What should restinrg heart rate be?

[leealee]

Hello, I was wondering what a normal heart rate was for around midnight while I have been laying down for an hour or so. It should be lower than when you're sitting up correct? I had a monitor on and when I was sleeping it got down to 48 bpm. Is that too low? Also, your heart rate should drop while lying down for a while, correct?

[drewk]

Your heart rate depends on many factors, including your gender and fitness level.  Your heart rate is lower when you are resting than when you are active.  

For men, a fit person will have a resting heart rate of under 60 (with Olympic atheletes having a resting heart rate of under 40) and a fit woman will have a resting heart rate of under 70.  

[liamn56]

A range of 50-100 beats per minute for resting heart rate has been established as normal by the American Heart Association. However, research shows that adults with a resting heart rate over 70 have a greater risk of heart attack than those below 70.Resting heart rate averages 60 to 80 beats per minute. In middle-aged, unconditioned, sedentary individuals the resting rate can exceed 100 beats per minute. In highly conditioned endurance-trained athletes, such as Olympic cross-country skiers, resting rates in the range of 28 to 40 beats per minute have been reported. Your resting heart rate typically de-creases with age. It is also affected by environmental factors; for example, it increases with extremes in temperature and altitude.

[liamn56]

Great article re your question, hope it helps.
My resting rate is around 52. I have always been active since childhood. Picked-up a mountain bike at 42 and rode like crazy 3 times a week. But I have heart issues that I will post some other time...

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/likness19.htm

[LukeL]

60-100 is the strict guideline as normal, but most cardios will agree that a rate below 60 is okay as long as it doesn't cause symptoms and respons to apporpriate stimuli, along with no heart disease or defects. President Bush himself has a resting heart rate of 45-50 and he is doing just fine in a high stress job.

[poper1]

Greetings-
Always thought that I was a helathy 44 year old.  I exercise regularly and run a couple of half marathons a year.  I was recently out of state at a convention and felt really hungry.  I immediatly went to stand in line to get food.  The next thing I know I am on a stretcher being taken to a hospital for passing out.  They found my blood sugar to be really low and said that I was hypoglycemic (never knew that before this incident).They did a quick ekg and noted that I had bradycardia and low heart rate.    I followed up with my regular doc.  Had a CT (no seizures or brain tumors). I had a 24 hour heart monitor and my heart rate was in the 40''s.  GP thinks it could be athletic heart but wants me to follow up with a heart specialist to see if I need a pacemaker.  Apparantly my GP thought that my heart rate should have been more rapid due to the stress of fainting.  I am scheduled to see the specialist in a few days.  My anxiety level is high--and I just really want to get back to my typcial life and running routine.  Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Sue

[sugarpea013]

curious as to where you received your information. I've never heart of 28 being a normal resting heart rate, even if it was for a highly conditioned individual. Also, where did you find that a resting heart rate above 70 puts you at a higher risk for heart attack.

Thanks

[Shri]

My dear who ever if you feel that you have a lower pulse rate, don't worry also find our your BP levels it should be 120/80 normal and 110/70 or below for a helthier hearts, if you have mind set like this and make sure you tell this when you admit yourself into a hospital for a day and night and let them monitor your heart rate , blood pressure and ecg also, then you can rest relax, but you have to tell your doctor you want to admit into as a inpatient and have yourself monitored in resting and awake day and night. This should solve all your problems. Thanks  

[Momto3]

leealee,

My HR is in the 40's overnight and my doctors have always been fine with that.  Are you symptomatic?  If not, you probably have nothing to worry about : )

liamn56,

I've also never heard that a resting HR of 70+ puts a person at any greater risk for cardiac events.  I'd also be interested in knowing your source.  I've always been told 60-100 is "normal" but that variations exist for a subset population (ie: athletes).  

[rcthomp]

Its difficult for me to stick with exercise, but can weight loss via proper diet lower my bpm? Im at 90 resting and it worries me.

[Barbarella]

That confusing stuff is all over the Internet.  Just go on Google you get tons of links about  fast heart rates. What I copied (see below) I found in seconds on Google.  Its suppose to be posted by a doctor. (Dr. Merk)  He says if your HR is greater than 83 you can be in trouble.  As we all see "liam56"  found an article that a HR over 70 can be dangerous.   Don't pay no attention at these articles and talk to your doctor and let him tell you what HR is good or bad for you.  In general, if you are healthy and exercise every day your HR is lower, if you don't exercise your HR is higher.  My HR never went over 60 bpm throughout my whole adult life because I exercise every day, its almost always in the low 50's unless I was nervous, had a panic attack, or had a fever.  I know its difficult to stick with exercise, but you have to make time for it unless you have a physical illness that prevents you from exercising.  I chose fast walks for my exercise.  Whatever you choose stick with it.

Below is what I found on Google posted by a doctor ?

A fast heart rate can knock plaques from arteries to block blood flow and cause heart attacks (3). If your resting heart rate is greater than 83, check with your doctor