Is my resting heart rate too low?

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kayleigh333
kayleigh333 Posts: 138
in Fitness and Exercise
My resting heart rate is only 39 bpm, is this too low? I just read that between 60 - 100 is the average.

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  • alantin
    alantin Posts: 621 Member
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    Mine is usually about 45..
    I guess the lower the better.
    100 sounds like rabbit or a heart attack to me!
  • MamaRandall
    MamaRandall Posts: 243 Member
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    wow... are you feeling like your going to pass out?? lol. It's lower than the average, but that could just be normal for you so I wouldn't stress too much. Are you taking it manually? If so, make sure you count for a minute for a more accurate one, rather than 15 or 20 seconds. Also, it will vary depending on the time of day, what you ate or drank, activity level, stress, etc. I would take it a couple different times during the day and do this for a couple days in a row so you know what your norm is. Now, if you notice that it changes dramatically at the same times for the next couple of days, then I would just go talk to a doctor just to be safe.
  • alantin
    alantin Posts: 621 Member
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    It might be a problem if you have a very low blood pressure too.
    Probably it just means that you have a strong heart and it doesn't need to beat so often to pump the same volume of blood. Many athletes have it in the 40-60 range. I read somewhere that you should get worried if it's less than 30.
  • nikkijennings
    nikkijennings Posts: 130 Member
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    Yes it is is an honest answer. I passed out at work last week and my pulse is about 45bpm. They said it was low blood pressure at the hospital but it isn't as I've monitored my BP when I've felt a little "strange" so going to get my GPs opinion too. I am on lots of medication and they have stopped the ones that can act as a Beta Blocker- therefore slowing my heart rate.

    You may just have a very strong heart, but it is better to get it checked out. Under 50bpm is classified as bradycardic in the UK.

    Please get checked out by a health professional.... better to be safe as there may be another underlying condition.
  • kayleigh333
    kayleigh333 Posts: 138
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    I feel fine and never feel like i'm going to pass out or anything, but spose it's better to be safe than sorry so I'll book an appointment at the dr's.

    Thanks for the advice :smile:
  • alantin
    alantin Posts: 621 Member
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    Below 50 classified as bradycardic?

    Interesting I looked into this a bit and it seems that the authorities over here agree.

    An article on the Finnish hoitonetti.fi service says that the normal variation is 45 - 80 bpm. Lower RHR is common among people who do a lot of cardiovascular exercise and for some of those individuals it can go even as low as 35.

    According to The Finnish Medical Society Duodecim, the term bradycardic is used when the pulse goes below 50 bpm. Often young people and especially endurance athletes have this low RHR normally.

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