Sense resting heart rate incorrect

[LittleFox4]

My Fitbit is calculating my heart rate consistently just fine, but it's not using that data correctly to determine my resting heart rate. For my age, my resting heart rate should be in the low 80s which is what it shows, but throughout the day my heart rate will drop into the 70s, and not just for a second, it's very solid in the 70s even if I'm not completely at rest. Seeing my resting heart rate so high is frustrating and discouraging since I'm so active and I know it's lower. Fitbits are meant to be encouraging. 

All I've seen online is that Fitbit uses the heart rate they determine throughout the day and night to calculate resting heart rate, but there's no calculation involved, so what is this mystical calculation I keep reading about? Resting heart rate is your heart rate at rest, it says it in the name. The best time to measure it is when you first wake up, before you even get out of bed, and since Fitbit is always reading your heart rate, that should be easy, no calculation involved.

This morning I checked my Fitbit for about 10 minutes in case it was averaging the first 10 minutes I was awake and it showed 77 to 81, then I checked my resting heart rate and it said 86. That's incorrect, and that's all there is to it. Is there something I can do to fix it? Fitbit, if there's nothing I can do, can you please get rid of this calculation, whether it's averaging 24 hours or just the morning or whatever it's doing, that's not how you measure resting heart rate.

Moderator edit: clarified subject.

[t.parker]

@LittleFox4 I've been trying to apply some logic to it once and the only conclusion I got (not confirmed) is that the resting state is when no or minimum motion is detected (no steps, etc.). Then Fitbit doesn't take your lowest detected HR but averages (or maybe uses median, which would probably make more sense?) the range between your lowest and highest HR when the resting state has been detected. This could be why RHR tends to be higher than the lowest HR during the day. Fitbit will never reveal their method but it is known RHR is not the same as lowest HR. My theory is just a theory based on my own observations and own data. It is probable but what Fitbit really calculates we will never know.

"Fitbits are meant to be encouraging." - I disagree. They are supposed to tell you things you need to hear, not things you want to hear. Do you really want to get sugarcoated lies just to be "encouraged"? 🙂 I would get rid of the watch that deliberately lies to me just to make me feel better 🙂

[LittleFox4]

That's definitely a logical conclusion, thanks!

[Guy_]

Hi @LittleFox4 - have a look here How do I track heart rate with my Fitbit device? For a little information but Fitbit don't reveal the method.

Though heart rate varies throughout the day which also applies to periods when resting.

Presumably it averages all the rest periods where some may be higher than others that you observe, or it may take into account, incorrectly, active periods as resting.

It may also take into account how quickly the heart rate falls after activities over a predetermined period.

The watch measures a lot of heart rate information which Fitbit can use to provide an optimal RHR which may be a better and more consistent result than one off measurements.

Try syncing the watch and then do a full Shutdown from the watch Settings menu.

Wait at least 10 seconds before restarting by button press or placing on charge.

This will refresh the watch system just in case there is an issue.

[LZeeW]

@LittleFox4   Measuring your resting heart rate when you first wake up is one of several recommendations when you measure it manually.  It isn't a gold standard.  If you measure manually, the Harvard Health Blog recommends that you check it at different times during the day.  Fitbit's mystical calculation is a proprietary algorithm.  You can't estimate your RHR by looking at any Fitbit graphs.  All graphs show an average heart rate over a time period, but Fitbit collects beat-to-beat heart rate data.  It uses your heart rate when at rest, including sleep.  Your Fitbit doesn't use the first ten minutes awake.

There is no reason to do any of the resets or restarts.  Fitbit uses different methodology and there is nothing to fix.