Resting heart rate confusion

[Anonymous]

Should be resting heart rate decrease as things like sleep quality/hydration/fitness level increase?

I’m asking because I’ve confused myself. Over the past year I’ve increased my physical fitness by a lot and been more careful about sleep, nutrition and hydration. I noticed a very obvious decrease in my resting heart rate over the course of this year.

The last month or so, my average resting heart rate has increased by 4-6 bpm while everything else stayed the same. I’m assuming it was due to the heat but I’m not sure.

A few days ago I had a gum graft and am on exercise restrictions. I haven’t taken any medication except aleve on day 1. Somehow, in spite of zero exercise, my resting heart rate is down by 10 bpm from its recently elevated state.

I thought deconditioning would increase my resting heart rate? I’m so confused!

[Anonymous]

The accuracy and repeatability of your wearable probably isn’t very good. And unless you are peaking after months on months of endurance training you aren’t de-conditioning in a few days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Should be resting heart rate decrease as things like sleep quality/hydration/fitness level increase?

I’m asking because I’ve confused myself. Over the past year I’ve increased my physical fitness by a lot and been more careful about sleep, nutrition and hydration. I noticed a very obvious decrease in my resting heart rate over the course of this year.

The last month or so, my average resting heart rate has increased by 4-6 bpm while everything else stayed the same. I’m assuming it was due to the heat but I’m not sure.

A few days ago I had a gum graft and am on exercise restrictions. I haven’t taken any medication except aleve on day 1. Somehow, in spite of zero exercise, my resting heart rate is down by 10 bpm from its recently elevated state.

I thought deconditioning would increase my resting heart rate? I’m so confused!

My RHR is always lower than usual when I take rest days, if my Garmin is to be believed. I think it's because your body is *really* resting. It's not deconditioning.

[Anonymous]

You need to stop hyper focusing on this. It doesn’t matter

[Anonymous]

hydration levels definitely impact resting hr.

I had food poisonings once and my normal resting HR of 42 was close tot 62. FWIW I am not in great shape, don't go out of my way to hydrate, I just have a genetically low resting HR.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Should be resting heart rate decrease as things like sleep quality/hydration/fitness level increase?

I’m asking because I’ve confused myself. Over the past year I’ve increased my physical fitness by a lot and been more careful about sleep, nutrition and hydration. I noticed a very obvious decrease in my resting heart rate over the course of this year.

The last month or so, my average resting heart rate has increased by 4-6 bpm while everything else stayed the same. I’m assuming it was due to the heat but I’m not sure.

A few days ago I had a gum graft and am on exercise restrictions. I haven’t taken any medication except aleve on day 1. Somehow, in spite of zero exercise, my resting heart rate is down by 10 bpm from its recently elevated state.

I thought deconditioning would increase my resting heart rate? I’m so confused!

My RHR is always lower than usual when I take rest days, if my Garmin is to be believed. I think it's because your body is *really* resting. It's not deconditioning.

Yes. When your body is recovering from challenging training, the RHR (that is, when you are not actively exercising) goes up. It's possible that you have been overtraining and would be better off exercising less intensely and/or taking more rest days. See https://www.fitiv.com/blog/heart-rate-overtraining

[Anonymous]

Your heart rate is slightly elevated all day long when you exercise so yeah if you’re sedentary one day it’ll be lower.

I also find mine is a few bpm higher in summer months.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your heart rate is slightly elevated all day long when you exercise so yeah if you’re sedentary one day it’ll be lower.

I also find mine is a few bpm higher in summer months.

+1