to this, I'm unsure on what HR is 'average', I guess it's difficult to class anything as 'normal' from what I've read on a few posts so far. Don't worry, I'm not here for medical advice, more just curiosity as to how other's heart rates compare. Obviously if you feel it is too low though I'd be interested to know!

I've noticed that I have a low RHR, sleeping between 47-52, day to day activities 60-80, weight training/dog walk 70-100, Cardio 100-140. 

I'm male, 31, certainly wouldn't call myself an athlete but I eat healthy, walk everyday and gym 2/3 times a week.

Thanks all 🙂 

[t.parker · Accepted solution]

If there is no medical condition involved, then the only HR which is way too low is 0bpm 🙂 My RHR used to be always low, on the other hand, I don't quite fit into the max HR "theory" either. Genetics plays a big part here. You will find unfit people with very low RHR and absolutely no heart issues (I was one). My current RHR is 39-41 (it's been like that for a couple of months) but my max is 188 (last time registered 2 weeks ago during HIIT running intervals) but a year ago the clinical stress test with ECG equipment registered 190bpm. I am 40 so I totally don't fit "average". In fact, lots of people don't fit the average since the rise of fitness trackers and 24/7 HR monitoring.

[AlexH90]

Thanks for that t. 

That's a perfect answer- certainly exactly what I wanted to takeaway from this 😄 

[shipo]

I agree with @t.parker, if there is no medical issue, then your heart rate doesn't even qualify as "low".  Low heart rates are typically diagnosed as Bradycardia which classically is defined as a resting heart rate below 60, but even that can be incorrect for someone in reasonably good shape or genetically predisposed to a low heart rate.

In my case I'm in my mid-60s and have always had a low heart rate; when I'm out of shape my RHR typically hovers around 55, and when I'm in good shape more like 42; my sleeping heart rate (which I'll call SHR) is even lower, more like 45 when out of shape and 35 when I'm running regularly.  Five weeks ago I had an accident and was put into a medically induced coma for 30 hours and by all accounts, the hospital staff was flipping out because once my body started recovering from the initial trauma and shock, my sleeping heart rate dropped into the mid to high 30s.  One nurse told me she literally spent the entire night in my room because of my heart rate.

Since my discharge and enforced convalescence, my RHR and my SHR both climbed about 5 to 7 points (Monday this week they were logged as 47 and 41) compared to the day before my accident; as I wasn't cleared to start running again until Tuesday this week (36 days after the accident); it will be interesting to see how long it takes me to get my rates back down the pre-accident levels.