Last November invested in a Garmin Fenix 6 and became very interested in effect of alcohol on rest and its (poor) relationship with recovery, measured stress etc. Resting heart rate historically has been in mid 60s/ low 70s. Having largely cut out alcohol over last few weeks and upped activity and excersize, resting heart rate has very gradually came down so now during evenings and sleeping its reduced to mid 50s bpm. Im fit enough, age 57 but a clydesdale. Wondering if time for a checkup as that seems a tad low for a more mature chap with a bit of a weight problem, albiet it fit and active? Any thoughts – similar storys?

perfectly normal IMO  Yo have got fitter so resting heart rate drops so long as your BP is not dropping it will be fine – do you get faint when yo stand up?

nearly 57 here.  REsting rate currently just over 50, just under while sleeping

I’m relatively thin, mind, but not really “trained” in a meaningful sense

Alcohol definitely pushes it up

(addit:  I assume last “few” weeks is too short for much of a trainng effect, but maybe that too)

My crew mate at work is 52, 6’7” and a bit of a chunky roadie.
His resting heart rate whilst sleeping is 37!!

ps yes feel fine – not faint or anything had BP checked a few months ago and was high side of normal range if anything, recently had bloods checked and was ok re glucose etc, cholesterol slightly high but normal range

Sounds pretty normal. I’m 63. RHR around 50-55 but 45-50 when sleeping.

Hardly a racing snake, my BMI is above the recommendation.

stuart, i will swap you mate. mine has been sat at 120 bpm since october. heart doctor says with my meds it will be fine until they can get me in to try and sort it again.

keep well mate.

but a clydesdale.

So am I, 52, same progression, 48-50 resting HR, no issues

stuart, i will swap you mate. mine has been sat at 120 bpm since october. heart doctor says with my meds it will be fine until they can get me in to try and sort it again.

Good luck, I couldn’t imagine living with that is easy ATM

My thoughts are that seems entirely normal.

I’m 52 and mine is ~51. 6′ 2″ and 85kg. Mine’s gone up 11 in the past 10 years from around 39 bpm

Seems ok.
I’m 52 BMI 25.5 (I know rubbish indicator)
Rhr low 50s drops to mid 40s when sleeping (a good sleep) I can spot a cold coming as it rises to mid upper 50s and booze has the same effect.

do you get faint when yo stand up?

This not a good thing then? BP always fine when checked, a bit high sometimes with white coat syndrome. Or cute nurse syndrome, depending who does it.

Same age as you, but my resting HR is usually mid-40’s.

I’m not chunky though, and my usual range when riding is 80-170.

Keep off the booze, lose weight and hopefully it’ll improve.

sounds ok to me, i notice my heart rate will be a good 10-15bpm higher for a few days after a night of beer from my regular mid 40s,

Or cute nurse syndrome, depending who does it.

Sadly for you, I think TJ has retired.

probably nothing to worry about. Although worrying about these things isnt good so the general advie if if your stressing about it see the GP.

on the flip side mines moved from 55rhr to between 80-90 over the last week. Im hoping its just a cold or something.

Or cute nurse syndrome, depending who does it.

Sadly for you, I think TJ has retired.

Did he not keep the costume?

Well, a shift like that is certainly something!

do you get faint when yo stand up?

This not a good thing then?

Indicates low blood pressure.

I’ve just turned 50, am overweight but fairly fit, resting heart rate is 48-50. OP, I’d say you’re fine. If anything, keep going and see if you can get it lower.

Don’t know about that. My resting HR is around 56, and for years I sometimes feel dizzy if I stand up quick. My BP has been tested several times over the years and is at the top of the range for being ok.

do you get faint when yo stand up?

This not a good thing then?

Indicates low blood pressure.

Just like ‘athletic heart’, postural hypotension is a thing in some ‘trained’ individuals.

Like most the syndromes it’s a sliding scale and pathologies of what constitutes a syndrome are pretty low based on how unhealthy the general population actually is.

low BP / postural hypotension is not usually treated in the UK although it is in other countries

I run lowish bp – average in the area of 110  / 50 ish  I have postural hypotension ( which could have different causes) I have 3 times passed out and smacked my head on stuff so it can be dangerous!

I have once seen a reading of 70 / 40 – I didn’t feel great that day ( dehydrated I think)

IIRC ( and I am pushing the limits of my knowledge) postural hypotension is not always connected to low baseline BP

Just my experience – drinking definitely affects my resting heart rate, as does stress, lack of decent sleep etc.

52 yo here, not too chunky and very active, but could do with losing 3-4kg. Resting heart rate average for the last week is 47, also measured with a Fenix 6. It’s never been seen as an issue, although I always get pinged by my annual ECG as having intervals that are too long (which just comes with that heart rate)

I’ve no idea what mine is at. Chance to check it later today if remember. I was told years ago i have a naturally slow beat. But that was years ago.

Aged 54, about 14 stone,6’3″, though i used to be 12stn up until about 2 years ago.

I dont drink, but do smoke like a chimney, and eat far too much cheese, though i dont eat meat with fat on it. I dont eat a lot of bread, so butter isn’t really a thing for me either.

Plus I cycle, occasionally

low BP / postural hypotension is not usually treated in the UK although it is in other countries

I’m not sure about that, we do treat it here, but usually only if it’s giving people proper symptoms like passing out and/or falls. First line treatment is just to increase fluid (+/- salt) intake for most people anyway, though there are some drugs we also use from time-to-time.

But unless you’re falling regularly, it’s probably nothing to worry about.

IIRC (and I am pushing the limits of my knowledge) postural hypotension is not always connected to low baseline BP

Yeah, this is true to an extent. The body’s ability to adapt to a change in posture (by vasoconstriction) is modulated separately from control of BP. In fact, there is a group of people with both orthostatic (postural/standing) hypotension and supine (lying) systemic hypertension (sometimes called SH/OH) which is, as you can imagine, quite difficult to treat.

@ OP: If you didn’t have a fancy new watch, would you have any idea your heart rate was low? That’s as close to medical advice as you’re getting from me 🙂

Cutting alcohol definitely has an impact on my resting heartrate increasing by up to 15% or so (there is overlap with lack of sleep also increasing heartrate)
Have you lost any weight as well if you are exercising more and eating less? Since that can also result in a drop.

So wouldnt be something I would be fussed about unless you had some other symptoms eg feeling faint when standing etc.

I’m 62 and have had all the heart tests etc after my blood pressure was high, no issues seen.
Mine is usually about 48 when I wake in the morning, GPs said OK as long as it raises to normal levels once you are active.

Great response thanks- thats very re-assuring – I was getting a little concerned it was dropping into the 50s and you are correct if I had no fancy watch I wouldnt have noticed

Ton – sorry to hear that mate – hope your well otherwise – need to catch up sometime ling time no see.

To add:  biggest wake up call is the data the watch spits out after drinking – I have suspected for a long time as I aged that alcohol was starting to have a big impact on energy levels and general well being – what is alarming is how little of it that it takes to do so.  Which is a shame as I like my beer and  dram.  Beer in moderation isnt too bad – but a few drams and goodbye to a good sleep and energy the next day with substantial increase in rest HR.

Sorry if this derails the thread slightly (or if its been covered) but with regard to getting a headrush when standing up: is this normal or something to worry about?

I’m 40 and have noticed recently that I do sometimes get a small headrush when standing up but couldn’t decide if a) this always happened and I only just started noticing it, b) its just because I’m getting older or c) I should look into it…

I feel like I’m reasonably fit but no idea what my blood pressure would be.

@duggan I’ve had similar over the last 5-10 years (I’m 50 now), it feels what I imagine vertigo feels like – massive dizziness when standing sometimes, even lying in bed and rolling over causes it. I went to the docs and he couldn’t figure it out – blood pressure was fine, did bloods and didn’t find anything other than low vitamin D. For me it comes and goes and having scrutinised it over the last 10 years I think it happens when I am particularly run down and tired, I’ve also been a lot less fit for a large part of that time.

I’ve been a lot more aware of it for the last 2-ish years and I don’t think it’s happened for about a year now, coincidental or not I have no idea but I’ve been trying hard to get back to fitness and a healthier diet.

I had higher BP after Xmas excess and Covid. If you care, or wanna measure BP as well as HRM a BP monitor (rebranded Omron) is £20 at Boots.

https://www.boots.com/boots-pharmaceuticals-blood-pressure-monitor-upper-arm-unit-10217394

Ah, time for the regular heart rate thread. I’ve measured mine as low as 31, no it’s nothing to worry about and not particularly important (nor does it make me some sort of athletic superman). I do get a spot of postural hypotension sometimes (@duggan that’s the medical term) when I stand up but can anticipate/deal with that fine. If you feel it coming on, crouch down immediately (perhaps go on your knees) for a few secs and then stand up again. Oh, and put down that mug of tea pronto before you drop it!

Generally, I have postural hypotension when my fitness is increasing. It goes away once I settle at a relative stable level. It must be something related to physiological adaptation to a heavier work load

All sounds good OP and I hope you get sorted Ton.

When I was proper fit circa 20 years ago my resting heart rate went crazy low. Mid 20’s. Then I started fainting if I chugged an alcoholic drink too soon after serious training – heart rate would drop into the teens and then over I’d go. Ended up on a heart tape thingy recording what was going on. Mild hypertrophic (enlarged heart) issue apparently. Scary at the time.

Resting HR is more genetic than anything I think. 40, decent bike fitness but not anything amazing – mid 40’s in the day and can be into the mid 30’s when sleeping.

My mother’s resting HR in her late 60’s is low 50’s.

Generally, I have postural hypotension when my fitness is increasing. It goes away once I settle at a relative stable level.

I’ve wondered if my occasional experience of this is down to dehydration, which could be more of an issue when in “training” mode.

Pretty fit here and my HR drops to high 20’s normally when I’m sleeping, but glad to report than I can chug a beer straight after a run without fainting 🙂

Errr,if you’re asleep,how do you know what HR is ?

Cos if you are symptom free, and you routinely monitor your overnight pulse, you may be over thinking this a little.