Very low HR when I woke up

[JamesAA]

After being asleep for an hour or so I woke up involuntarily--which happens regularly enough.  I was lying there and felt good...actually felt like I got much more than an hour of sleep.  Anyway after being awake for a few minutes I decided to check my pulse.  I was counting 14-15 beats per 30 seconds.  I was like uhhh that's only 28-30 bpm.  Yikes!  Can't be right.  So I rechecked, and rechecked and rechecked...sure enough it was beating very slowly--roughly 1 beat per 2 seconds.  I had no chest pain or dizziness.  Felt normal.  I got up to pee and then started to panic cause I thought something has to be wrong.  This panic accelerated my HR, which actually brought me relief, to know the heart was still working.  I talked to an ER Dr. on the phone and he didn't think it was an emergency.  But I've never "clocked" my HR at 30 bpm ever.  My resting HR is 47-57 (usually around 52-55 most of the time, when sitting around).  30 is so much lower than my normal resting HR and way lower than I have ever seen it go in my life.  I'm 39, fairly fit (exercise for years and I do run a lot, but only at a 9min/mile pace and only for 2-4 miles a day...so I'm no super athlete or anything).  

Does anyone have any idea what caused this?  I have a feeling tomorrow when I wake up to check it, it won't be that low.  So what made it go so low???   Does it mean something is wrong?

Thanks,
Happy Holidays

[Jerry_NJ]

Right and god bless,

Merry Christmas

[JamesAA]

Amazing.  Yeah there are probably a number of variables that go into that equation--lifestyle habits, genes, etc.  6mph is a pretty darn good avg pace in my book for any age...that's a 10 min/mile.  Shoot I know people in their early 30s that can't run 1 single mile in 10 minutes.  But I hear ya about the macho thing and ESPECIALLY about the running off your calories.  I'm a foody and eating rabbit food gets old really quickly LOL.  

Well thank God the valve repair was successful!  Everything is all relative, and none of these mile times mean a darn thing if you're not here.  :)     Life is a strange, strange trip.  I have always struggled with the way things are and I have a difficult time accepting the realities of life as we know it, i.e. pain, death, etc.  Maybe it'll all make sense in the afterlife??  One can only hope, right?  

[Jerry_NJ]

No more running, I had to quit at age 67 when I was slowing down to a point I couldn't average 6 mph.  That  was when a case of atrial fibrillation I have had controlled with drugs for years took over full time.  I then had open heart surgery to repair a valve and to try to stop the AFib.  The good news was the valve repair (a life/death issue) was repaired, the AFib was not cured.  So, I remain in AFib and running is not in my capability an longer.  I miss it for two reason:
1) macho
2) I could eat almost anything and just run it off.

I also felt a lot better/stronger/energetic - but then too I was younger.  

I have no idea how my stopping smoking at age 45 or starting exercise with running as my main aerobic component affected my cardiovascular health, but I believe my heart problems would have been worse absent these changes in my life style.  I think smoking would have killed me by now.

[JamesAA]

Good stuff Jerry!  Do you still run these days and if so how long and how often on average?  I used to be a sprinter only when I was younger, but I've sort of fallen in love with running for (what I consider) distance.  3 miles is a lot longer than the 60m or 100m I used to run LOL.  

[abc85]

While I personally don't have a low HR, I've seen individuals who normally are around the upper 50's for a "resting HR" which is with them typically sitting up, chatting but not doing anything physical and then have watched their HR drop to mid 40s while they are are relaxed and just laying back.  I personally have a high resting HR, 90-110 typically and have had monitors show that I have made it to 46 while asleep.  The HR is regulated by the autonomic nervous system and while you are asleep, your HR, BP, and respirations are lowered to accommodate for your lowered metabolic needs.

[Jerry_NJ]

All your numbers look reasonable to me, I am just unfamiliar with a resting HR of 30, as are you it seems.  

Yes, key to Olympic class running is a superior cardiovascular.  The rest of us simply can't train our way around not having the basic stuff.  This was particularly hard for my son who was good enough at running in high school that he got a couple of full scholarship offers.  He decided to go elsewhere, so much for dad's money : (  I recall a not impressive looking young man a year younger than my son who was a state champion. The only explanation I could figure was he had a stronger cardiovascular, he didn't train any harder as far as I could tell.

So where are "we"?  I think I feel comfortable with your low resting HR, hop you do too, still discuss it with a doctor next time you see one for any reason, sore throat or physical exam, whatever.  Then too maybe you'll get some replies for members who also have such a low HR, I never was one of them (not that I ever checked my HR when just waking up).

[JamesAA]

Hey Jerry.  My HR is typically around between 150-160 during my 9 min/mile pace for 3 miles.  Generally though at that pace it sustains itself more or less around 155.  If I kicked it up a notch to 8.5 min/mile pace it may go up to 160 but never until the 2nd or 3rd mile.  I noticed that the same run will produce slightly different HRs.  Some days it seems to stay in the lower 150s range, while others it's more in the upper 150s.  Kind of seems like a crapshoot as far as that's concerned.  

I'm with you though, I'd be surprised if anyone could run that pace under 130 bpm and also a disbeliever if anyone can do it under 100.  

I'd LOVE to believe I have a super cardiovasc system, but as you can see my running times are very modest at best.  They are probably even below average.  I would think if my caridovasc were so great, I'd be running 6min/mile paces easily.  I can't even do 1 mile in 6 min.  I could probably do it in 7+ min, but my HR would be nearing max upon completion.  

[Gulfstream2]

I've heard of some people dipping down into their thrities when they sleep, so it doesn't seem unusual.

And yes, it could just be that you have never checked your pulse and when you did, the lower number alarmed you.

[Jerry_NJ]

In the absence of any symptoms other than a low HR, it sounds like the panic is the only thing you need to put to rest for now.

Regardless, I would expect a little physical activity to bring the HR up.. not immedately, but say walk to the toilet and back (assume at least 30 feet) and measure while standing.  If still 30 I would not panic but I would think about discussing with a doctor.  

You may just have a super cardiovascular, it that's the case, luck you.

You mention running 9 minute miles for a few miles, what is your HR in mid course?  When I was younger and not blogging here about my atrial fibrillation I was still doing 10 minute miles (usually 3) when in 65 yo, on the level my HR would be about 150, my maximum considering my age.  If it started to go higher I had to slow down.  

If you can run, on the level, 9 minute miles with a HR under 150 I'd be surprised, under 130 shocked, under 100 a disbeliever.

Keep up the running but be careful not to damage your feet or knees... the downside of running.

[JamesAA]

Thanks guys.  Well I got up to my feet expecting to feel very dizzy since the HR was so low...but I didn't.  I stood around for a few seconds and it was still pretty slow, and I had expected it to shoot up when I rose out of bed.  Since it didn't I immediately had a panic attack.  Now THAT made my HR increase immediately (thankfully).  From that point on in never dropped below about 50 since, and that was 13 hours ago, and I did sleep during some of that time.  I don't know, feeling my heart beat that slowly was really alarming.  I know I'm doing more runs now in cardio but 30 bpm can't be connected to that??  Maybe it's that low when I sleep and I just never knew about it??  I really don't know.  I've checked my HR many times upon waking up and I've never seen it as low as 30.....doesn't mean it hasn't been that low before, but I've certainly never recorded it that low before.  

[Jerry_NJ]

You have a low HR to begin with, so a very low HR when fully resting may just be your cardiovascular system, a very strong good one.

Still 30 per minute is low enough to be checked... perhaps you have a sleep problem, I'll not try to guess the name of it, which is what is causing you to wake up.  Do you feel short of breath when you wake up?  Can you get out of bed and not feel dizziness?  If you don't have any of the classic low oxygen symptoms it seems you 30 bpm is doing the job.  I assume just getting to your feet would bring your HR up toward 60 or better, that didn't happen?

In spite of the problem,
Wish you a Merry Christmas

[abc85]

You say that you already have a low HR normally.  When people sleep their HR decreases even more and can be pretty slow.  When people are really relaxed and not moving their HR can be pretty slow as well.  You say you felt normal and that it came back up once you got up and moved around.  I wouldn't be too concerned about it unless it was accompanied by chest pain, shortness of breath, or confusion.