We are pleased to announce that today, March 4, 2025, an updated Rich Text Editor has been introduced in the MyFitnessPal Community. To learn more about the changes, please click here. We look forward to sharing this new feature with you!

Heart rate and cold ?

JustDoIt987
JustDoIt987 Posts: 120 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi , So today I caught a cold and have a sore throat and a runny nose. According to my Fitbit , my heart rate is much higher than usual ( 100 bpm when resting ) and I burned a lot more calories than usual ( about 200 ) . Could this be related to me being sick or the Fitbit being highly inaccurate ?

Replies

  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    My heart rate is higher when I am ill. I don't think we're actually burning extra calories due to the higher heart rate, I treat those days like an exception.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    Heart rate is not an indicator of calorie burn. As you've just learned, a lot of non-calorie things like being sick (or your hydration level or mood or using caffeine or other drugs) will affect your heart rate.
  • julesEMS2016
    julesEMS2016 Posts: 44 Member
    I agree that it shouldn't be looked at as a source of higher calorie burn. It is normal for a person's heart rate to increase when they are sick. Cold medicines can also increase your heart rate.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories