Two months ago, I begun measuring my blood pressure once a week (as I get short bouts of vertigo 'out of the blue' once every 8 or so months). My BP has typically ranged from 130-135/76-78 during this time, however my RHR has almost always been 56 BPM.
Do you think this is normal, or should it be something to be concerned about as a person who is an untrained athlete? Some sites on the internet say 50-100 BPM is normal whereas others say 60-100 BPM. If I fit into the latter, then I would have a condition called Bradycardia? Aside from the occasional bout of dizziness/vertigo, I feel fine. Can an untrained athlete like me still be considered OK with a HR of 56, or is this something I need to get addressed ASAP with a trip to the Doctor/ER?
What can I do to increase my RHR from 56 to one that is in the 60-100 BPM range?
My background: I'm a 35 yo male, 184cm tall and 92kg (I'm definitely overweight, and possibly almost obese according to my BMI). I've cut down drinking alcohol and rarely take illicit substances but I have been smoking tobacco since I was 19. I do resistance training exercises 2-3 times a week, but do very little to no cardio each week.
Thanks heaps
Written by
Jim7180
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If you have no 'symptoms' then a HR of 56bpm is unlikely to be anything to worry about on its own.
Your blood pressure is a little on the high side though - you'd need to check with your GP if they want to investigate this further. High blood pressure can be a silent killer (no obvious external symptoms) - but it can be helped
Making appropriate lifestyle changes would certainly help lower your blood pressure, but you probably don't need a lecture on that.
Are you figures based on an average calculated on a Smart Watch or have you taken them at a specific time of day using a blood pressure machine and arm cuff?
Sometimes , if you are concerned it is a good idea to take your blood pressure and heart rate measurements at different times of the day for a number of days with a cuff based machine .
Just to establish if there is some sort of pattern , or if the lower or higher heart rate only happens at certain times of the day or after doing certain things.
You also need to consider if you are having any other symptoms that are causing you concern not just the readings in isolation.
Obviously, if you are concerned it is better to gain peace of mind and arrange an appointment with your GP to have a proper assessment. If there is an issue they are best qualified to help and decide if you require further examination or a referral.
A regular medical health check is wise for all of us , both Men and Women, just to help us to be proactive in making healthy lifestyle choices.
The GP will probably take all of your information about your age, BMI , diet , exercise and life style choices into account.
If they don't find anything that requires immediate medical attention then they are likely to suggest that you stop taking any illicit substances , stop smoking and make some changes to your diet or alcohol consumption to help improve your BP and heart rate and prevent future health issues.
Then it's your choice which advice to take from there.
My resting heart rate is often in the low 50s and regularly dips into the low 40s, usually overnight. Been like that for as long as I can remember, apart from when I have been prescribed a beta blocker which has dipped me into the 30s. I (will) no longer take those. We are all different and few, if any, of us are average so using internet guidelines doesn't really work or apply for most of us. Best thing to do if concerned is to talk it over with your GP. It may well be nothing to worry about. Similarly for your BP which many sites will put down as "high normal". I'd suspect they'd want to monitor that for a bit, possibly recommending some lifestyle changes on diet, exercise and smoking, before introducing any medication into the mix.
Jim, you haven't been very clear about your symptoms. Unfortunately we tend to use the general term "dizziness" for two very different conditions, vertigo and syncope
Vertigo is usually due to an inner ear problem. It is experienced when you change the position of your head, often when sitting up in bed. The room appears to be spinning around and you know that if you try to stand up you will fall down. If you remain sitting still for a short time, the vertigo usually stops and you can proceed with normal activity. This problem can often be cured through a simple manoeuvre of the head that you can do at home. With vertigo you don't feel faint and you won't pass out, although you could fall over and knock yourself unconscious!
Feeling faint, or syncope, is usually due to low blood pressure resulting in a lack of oxygen to the brain. If this is what's happening to you but it's very infrequent, it probably won't be regarded as very significant as it will pass if you keep still or sit with your head between your knees for à while.
Your resting HR of 56 is not at all unusual. My wife and our two sons each have a HR in the 50s, so it appears to be genetic in their case as my HR was always in the 70s.
Most of us would love to have a RHR of 56. Mine is sometimes under 40 and this slow rate tends to trigger odd compensatory beats such as PVC's and PAC's.
Illicit substances? Could they be the cause of the vertigo you experience? I don't think anyone who takes illicit substances should expect normal health regardless of how often they take them. That would be wishful thinking.
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