Normal heart rate range while walking

[jennkatherine]

Hi there,
I’m a 32 yr old woman, relatively inactive (I walk the dog, do some yoga, and that's about it) and have always been very thin (100-115lbs)
I recently got a fitbit Alta HR and my RHR is ranging from 68-72 but I’ve noticed that in the morning my heart rate will jump to 90-100 bpm when I get out of bed/make coffee/get ready for work.

When I’m walking quite slowly, it will also go up to about 110bpm. Recovery time seems quite good, I don’t feel unwell during exertion, and do tend to be on the anxious side. My question is, is this variability normal? Does anyone know what an average healthy range is for low - moderate exercise? 

The AHA guidelines do seem to say this is within a normal range but seems high for a lazy walk with the dog.

[WavyDavey]

Hi @jennkatherine,

Sounds normal, given your resting heart rate. 

[emili]

yep, based on your RHR the increase seems normal. I am 47, 132 pounds and active and on a dog walk my HR can go up as high as 120 depending on what my crazy pup decides to do. If you don't feel poorly, then you should be OK. If you get dizzy, sweaty, light headed, tired- go get it checked out.

[Courtney1195]

Does it go up just by standing up? Or do you have to walk around for it to go up that much?  A 30 beat increase upon standing can be a condition called Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome 

[jennkatherine]

I'd say I have to walk around the house a bit for it to get up to the 90-100 range - it doesn't spike immediately when I stand up. My pulse generally seems to be quire reactive; it goes up quickly, but it falls quickly when I rest as well. 

[SunsetRunner]

Late to the party! RHR 66, rises to 110 when simply walking around the house or walking the dog. When I walk faster (45 minutes fast walking per day) it hits 140. Right now it is morning and I am sitting down with it hammering away at 78-80. After a fast walk it slows fast. Doctors seem to think this is just fine. I am 67, 5’ 8” and 125 pounds.

[Jacquelyn710]

I have this exact same thing!! So frustrating 😞

[Jacquelyn710]

Has anyone found anything to help this? It makes my Anxiety worse... Now I’m afraid to even go for a walk, that it’s going to get too high 😞

[SunsetRunner]

Hello Jacquelyn. My doc said I am "as fit as a fiddle" and that some people have more reactive hearts than others. Mine once hit 170 while on a trot through the fields...not even running. My RHR varies between 64 and 72, averaging 67. You might want to ask yours the same question. Getting anxious about it it going to push it up even more (although I quite understand your concern). 

[Jacquelyn710]

Ok thank you so much!! This helps put my mind at ease🙏🏻

[Que2nV]

Hi usually I am get a RHR anywhere from 72-88 when I am sitting up.  When I lay down it’s in the 60’. When I’m walking around doing chores it reaches 90’s. When I am walking to exercise it goes up to 120 sometimes 130 depending on the speed I go. Was wondering if these are normal? 

[Nats7]

Hi, 

I am a 30 year old woman, my RHR ranges between 68-75. In the day my HR sits between 75 -110.. when I walk around the house it shoots up, sometimes I might just be sitting watching telly and it will go up to 95 and it’s scares the crap out of me.. I don’t exercise much and I know that if I did exercise more that it would go down but my anxiety stops me from doing that.. it’s so frustrating 😔 

[Courtney1195]

95 sitting is still within normal range any resting hr under 100 is normal. How high does it shoot up walking around? I have a condition called Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome and my hr can go from 60-70 to over 145+ walking which is not normal for just a slow calm walk.  

[Courtney1195]

Sounds normal to me! I have a condition called Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome and walking around makes mine go over 140 bpm and that’s not normal. Walking around at 90 sounds very good! And if your walking faster or exercising it is normal for the hr to go up a little like that. 

[Nats7]

When I get up in the morning and do the normal going to the bathroom and getting dressed it goes up to about 110 I would say.. if I go for a walk in the park, just at normal walking pace it goes up to about 120ish.. although I didn’t think that 95 when just sitting watching telly is healthy, but I don’t know.. 

[Courtney1195]

95 watching tv is a completely normal heart rate. Normal resting is between 60-100. Do you have any symptoms while walking around? 

[Nats7]

Really? Ok.. no not really, I feel dizzy often but that’s because of my anxiety and I suffer from vestibular migraines so don’t think it’s anything to do with exercise.. 

[Jacquelyn710]

Hi Courtney,

May I ask how do they test for POTS? That sounds exactly like me... So frightening! 
Therefore I’m afraid to do anything to make it rise! 

[Jacquelyn710]

I experience the same 😢 I used to love to exercise & now I’m afraid to get my heart rate up! 

[Courtney1195]

You can actually check yourself at home. But it’s diagnosed with a doctor through a tilt table test or a poor mans tilt table. What you do is lay down and check your hr then you stand up and check your heart rate. Don’t move don’t walk just stand up straight and check your heart rate again. If it goes up 30 beats or over 120bpm just from going from laying to standing it’s possible you might have pots. You can also look up poor mans tilt table to see how the doctor does it. They usually check bp but that’s Orthostatic intolerance.