Increase in resting heart rate

[Jenna19]

Hi,

I've been doing loads more exercise lately, and my resting heart rate has increased quite a lot. I thought it would go down? Or is this because my heart rate is generally higher due to the exercise so my resting heart rate seems higher? Thanks 🙂

[sciencetch]

Here is a good article for training heart rate zones.

[sciencetch]

https://www.runnersworld.com/health-injuries/a20791648/max-heart-rate/

[sciencetch]

I believe the best RHR is taken at rest for ~5 - 10 minutes. Take your pulse.

[NAT15pz]

ITS WEIRD

when I sleep my rhr is low.

if I do loads of hiit then my rhr on Fitbit app goes down to my sleep rhr and my sleep rhr goes super low. I use my super low rhr as a general target now for health and well being but I don’t over do it with loads of hiit. I think god is saying I will get there. But hay it’s weird since my Fitbit gets a bad charge 2 we’re and are inaccurate. They are always elevating my rhr!!! No matter what. I note that rhr is relaxed and resting, like the apple health app says. If I meditate and rest for five mins then I take pulse my heart rate is high, if I relax my pulse taking fingers, my shoulder also relaxes and the relief from this tensions lowers my pulse to roughly my target rhr. This means that Fitbit is not entirely accurate. Which is a shame since it’s psychological and I haven’t got an accurate measurement. However I can sync through another app my Fitbit with apple health, take my pulse manually and I get a decreased average. But my Fitbit doesn’t know when I’m relaxed or my religious or spiritual beliefs so is very disappointing with rhr. I might change to Apple Watch and invest in an ecg machine. For it is there I expect to get verified and consistent results. As I do train hard and cab rest for less!!!

[Jspoon32]

Often, resting heart rate will fluctuate but I am not sure if this was addressed, when one is exercising and begins to overtrain, their resting heart rate will often be higher than normal.  To dismiss such issues as a reading error of your Fitbit would be a mistake.  One can easy check their own heart rate with a simple check on your wrist.
Last, I have and will only comment when I am using sound exercise physiology principles and not anecdotal evidence, which I see way too much on these forum post.  No offense to anyone but advice that is not seriously thoughtful, regarding possible contraindications, could cause another person to suffer a serious injury or worse.   All with respect and hopes this post is taken in good faith.

[NAT15pz]

No problem. Thumbs up!! And I’m glad I’m having a bit of a rest anyway. But thanks

Nathan... The true spirit of surfing

[Jspoon32]

I lived in Cali for most of my life and tried surfing with friends in Huntington Beach.  That lasted about 10 minutes!  Major props on the surfing front.  But, I saw the best performance doctors in NoCal and hope my comment will give you something to think about!

[sciencetch]

I always look up my replies to make sure I am on the right track. I was a group fitness trainer for 17 years. I did not just lead my class, but I gave them scientific information. I am all about the science. I have a BS in biochemistry and an MAT (masters of teaching). So I am also all about imparting true information. The heart rate you see when you are exercising is not the same as the resting heart rate. And I am against anyone "over training". The person should stay within a calculated training/target heart rate zone. You should be able to talk, but not sing.

[sciencetch]

What is Hiit?

[SunsetRunner]

High Intensity Interval Training. You can Google a lot of programs, all of them miserable 😁

[sciencetch]

And sounds like that is the over training zone. 

https://www.acefitness.org/education-and-resources/lifestyle/blog/6466/overtraining-9-signs-of-overt...

Training hard can cause more problems than good.

[SunsetRunner]

 Yep. My resting hr used to be about 60 when I was exercising regularly at the gym. I haven't been lately but I am still active, walking to and from work and on my feet a lot of the day running after a class of three year old. I have had a fitbit for 4 years now and this is the highest its ever been. Even higher now than the year I was at uni, did little exercise and ate crap. I don't get it. Is it my ever increasing age? My resting hr has always fluctuated by about 5 bpm during certain time in my cycle but it's never gone up by 10bpm. 

[sciencetch]

Are you taking your resting heartrate manually or fitbit? You can take it
before you get out of bed. Otherwise, ask your doctor.

[NAT15pz]

Both. Manually is down very often to 48 bpm which is my sleep pulse. But on the app it says 60bpm is my resting pulse. 48 bpm is actually my resting pulse. It’s worth noting that my average rest pulse of Fitbit health is an average of the two which is 53-54bpm for January.

Nathan... The true spirit of surfing

[sciencetch]

I think you are in a normal zone. 53-54 is great.

[NikkiNova]

I know this thread is SUPER old, but I just went through the same thing. My RHR was about 65 and had gone up to 89! It was because my potassium levels were extremely low. So, I bought no-salt which is a potassium like salt product to put in my water... V8, bananas (eat 3 a day now), and pistachios which have a fair amount of potassium. You may want to try these if you ever have this happen again in the future. 

[김나리]

Yeah, staying hydrated and having a good electrolyte balance is extremely important! Magnesium, sodium, potassium!

[sciencetch]

Have you been to the doctor for a physical. 8 8 oz glasses of water a day is minimum. 

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-2004425...

[niketales]

Hey, I know your post is years old, but just started doing fitbit this year and noticed the same, but I noticed it was monthly and is most likely in relation to my monthly cycle.

[NAT15pz]

Yeah one thing that helps accuracy I noticed was consistency. Always wearing it to bed every night. It should come down. The strange thing is health practitioners have been known ( certainly in my case) to use Fitbit tracker data to diagnose certain symptoms, yet Fitbit it is widely documented, has a hold on accuracy and isn’t quite detailed enough in its delivery of data. I am switching from Fitbit to Apple in the future not necessarily because of accuracy but because it would be more appropriate and I will still be training hard for the surf. But good luck Fitbit works man and you should enjoy it.

Nathan... The true spirit of surfing