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Am I ill or having a heart disease?

matrix07

matrix07

macrumors G3
Original poster
Jun 24, 2010
8,226
4,895
As others have said see a dr if you are concerned.
I have a resting heart rate around 41 most days, I’m not concerned as I do a lot of running and would consider myself to be pretty fit.
 
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Banglazed said:
When did you started seeing the trend? I would schedule to see a doc about it
Click to expand...

This week. Last week my resting heart rate was 53-58.

If anything I think I’m fitter this week than last.
 
It sounds like a simple thing but there are a number of considerations that would need to be taken into account. For example, are you on any medications that could slow your heart rate? If so, your dosage might be too high. Have you had any cardiac procedures, or do you have a pacemaker? If so, settings may need to be adjusted. (Don't answer those questions and put your health information on the internet; they're some examples that your doctor would probably know, and that should be discussed with them.) And then of course, there's the consideration as to whether the Watch is picking up your heartbeat correctly; people with irregular heart rhythms (where the heart doesn't keep an even tempo) can confuse automated heart rate measurements. If you know how to check a pulse, you could measure your heart rate, yourself, and verify that those numbers are accurate.

In general, it is not unexpected for people who are athletic to have resting heart rates less than 60. As long as you're asymptomatic (no passing out, no dizziness, no light-headedness) then being in the 50's is fine; the 40's isn't unheard of, either. I'd have more concern about numbers sustaining in the low 40's or 30's.

It may not be something requiring an emergency department visit, but as was mentioned above, check in with your personal physician to make sure everything is OK and to get your questions answered.
 
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matrix07 said:
The pattern is clear.
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With all due respect, most likely no it isn't. :) You have only a few data points to rely on, and they're measured with an imperfect measuring device (the heart rate sensor on the watch is not 100% accurate.) Trying to draw trends from that is basically guesswork.

Also, compounding the issue is that the human body isn't a machine; it doesn't follow predictable input-reaction relationships, but rather respond to multitudes of factors including your level of stress, how (and even what) you've been eating, how well you're rested/sleep, possible infection, medications as others have pointed out, and so on.

As mentioned, if you think you're sick, go see a doc. Personally I think you're probably obsessing over nothing, but only you can tell for sure so if you're worried...go see a doc. :)
 
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Ledgem said:
In general, it is not unexpected for people who are athletic to have resting heart rates less than 60. As long as you're asymptomatic (no passing out, no dizziness, no light-headedness) then being in the 50's is fine; the 40's isn't unheard of, either. I'd have more concern about numbers sustaining in the low 40's or 30's.
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This's comforting. :)
My pulse (when doing nothing) is 60-70. Only resting heart rate that seems low.
 
matrix07 said:
This's comforting. :)
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Btw! Storytime, without hijacking your thread and making it about myself:

About half a year ago or so I was having random periods of severe heart palpitations a few times, much stronger than I've ever felt before in my life, it felt very uncomfortable and scary the first time especially as I have someone close to me with serious arrhythmia who if not for their pacemaker would in fact have been dead years and years ago. When it happened two or three times more, I mosied on over to the nearby hospital emergency room. They took an EEG on me and listened to my heart and could find nothing wrong with me.

Of course, during my waiting to see a doc, the episode had abated on its own like the other time(s). The doc then told me brief periods of uneven heart rhythm is not uncommon - which I knew, as I've experienced it many times before, just not so intensely - and empasized that if one feels worried about their heart it isn't wrong to go to the hospital. In fact I was the third patient this doc had seen that morning alone who came in with the same type of brief uneven heart rhythm, and IIRC it was just 10AM, if even that. :p

Because they couldn't find anything on my EEG, and because I weigh more than I should and am middle-aged and due to having felt vague feelings of pressure and discomfort in my chest when walking up hills and such (which may or may not have been brought on over my worry over these palpitations I'd been having), I was scheduled for an exercise EEG on a bike, and some weeks later I did it, and they found nothing wrong there either. So my heart coronary vessels aren't constricted or blocked, which is good, and I don't seem to be suffering from arrhythmia. Apparently I could have an intermittent form, but I'd need to wear a portable EEG device for an extended period to detect that, and as my symptoms were so random I decided I just wasn't gonna sweat over it.

And since I did the workout test, I haven't felt those feelings in my chest either when I'm out walking. It was apparently my own worries that created them, probably by magnifying ordinary shortness of breath.

TL: DR moral of the story:
Seeking help is quite alright. Well, you might have to pay like a thousand bucks to get examined I dunno; where I live everyone has basically free healthcare. (Well, except for dental work, because...reasons, I guess. *shrug*)
 
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are you having low heart rate, or is your watch reporting that you do.
big difference..

try manually taking your pulse, lots of instructions online on how to do this.

make sure the back of you watch is clean, and the band isn't too loose.
also make sure nothing has a chance to interfere with the sensor, like clothing, jewelry, or a tattoo.

also try rebooting the watch, just in case something has gotten a bit wonky.
 
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Like others have said, this is not a medical forum, but I understand you want to know what others have found.
You do not say what your age, weight are. Get the cardiogram app and look at your overall average rather than a few points. My readings average 65, lots of low readings of 50 and several peaks of 100-115 every day. Showed it to my cardiologist at my last visit he said don't worried about it. Better to go to your GP and get a general check up, just for your peace of mind. I am senior with high blood pressure and overweight! so I keep an eye on it.
 
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waw74 said:
are you having low heart rate, or is your watch reporting that you do.
big difference..

try manually taking your pulse, lots of instructions online on how to do this.

make sure the back of you watch is clean, and the band isn't too loose.
also make sure nothing has a chance to interfere with the sensor, like clothing, jewelry, or a tattoo.

also try rebooting the watch, just in case something has gotten a bit wonky.
Click to expand...

What seems low is the yellow one not the green one.

(@Lennyvalentin Thank you for sharing your story)
 

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matrix07 said:
What seems low is the yellow one not the green one.
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You have another possible PROBLEM(s) indicator. Your HRV is low. Did you do a super hard workout and/or have a very stressful day at work? While this is NOT by itself an indicator to a possible problem it is something to look at. Is it consistently (averaging) that low? Also do you sleep over 9 hours a day (average)? Again this by itself is not an indicator but adding all indicators together SEEMS to indicate there could be a problem.

Bottom line you NEED to see a doctor. You CAN'T find THE correct answer on a forum. GO SEE a doctor.
 
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Julien said:
You have another possible PROBLEM(s) indicator. Your HRV is low.
Click to expand...
The watch sensor reports low heartrate; that's not the same as the guy actually having a low heartrate. If the sensor misses heartbeats, the reported rate will be reported as lower than it really is.

Fortunately it is easy to take heartrate yourself manually at the wrist or neck for example with the aid of a stopwatch, my mum who is a nurse (now long since retired) used to do it on me when I was a kid for fun.
 
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Lennyvalentin said:
The watch sensor reports low heartrate; that's not the same as the guy actually having a low heartrate. If the sensor misses heartbeats, the reported rate will be reported as lower than it really is.

Fortunately it is easy to take heartrate yourself manually at the wrist or neck for example with the aid of a stopwatch, my mum who is a nurse (now long since retired) used to do it on me when I was a kid for fun.
Click to expand...
Reread my post. His Heart Rate Variability is low. You can't take your HRV manually.
 
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If you have no other symptoms, you’re almost certainly fine. It’s very common for athletic people to have heart rates below 60 and even people who aren’t terribly athletic but have good genes.

Mine is below 60 and I’ve drifted between being extremely fit to mildly fit my entire adult life and had the heart rate to show for it... or so I thought it was all due to my hard work. Then I learned my dad also has a lower than average heart rate and the only exercise he gets is lifting a fork.

If you’re really really concerned, download an app like HealthTap and ask there. You ask a question like that here and you’re lucky that the usual suspects don’t talk you into doing a clean reinstall and visiting the Genius Bar.
[doublepost=1525610665][/doublepost]
matrix07 said:
This week. Last week my resting heart rate was 53-58
Click to expand...

As someone else has already said, apps and sensors are notoriously finicky. It doesn’t take much to fool the HR sensor on any wearable. You could get strapped up in a medical grade device and fool it too if you’re covered up in the wrong kind of lotion. Any non-invasive device is subject to interference so consider if your results are valid or not as well.

I have a FitBit and a combo of an unusually low resting HR and unusually high max HR for my age. FitBit’s algorithms are always getting my data wrong and I presume because it’s formulated to work best for average people so for people like me, the the device is guessing wrong a lot.
 
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Julien said:
You have another possible PROBLEM(s) indicator. Your HRV is low. Did you do a super hard workout and/or have a very stressful day at work? While this is NOT by itself an indicator to a possible problem it is something to look at. Is it consistently (averaging) that low? Also do you sleep over 9 hours a day (average)? Again this by itself is not an indicator but adding all indicators together SEEMS to indicate there could be a problem.

Bottom line you NEED to see a doctor. You CAN'T find THE correct answer on a forum. GO SEE a doctor.
Click to expand...

Yeah.. on the days I was out running it’s always this low. When I didn’t run however, it was 89 for example.
Do you have any suggestion why it is like that?
 
Get the Kardia ECG app for your phone. Any time you feel what you believe might be an arrhythmia take a reading check it out. I have a heart condition so have been using one for a couple of years and love it. Check it out at AliveCor.com
 
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If you are fit, a resting rate in the low 40s is not unusual. If you are fit and have no symptoms of heart problems, then I wouldn't worry about it.
 
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Volusia said:
Get the Kardia ECG app for your phone. Any time you feel what you believe might be an arrhythmia take a reading check it out. I have a heart condition so have been using one for a couple of years and love it. Check it out at AliveCor.com
Click to expand...

Thank you. Will check it out.
 
matrix07 said:
Thank you. Will check it out.
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Wait, if all the advice, including “go see your doctor” and all you hear is “download this app”?!?!’

Dear Jesus, Joseph, Mary and Odin

You’ve just beat “TC-can’t tell his *** from a hole in the ground” to the plonk.
 
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