Resting heart rate REALLY low...

mialsya
mialsya Posts: 188 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Even when I was almost 300lbs, my resting heart rate was below 60. It usually was around 55ish or so, but always below 60. Today, I went to the doctor and it was 41. I stay hydrated (9 to 12 cups of water a day), and when I exercise, the highest I have monitored it was in the 120s after sprinting. On the elliptical, treadmill, or even during Zumba, it's normally anywhere from 95 to 105. My blood pressure is fine and within normal ranges. Should I be concerned?

Replies

  • HOSED49
    HOSED49 Posts: 642 Member
    Mine is usually in the 40's also , I like to think its due to the amount of cardio that I do
  • BeLightYear
    BeLightYear Posts: 1,450 Member
    What did your doctor say?
  • gsager
    gsager Posts: 977 Member
    What did your Dr. say?
  • staceyseeger
    staceyseeger Posts: 778 Member
    Mine is falls betwen 50-60. High amounts of cardio does it. :wink:
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    My sister has a really low resting heart rate, as well. So low that if she's laying still for awhile, her HRM will turn off because it thinks it's no longer being worn. She went to the doctor about it and they told she has nothing to worry about, her heart is just really, really strong.

    What did your doctor say today?
  • Amy_B
    Amy_B Posts: 2,317 Member
    Did you ask your doctor today? Looks like others have the same question. Usually a low HR is a good sign, but if it has always been that way, it might not be...
  • mialsya
    mialsya Posts: 188 Member
    Mine is usually in the 40's also , I like to think its due to the amount of cardio that I do

    After drinking a little water and moving around, it went up to 55, but that's not resting. That's a temporary increase due to physical activity so I think it defeats the purpose of taking a resting rate. I know my heart rate can be elevated - it elevated when I work out.
  • mialsya
    mialsya Posts: 188 Member
    What did your doctor say?
    Wrong kind of doctor. I was seeing my psychiatrist and not my general practitioner. I'd have to make a new appointment to ask him about that.
  • drdenise
    drdenise Posts: 87 Member
    My heartrate is always in the 40s at rest, even after a couple cups of coffee. During exercise, it goes up to 130 to 150. Generally, it means you have an efficiently working heart. :)
  • achtracy
    achtracy Posts: 17 Member
    I would say you should at least have it checked. I have worked in the cardiac field for about 20 years and there is a potential that something could be wrong. Now, having said that there are some people who are in good health and active that will have naturally low Heart Rates, but even their HR will go up with exercise or exertion. This is my concern for you. Please be safe and have it checked. No one can take better care of you than you and you wouldn't have posted this if you weren't concerned. Best wishes!
  • roblow65
    roblow65 Posts: 156 Member
    I'm 260 lbs and I also have a very low heart rate, with an irregular beat. Nurses often comment on how slow it is or they ask if I"m a runner. I usually laugh and think "do I look like I run anywhere?" Last year I wore a heart halter for 24 hours and had a stress test done because my new doc was a little concerned. My cardiologist said everything was fine, I have a very strong heart and the irregularity is of no concern right now just how I was made.
  • FitForeverAgain
    FitForeverAgain Posts: 330 Member
    I'm at 51 sitting at my desk after a intense conference call / argument and with about 74 cups of coffee in me, and a Monster Lo-Carb 1/2 gone.

    But, ask your doc...as we're just a bunch of workout freaks - though we feel qualified, you may want to get a professional to chime in. Just because our rates are where they are, doesn't mean yours is good to go. Bradycardia can be a serious issue in some people. Better safe than dead.
  • roblow65
    roblow65 Posts: 156 Member
    I'm at 51 sitting at my desk after a intense conference call / argument and with about 74 cups of coffee in me, and a Monster Lo-Carb 1/2 gone.

    But, ask your doc...as we're just a bunch of workout freaks - though we feel qualified, you may want to get a professional to chime in. Just because our rates are where they are, doesn't mean yours is good to go. Bradycardia can be a serious issue in some people. Better safe than dead.

    Yes!
  • susanofscottsdale
    susanofscottsdale Posts: 114
    Definately discuss this with a qualified doctor. I similarly had a very low heart rate for years - and, like others who have posted, I was proud of it and did not think of it as a problem. One day, with very little warning (lght headiness) my heart "paused" and it took EMTs & drugs to bring me back. A few minutes after I came back it happened again. A few hours later, again. A heart pacemaker was put in and it has saved my life. In retrospect I ignored symptoms that my slow heart rate was a problem. The symptoms that I experienced were subtle, and I believed that they were the result of not living a healthy-enough lifestyle. The biggest symptom was that I was more tired than I should have been, occasionally.

    I was lucky - if I had "dropped" while driving I could have killed others or myself.
  • hnpervert
    hnpervert Posts: 10
    Seb Coe has a really low heart rate. According to one story, he almost got CPR when he was just asleep because they couldn't detect a pulse...
  • FitForeverAgain
    FitForeverAgain Posts: 330 Member
    Seb Coe has a really low heart rate. According to one story, he almost got CPR when he was just asleep because they couldn't detect a pulse...

    Seb Coe is also a GENETIC FREAK!
  • usafbeach
    usafbeach Posts: 147 Member
    The military flagged me for having a slow heart rate (high 30's) and sent me to a cardiologist. They said it was just all the cardio I was doing (marathon training at the time). It even fell to 30 bpm while I was getting an EKG at their office!

    If you're concerned, talk to a doc.

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