What Does Your Resting Heart Rate Say About You?

Ask someone their heart rate and it can straightaway seem like a competition! In actual fact, we are all individuals so we can't compare but our resting heart rate can tell us a lot about our personal health. We’re here to look at why it’s a good idea to get to know your resting heart rate and what it can tell you!

Welcome 0:00
Impacts on heart rate 0:37
What is a good resting heart rate? 0:48
What does a low HR mean? 2:06
What does high HR mean? 2:51
Overtraining 3:08
Stress 3:38
Sleep 4:18
Temperature 4:47
Age 5:10
Medication 5:47
Illness 6:05

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[gtn]

How much attention do you pay to your resting heart rate? 🤔🫀

[mikeorick]

The lowest my RHR was ever recorded/documented at was 36 BPM during my military retirement physical (I was 43 years old). I was reclining, not sitting, and had been quiet for several minutes. Sitting it was usually about 48 BPM. It stayed there the next 20 years. I'm 69 years old now, and my RHR has climbed to about 48-54 BPM if I sit quietly. My weight, diet, and exercise has been pretty consistent but older is older. Like my 81-year-old Dad said the day before he died "getting old is hell; don't do it". ;)

[JeffersonPunk]

I do definitely notice my RHR increase when I'm coming down with something, it's a great early indicator to take some rest. Also back when I used to drink alcohol, even just a few drinks could increase my RHR by 5bpm, quite a spike.

[John-cnt]

Aged 59, 60 in May
RHR sleeping 37 BPM relaxing 39-40 BPM Not Bradycardia no symptoms always had a fairly low HR probably a major genetic factor some people can not believe this figure.
Avoid stress and sort out your sleep.
I have been pretty fit all my days and I am ex-military.

[petegarnett]

In the U.K. many doctors and nurses seem to be totally lacking any understanding of such matters. I became perpetually bored with being told that I "suffered from Bradycardia" on insurance checks etc. I still hear it when I go for my recommended cvd check at almost 90 years old.

[nickw]

at my age as long as its still going is the only heart rate I worry about !

[Thezuule]

"Having a low resting heart rate is not a competition.."

Well, let me tell you about how low my RHR is.. -The Comments

[arock]

As a lady, another thing that effects my RHR is my hormones. Closer to "that time of the month" it'll be in the low 50's for a few days, whereas regularly it sits in the 40s. My diet changes, stress levels of the body, so it totally makes sense.

[patricia_w]

Can you look into female HR and HRV and how this is affected by hormonal changes throughout the menstrual cycle ?

[lwinter]

I enjoyed your video. I’m 74 years old and my resting heart rate is in the low 40’s. When I’m sleeping it ranges from 32 to 37 most of the time. When I ride my bicycle I can get to the low 140’s when I push it a little.

[innesdunbar]

Keeping a record using a smart watch can be really useful, my RHR is naturally low and with regular exercise I have managed to keep it that way into my mid 50s. I recently used the information to check if I was ready to get back to running after a bad cold, knowing that my RHR was going back towards normal levels was a good help to guide me in how much I could do. Before a hernia operation a few years ago, the nurse was worried about my RHR, ended up getting an ECG and checked out by a Doctor, who told me to keep doing what I was doing and not to worry about it. It was as low as 37 in the ECG, normally it’s about 40.

[LorraineRo]

My resting heart rate will go up 10-15 beats when I'm having a stressful time, not eating as healthy as I usually do, or when I'm getting sick. I could tell I was going to get a cold a few days before my last Covid infection.

Changes in that resting heart rate really are a good indicator 😀

[teej]

I'm 59. I've never been an athlete, but do a lot of walking. I never knew or cared what my RHR was. I bought a Fitbit many years ago and found out my RHR is normally between 37-45 bpm. It's low enough for my Fitbit to register me as sleeping, when I'm sat on the sofa, watching the TV. I mentioned this to the doctor, who basically said it's obviously normal for me, as long as I didn't have any abnormal symptoms, fatigue, shortness of breath, chest pain etc.

[theghostofpcs]

Yes, if you know where your RHR typically lies, it's really useful to track your health together with HRV. A sudden spike in my RHR, and a crashing HRV which didn't recover over 2 months (and poor running performance), was enough for me to go see the doctor. I'm glad I did, because a blood test showed I have a hyperactive thyroid (Graves' disease). It certainly was interesting convincing my doctor, why my RHR of 64 was an issue!

[pirateninja]

2.5 years ago I was 406 pounds with a resting heart rate in the 70s. I completely changed my life over the last 2.5 years and am down to 215 pounds today and run about 10 miles a day. Current resting heart rate is 38 which seems a bit on the low side but cardiologist said my heart is healthy so I'm just rolling with it. Cant seem to get my max heart rate about 160 though...

[MentalHealthJourney]

I have anorexia, including issues with excessive exercise. My heart rate was regularly in the mid-high 30s and still medical doctors would say “oh you’re young and exercise it’s normal for you”.

Later on in a day that I was once told this, I collapsed in hospital, the crash team were called and my heart rate was 25 and I was in peri cardiac arrest. I was told later if I hadn’t have been in hospital at the time I collapsed I would have died. And they had wanted to discharge me before this incident. I spent 3 weeks I hospital with cardiac problems as well as other issues. My RHR is still low and I still get told it’s because I’m an “athlete” despite my history. Its really important medical staff ow the difference between healthy and eating disorders

[usr-bin-gcc]

I have always had a low resting heart rate (below 40) but without being particularly fit, and was concerned that it was an indication of a potential problem with my heart. Well worth talking to your doctor if this is the case for you. Having had lots of ECGs (for various reasons), no longer being overweight, and now having blood pressure and blood sugar levels in their optimal ranges, I worry less. I'm still not *that* fit, it is just the way my heart is.

[dsm]

Any time i see my resting heartrate is low, I get excited and it shoots up again :(

[Nandoman]

I check my RHR by wearing my smart watch when I'm sleeping. at 62, my RHR is usually around 50-53 overnight which I'm happy with.

[MassimoSpazio]

I’d do a video on both RHR and HRV since the combination of the 2 measure give a better picture than RHR alone