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Heart rate day after drinking alcohol

ANSWERED

‎02-10-2016 17:51

‎02-10-2016 17:51

I am a data geek so I like tracking the HR data from my Fitbit.  I am an runner and I log my average heartrate during my runs as well as my resting heart rate for that day to get a % HR number.  It lets me know how hard I am working.

 

One thing I did notice about my resting heart rate is that it would elevate 1 - 3 bpm for the day after drinking alcohol (for me usually a couple of glasses of wine) the night before.  The HR would stay slightly elevated for a day or two, then drop back down again.

 

Has anyone else noticed a casual correlation between resting heart rate and low to moderate alcohol consumption?

Best Answer
254 REPLIES 254

‎10-09-2017 12:41

In response to shipo

‎10-09-2017 12:41

That’s what it was when I started nursing my hangover . After breakfast and a gator aid.

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‎10-09-2017 12:44

In response to MrPompous

‎10-09-2017 12:44

Hmmm, maybe you should back off on the booze.

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‎10-09-2017 12:54

In response to shipo

‎10-09-2017 12:54

Moderation is the key. I find that 3 or 4 ounces of vodka takes the edge off the day and settles me down to be able to fall asleep easy. That amount does not raise my RHR. 


Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
Best Answer

‎10-09-2017 12:58

In response to shipo

‎10-09-2017 12:58

                 Ha!...

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0 Votes

‎10-09-2017 13:04

In response to MrPompous

‎10-09-2017 13:04

Works out to be about ¾ of a standard martini. 

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‎10-21-2017 00:43

In response to fatdogtavern

‎10-21-2017 00:43

It seems pretty clear for some people RHR increases when drinking. When first googling this, I noticed that it can also have the opposite effect. 

 

Alcohol for me too increases RHR, even a couple of pints has a 3-5 increase, but if I have a proper session, my RHR goes from the usual 60 to near on 80. 

 

What I really can’t find out is why? 

 

There’s a couple of plausible explanations I’ve  found, the first being alcohol is a diuretic, so the dilation of the blood vessels requires the heart to beat faster, to get the same amount of blood pumped about. The second possible cause is sensitivity to sulpahates and/or nitrates in booze.

 

From personal experience I think it could be a combination for me, I know my blood pressure drops a fair bit when drunk, 120/70 goes to 110/70, suggesting the dilation. With regards the chemical sensitivity, I can sometimes get flushes or even a little wheezy when drinking wine, suggesting a reaction the the sulphates. 

 

Anyone else got any any plausible suggestions?

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‎10-21-2017 14:08 - edited ‎10-21-2017 14:09

In response to TheFrog

‎10-21-2017 14:08 - edited ‎10-21-2017 14:09

I have been drinking far too much far too often lately, which leads to me eating all sorts of crap not on my diet, so I decided to cut it out completely this past Monday:

[img]https://i.imgur.com/nIzBiQT.png[/img]

Yeah, I would say there is a correlation.

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‎10-21-2017 16:49

In response to Fozzy71

‎10-21-2017 16:49

It’s obvious that drinking and eating unhealthily food is bad for you. I have the same heart rate reactions as you do. Rise after drinking and a drop after sobering up for few days. 

 

I was worried that I had problem with my heart for while. I by no means am a doctor, but I want others to know that this really is not a thing to get worried about.  Just drink in moderation, get water and rest. Take things in moderation.

 

Best Answer

‎10-21-2017 17:12

In response to Fozzy71

‎10-21-2017 17:12

Hey Fozzy, Way to go ... keep it up! Congrats!
Best Answer

‎11-06-2017 08:32

In response to MarathonChris

‎11-06-2017 08:32

It’s interesting as I have noticed the same thing.  I am a runner like you and so we are both pretty fit.  It is always higher the next day after being on the 🍷.  I am not drinking at the moment and running quite a bit and it is definitely  down now.  Also I have noted that the hr I wake up with is lower than the one recorded on the Fitbit dashboard 😀

Best Answer

‎11-06-2017 08:35

In response to SamanthaJLin

‎11-06-2017 08:35

@SamanthaJLin wrote:

It’s interesting as I have noticed the same thing.  I am a runner like you and so we are both pretty fit.  It is always higher the next day after being on the 🍷.  I am not drinking at the moment and running quite a bit and it is definitely  down now.  Also I have noted that the hr I wake up with is lower than the one recorded on the Fitbit dashboard 😀

A couple of points:

  • I am a runner and don't notice a single beer or glass of wine when it comes to either my sleeping or my resting heart rate.
  • Given the Fitbit Heart Rate model differentiates between Sleeping Heart Rate and Resting Heart Rate, yes, when you wake up, your immediate heart rate should be lower than the calculated RHR.
Best Answer

‎11-06-2017 08:41

In response to shipo

‎11-06-2017 08:41

Do you just have the 1?😀

Sent from my iPhone
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‎11-06-2017 08:47 - edited ‎11-06-2017 08:48

In response to SamanthaJLin

‎11-06-2017 08:47 - edited ‎11-06-2017 08:48

@SamanthaJLin wrote:
Do you just have the 1?

Sent from my iPhone

Yeah, I'm usually a "one-and-done" kind of guy.  That said, most Wednesdays a bunch of us from the office get together and I typically opt for a 20 oz. IPA before I head for the barn.  🙂

Best Answer

‎11-06-2017 12:53

In response to SamanthaJLin

‎11-06-2017 12:53

Yup just a few glasses of wine and I am up about 3 to 4 points. Now I am trying to figure out if caffeine has the same impact on resting heart rate .... not to cut out all the fun stuff!

Best Answer

‎12-07-2017 06:10

‎12-07-2017 06:10

I have a dramatic change in  RHR with and without alcohol.  From about 59-64 if I drink regularly to 52-54 when I "cleanse or detox".  I exercise every day and have no symptoms of Bradycardia.  At age 53 I run a 11 minute mile, walk 3-5 miles every day and weight train 3 times per week.

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‎12-07-2017 06:14

In response to WKV

‎12-07-2017 06:14

Exactly the same with me, Boubon and Cigars.....

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‎12-07-2017 06:39

In response to mmhardyboy

‎12-07-2017 06:39

It's amazing how much alcohol has an impact. I am 57 hike an hour a day and
play racket sports for hours every second day. My RHR is around 60 unless I
have a few drinks and then it spikes to 63 or 64. What I have found is
that if you give up coffee that lowers RHR significantly, but unlike
alcohol - it takes about a week. My RHR is down to 57 without coffee. How
much fun stuff do you want to give up is the question, but it is
interesting what has an impact on RHR!
Best Answer

‎12-07-2017 07:22

In response to PBPlayer

‎12-07-2017 07:22

It really still surprises me, but it happens every time I have more than one glass of wine.


Sent via the Samsung Galaxy S®6 active, an AT&T 4G LTE smartphone
Best Answer

‎12-07-2017 07:23

In response to mmhardyboy

‎12-07-2017 07:23

It really is amazing to me.


Sent via the Samsung Galaxy S®6 active, an AT&T 4G LTE smartphone
Best Answer

‎12-07-2017 07:44

In response to PBPlayer

‎12-07-2017 07:44

I'm 54 and walk 8 miles a day (usually). When I'm not drinking my RHR is 62-64, but when I go on a bender, like during the holidays when there's a reason to drink almost every night, I can slowly climb into the mid 70's. Hell, after a two week vacation I can get into the mid 80's! 

 

It's all just a matter of moderation. A glass or two of wine a night and I stay pretty even, but more than that and I'll start inching upwards. The problem is that December is a HORRIBLE month to cut back on indulgences. I just have to accept that from now until the first of the year that I'm gonna booze, eat to much and not loose weight. All of those things pair wonderfully with the already depressing month of January.

 

Merry Christmas All!

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