Heart rate spikes when painting - British Heart Fou...

British Heart Foundation

54,710 members34,240 posts

Heart rate spikes when painting

Lucky14 profile image
24 Replies

Hi I am on medication for HBP and keep well with it. I wear a garmin watch which records my heart rate, and it it usually around 60-70's occasionally dipping as low as 47, i have had my rate checked at the doctors and i have then checked the watch and they are both the same. I have been painting recently and have noticed its been going through the roof as I'm painting. My watch is worn on the wrist of the hand that is doing all the paint work, its an outside fence so its long brush strokes, its sitting about 179 throughout the duration of painting, only settling down when I've stopped. Is it just the watch, or the activity? I run on a fairly regular basis and it usually sits at 140 then?

Thanks

Written by
Lucky14 profile image
Lucky14
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
24 Replies
FreedomOne profile image
FreedomOne

I have a garmin watch and although accurate most of the time it does have tendencies to give interesting readings, which make me laugh. For example today after a long walk and getting back home my heart rate dropped to 30 - I know this is wrong and other times I see i'm running in the high 100's again I don't believe it. The reason I don't believe it is I have checked my pulse many times manually when I get these weird and wonderful readings and they prove the readings to be incorrect, hear rate is normal and not what the watch reading says.

So my advice to you is always manually check your heart rate as the watch is mostly accurate but can give inaccurate readings occasionally.

Lucky14 profile image
Lucky14 in reply toFreedomOne

Thanks, I will check my pulse next time myself.

FreedomOne profile image
FreedomOne in reply toLucky14

You're welcome. Failing not wanting to check your pulse manually get someone else to do the painting for you, only joking of course. Hope all is good.

Lucky14 profile image
Lucky14 in reply toFreedomOne

lol, the painting is whats keeping me sane 😂

FreedomOne profile image
FreedomOne in reply toLucky14

Snap 🙂

Shoshov profile image
Shoshov in reply toLucky14

iv run out and ordered some from homebase. they’re opening stores tomufor 4 days to catch up with orders. thought i could pick it up tomorrow but got a message today saying i’ll get a phone call tomorrow with an appointment of when to go. knowing my luck i’ll get the last slot on sunday🤣🤣

SpiritoftheFloyd profile image
SpiritoftheFloyd in reply toShoshov

God you're lucky - I still ca't get anything for my fences, Homebase store 15 minutes walk away - resolutely shut for the last 4 weeks

Shoshov profile image
Shoshov in reply toSpiritoftheFloyd

yeah they’re shut here too. i ordered online for delivery but as they’ve got too many deliveries to do they decided to allow us to collect them by opening stores for 5 days. they’ve opened so many b&q stores up here this week too

Lucky14 profile image
Lucky14 in reply toShoshov

I manged to get mine from poundstretcher and at a better price than all the DIY stores.

Shoshov profile image
Shoshov in reply toLucky14

i don’t go out to shops so missed them. it keeps you sane being able to do something and get a wee uplift when you see it done. keep safe lucky❤️

Qualipop profile image
Qualipop in reply toShoshov

Yes I'd done an online order from Homebase and got an email asking whether I wanted to collect and I'd be given a time slot so they could just put it in the car or if I'd prefer to wait. I'm disabled and ousebound anyway so I chose to wait. They've been inundated.

MrDIY profile image
MrDIY

I tried a Garmin Viviosmart HR and found it to be variable. It matched my blood pressure heart rate most of the time but when I was active, doing the sorts of things you are doing it would spike and show 140 or 150. I know from previous observations my angina starts around 100 so suspected these high readings were wrong - angina would have been unbearable. I looked at some reviews for the watch and they are not the most reliable ways to monitor heart rate, if you really want to know accurately you should get a chest strap.

My watch is going on flebay and I will manage my condition by the symptoms. My angina comes on with walking and its very predictable, albeit severe.

helixhelix profile image
helixhelix

Might it simply be to do with the hand position? Try wearing it on the hand that’s not doing the painting and see if it varies.

Lucky14 profile image
Lucky14 in reply tohelixhelix

Thats a good idea, i'll try that this afternoon.

Kristin1812 profile image
Kristin1812Heart Star

I thought you meant fine art!

At life drawing I noticed my HR (on Fitbit) reached a much higher level than during my cardio exercise class!

Koassilator profile image
Koassilator in reply toKristin1812

👀 mate that's an easely created event. All depending on the subject 🍑 🎨🖌️

Mikedabike profile image
Mikedabike

I also wear a Garmin watch which in general I am extremely pleased with. Just a word of warning with all watches that check your heart rate with an optical sensor they can be prone to inaccurate readings. It might seem a pain, but if you want a more accurate reading when doing physical activity, a chest heart rate strap is likely to give a more accurate reading. I have found turning my watch inwards so the face is on the inside of the wrist has helped in getting better readings.

NevtheRev profile image
NevtheRev

I have a samsung watch which I have found normally consistent. However, I have noticed that positioning is everything.

Having lost some weight recently the watch was looser than normal so when out cycling I didn’t get consistent readings or the watch wouldn’t read at all. However, on a colder day I put a jacket back on which tends to hold the watch against my arm and the readings were OK.

Koassilator profile image
Koassilator

Maybe we tend to read into it too much sometimes. 🤔

benjijen profile image
benjijen

Make sure your settings in the app are correct. I have a fitbit and it can be set that you wear the watch on your dominant or non-dominant hand so assume garmin would be the same?

SianMonnow profile image
SianMonnow

Oh Lordy! I am just glad that mine still beats. I look after it, of course, but I have no idea how fast it is actually going. So long as I can feel the beat when I am walking my poodly dog then I am a really happy bunny.

Stay safe everyone!

Alisbabas profile image
Alisbabas

Hi Lucky,

I was steaming wallpaper off high up and my heart was pounding and weird beating, not sure it felt like my blood pressure had increased.

Keep safe

Ali

Maybe this is linked...? Spoke to an exercise physiologist (half way between doctor and physical trainer) recently on what exercise is safe to do when recovering from pericarditis.

She said the very last exercises to add back, are any that involve straining arms overhead or putting weight on the arms (eg push-ups).

So maybe the arm movements of painting are a strain on the heart?

I also get some strange “super-high” heart rates from my earphone and/or watch, but usually it is ‘directionally correct’ - I.e. it only shows a super high when I’m exerting. It’s also usually a brief super-high that returns to a more normal exercise-high.

So whilst I would check your Hr manually too, I think it’s possible that painting makes a heart work harder than we might anticipate or notice. If you feel quite tired the next day, then I’d say that could be a sign your heart has worked hard.....

UmaH profile image
UmaH

I have the same issue. My heart rate will occasionally spike only when I’m painting. I use a Fitbit. I paint with the hand the watch isn’t on. Could it be paint fumes?

Not what you're looking for?

You may also like...

heart rate

hi everyone . I just wanted a bit of advice . I’m 43, work out everyday for 30-40 minutes. I’ve...
Emem80 profile image

Heart rate, opinions

Hi I’m currently waiting to see a cardiologist but there is up to an 18 week wait, I went to my...
Sophiee90 profile image

Bisoprolol Resting Heart Rate

Hi, I've been put on 2.5mg Bisoprolol twice daily for some tachycardia that came up on an 48 hr ECG...
Thecyclist profile image

Low heart rate

Is a resting heart under 45 while sleep ok? My I watch every night says that my heart rate drops...
Andywags profile image

High heart rate when eating

Hi, I’ve found that often when I’m out eating somewhere I will get the high heart rate...

Moderation team

See all
HUModerator profile image
HUModeratorAdministrator
Luke_BHF profile image
Luke_BHFPartner
Amy-BHF profile image
Amy-BHFPartner

Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.

Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.