Resting Heart Rate consistently higher at night

[ham1218]

Hello!  New to the community, not new to fitbit.  

I am working on increasing my sleep and love the tips around here.  

The one I am  having a hard time adjusting is my RHR while sleeping.

It seems I am tossing and turning very little, but my RHR is consistently higher at night.

Suggestions?

Thank you!
Heather

Average RHR is 66-69 

While sleeping...

average bpm 76

92% above heart rate

8% below rhr

7% tossing/turning

average bpm 74

62% above heart rate

38% below rhr

4% tossing/turning

average bpm 75

89% above heart rate

11% below rhr

4% tossing/turning

average bpm 71

61% above heart rate

39% below rhr

5% tossing/turning

average bpm 70

79% above heart rate

21% below rhr

3% tossing/turning

average bpm 71

70% above heart rate

30% below rhr

4% tossing/turning

average bpm 70

74% above heart rate

26% below rhr

7% tossing/turning

My very rare/best:

average bpm 68

50% above heart rate

50% below rhr

5% tossing/turning

Moderator edit: subject for clarity

[WilsonFitbit]

Hello @ham1218. Welcome to the community forums!

Thank you for being part of the Fitbit family and for sharing your experience. I'd like to let you know that Resting heart rate is the number of times your heart beats per minute when you’re still and well-rested. Typically, resting heart rate ranges from 60-100 bpm, but the rate can vary based on age and fitness level.

Lifestyle changes can boost heart health and lower your pulse. Here are some good tips: 

1. Manage stress: anxiety and stress can elevate the heart rate, too. To help bring it down, try to bring calm to your day, For this, you can practice mindfulness, try to meditate or do breathing exercises.

2. Avoid caffeine and nicotine: caffeine and cigarettes can drive your heart rate up, cutting back (or cutting them out entirely) may help lower your resting heart rate.

3. Get moving: The most common cause of a high resting heart rate is a sedentary lifestyle, one where you spend a lot of time not moving. And being in poor shape can increase the risk of other problems, including obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes. 

4. Stay hydrated: dehydration can cause the blood to thicken. That means your poor heart has to work even harder to push the blood around. To give your heart a break and lower resting heart rate, drink plenty of water and avoid alcohol (which can dehydrate you).

Note that Heart rate varies from person to person and day-to-day. But if you notice your heart rate is consistently over 100, especially if you’ve tried making lifestyle changes, it’s worth mentioning it to your doctor. 

Hope this helps. 

[Sailormoon73]

… last reply got cut off mid way!

i am trying to get any doctor to take me seriously on this: no one seems to think it’s an issue, but it is an issue. Poor sleep links to so many other chronic health issues. 
I’m planning on going back to the GP and trying to insist they refer me to a sleep clinic.

if at least one of us can get answers it may solve the mystery for all.

ps… the only possible theory I found is that it’s caused my longstanding anxiety.I had burn out 15 years ago and I’m wondering if it reprogrammed my anxiety response and I’m now in some kind of permanent state physically.

i don’t feel overly stressed - at least not every single day … but maybe I’m just used to it now.

have you suffered from anxiety?

[Sailormoon73]

I am 130 lbs and exercise 4-5 times a week. It is NOT being sedentary that’s causing this. 
given the amount of health data you guys collect it’s about time you returned the favour and gave us some answers about this!

My multiple fitbits have shown this happens to me EVERY night and has done for years. No doctor seems to think it’s an issue, but rubbish sleep that’s ineffective IS obviously an issue…

can you shed any further light on this?

[Katsuzosb]

I have the exact same thing happening to me. Almost every night my heart stays above my resting heart rate. I’ve tried taking nine of my beds before bed, no alcohol… all I can think of is my anxiety, too. Which is pretty bad. My fight or flight kicks in pretty quick but why is it staying like this ALL night, right?? 

[Sailormoon73]

…. It’s concerning isn’t it? I do worry about it.
I’ve been taking Ashwsghadna since January and think it’s helped overall with level of anxiety but not the heart rate thing.
I’ve had my gene profile done and know I have gene mutations that mean my body is very slow at breaking down stress hormones such as adrenaline, noradrenaline, dopamine. This means they stay in my system longer and I can’t ‘come down’ as quickly. Even cycling home post 8pm is enough to keep me awake because the adrenaline doesn’t go for hours!
Maybe you’ve got the same.
I’m not sure there’s a solution other than trying to live like a Buddhist monk and not ever get stressed past lunchtime!

Sent from my iPhone

[Katsuzosb]

Exactly! I think the adrenaline makes the most sense. I often have the
feeling of being wired up and take a while to come down. But even when I
don’t have times like that I have the above-resting at night.
Over the years I have had a few incidents of intense chest pain in the
middle of the night. It has not happened in at least a year. I’ve also
fainted a handful of times over the years. I had the basic tests ran. ECG,
EKG, Holter monitor (also to look for the skips and flutters I feel at
times). Nothing was ever found. Anyhow, thanks a bunch for responding. I’m
probably going to try to get to the doc next week because my mother did
pass in her sleep (unexpectedly) several months ago and that’s got me
wanting answers even more. Take care!

[Katsuzosb]

Exactly! I think the adrenaline makes the most sense. I often have the feeling of being wired up and take a while to come down. But even when I don’t have times like that I have the above-resting at night. 

Over the years I have had a few incidents of intense chest pain in the middle of the night. It has not happened in at least a year. I’ve also fainted a handful of times over the years. I had the basic tests ran. ECG, EKG, Holter monitor (also to look for the skips and flutters I feel at times). Nothing was ever found. Anyhow, thanks a bunch for responding. I’m probably going to try to get to the doc next week because my mother did pass in her sleep (unexpectedly) several months ago and that’s got me wanting answers even more. Take care!

[Joot]

Check your HRV (heart rate variability) too (under Health Metrics). That is considered a measure of sympathetic activation (fight or flight response), so if it’s stress, it might show up there too. There are published HRV norms by age and sex — see where you stand. Practicing resonant breathing a.k.a. coherence can improve HRV (reduce physiological effects of stress).

[BowesEsq]

I'm sorry, but that was a copy-and-paste response about HR lowering techniques generally, and it didn't speak at all to the fact that some of us have a sleeping HR that largely stays above our RHR (only 7% last night, for example).  I've noticed this trend increasing in my case and it's impacting my sleep quality score thanks to being 10 or more points below optimal on the "Restoration" component (e.g., last night's score being 14/25 while Time Asleep was 42/50 and Deep and REM was 22/25.  I more focused response--if one is available--would be appreciated.