Tired = lower heart rate?

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Bookworm1860
Bookworm1860 Posts: 54 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
My heart rate stays pretty consistent day to day if comparing the same type of workout. But, every once and a while I just can't get it up even close to as high as usual. I noticed last night that I think it happens when I start out extra tired (as I was last night). Is this a normal response? Anyone else notice this?

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  • kcjchang
    kcjchang Posts: 709 Member
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    Yes, and yes. See https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2633298/ & https://www.trainingpeaks.com/blog/follow-your-heart-using-hr-to-gauge-fatigue/#.
  • Vladimirnapkin
    Vladimirnapkin Posts: 299 Member
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    Yes.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    And if not doing it yet - start getting some readings every morning for a baseline (might be too late now) - so you can tell if that fatigue is moving on into a cold or such and getting elevated HR in the morning.

    That would be the one of the few benefits I'd see to a HR-based tracker, getting morning reading before alarm-clock-HR-freak-out happens. Usually I'm back to normal by the time the snooze alarm goes off so I can get a good one.

    I am curious though - were you able to discern a change in intensity - because if it's fatigue - pace/speed/intensity should have dropped because of the tired system.
  • Dazzler21
    Dazzler21 Posts: 1,249 Member
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    The fitter you get, the less likely your Heart Rate will sit high all the time. Mine for instance sits around 40BPM all day.

    When I exercise it peaks but when I don't I know it'll be there or thereabouts.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
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    Yup. Not being able to get your heart rate up is definitely a sign of fatigue. Make sure you are getting enough rest.

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