I am a 55 year old female of average weight. Two years ago I had a holter monitor for a week, followed by an eco. I had been having palpitations and was worried. I do have health anxiety and was checking my Fitbit pretty obsessively. When the tests came back normal I turned off the heart monitor on my watch.
Fast forward two years. I have had no symptoms. Last week I was laying down on the couch and got up to go into the kitchen and got lightheaded. This happened a couple of times over the course of two days. Out of curiosity I turned on my heart monitor which I hadn’t looked at in two years and I went back in the history over the last year and noticed that my heart rate drops regularly into the 40s 50s when at rest and especially at night. Doesn’t usually stay there very long a minute or so, and then jumps back up. It alarmed me and triggered my health anxiety. I went to emergency the next day. My ECG and bloods came back fine. The doctor referred me to a cardiologist he said to ease my mind and do a repeat holter monitor. I’m seeing the cardiologist next week. I have high cholesterol but I’m not on any medication that causes low heart beat but I am on psychiatric medication that can mess with the electrical system of the heart in rare cases.
I’m really scared. I bought a new Fitbit last year this time, so I don’t have any records from my previous years to compare with.
From what I have read anything below 60 beats per minute is bradycardia. Should I be worried.
Any insight you can provide would be helpful.
Written by
Kalyani108
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
I have a low resting heart rate in the mid 50s. It can drop to low 40s at night. I have no symptoms like dizziness. When I raised this with my wise and experienced GP he said not to worry. So I don't.
Light-headedness when going from lying down to standing up could be postural hypotension. Mine got more noticeable around my mid-50s as well. Cardiologist told me to sit up first, wait 30 seconds, and then stand.
When you mention your psychiatric medication side-effects, do you mean QT interval prolongation? That would have shown up on your ECG. (I had an ECG when I first went on an SSRI, but I've never had a follow up so I think it either happens or it doesn't.)
Firstly, I am guessing your "Fitbit" is wrist mounted. If you look in the instructions you will probably (hopefully) find a disclaimer, along with a warning that is should not be used for medical purposes, which is what you are doing. If you need to measure your heartrate accurately you need one with a chest mounted sensor.
Secondly getting up quickly can very often result in the feelings you had, and is usually caused by a temporary drop in blood pressure (nothing to do with heart rate), but is in itself not particularly anything to worry about. My heart rate is regularly in your range and below and I am not on any blood pressure medication either, this does not mean you have Bradycardia, it may be perfectly normal for you, and you are very likely worrying without good cause.
If I were you I would be more worried about your high Cholesterol. Are you taking any measures to lower it? Do you undertake regular exercise? If not you may find this far more effective for your mental wellbeing and certainly better for you than the medication by the sound of it?
Thanks for your reply. I do worry a lot and I am aware of it. I had a hysterectomy a year ago and my cholesterol has increased since then it was borderline before. I walk just over two hours a day. And I’m trying to be better with my diet it’s definitely a work in progress.
I’ve had low resting heart rate since I was put on bisoprolol following my heart attack two years ago. Since then my heart rate has been 48-51 ish. No symptoms until my Fitbit sent 3 warnings that my heart rate had dropped to 42 for ‘at least 10 minutes’ over the course of a weekend. Fearing Fitbit was malfunctioning, I then used a monitor and checked my pulse manually, but Fitbit was accurate. Rang 111 who directed my to A&E August bank holiday for emergency ECG. Was concerned I’d not be taken seriously because I used Fitbit, but doc there said they were now amazingly accurate! Outcome was that all the extra exercise was making me fitter and they halved my bisoprolol dose. Since then, heart rate is still around 50 but no scary messages from Fitbit.
I’m 71. My normal resting heart rate is low 50s but regularly drops into the 40s over night. When I was younger and fitter resting would be in the 40s. Miguel Indurain, Tour de France winner, had a resting heart rate in the 20s. Sounds like you just have a healthy low heart rate and, as you suggest, health anxiety issue.
My heart rate is in the 40s at rest. Lower at night. I was told to worry if it gets into the 30s. If I jump up to quickly then I get head rush. So I get up slowly. If I have heavily exercised the head rush is heavier.
My resting HR is typically 45 and goes down to high 30s sleeping… I regularly set off alarms (needing resetting) when in Hospital a couple of years ago… BUT I have no specific symptoms and I am fit for my age so my Cardiologist/EP has no concerns at present - try not to worry (easier said than done of course) 😊
I have had a low heart rate for a few years now. I used to run in the upper 80s but I have dropped down since my hypertension got under control. It is now generally in the 60s when I am up and will drop to the 50s and upper 40s when I am laying down. I do have to get up slowly as my BP drops if I try to get up fast and it tends to make me a little dizzy if I move to quickly.
For the cholesterol, I was on a couple of different statins over the years that helped a bit but not as much as needed and I was worried about the effects they can have on the liver. Found a study one time on a medical journal (not an alternative site) that stated a study had been done on Bergamot Extract and they found that 1500mg daily helped many people lower their LDL and Triglycerides. I went it for 4 1/2 months before my next blood levels were taken and for the first time in over 15 years it was in the normal range. High normal but still at last in the normal range and no side effects. That was about 5 years ago and I still go on it for a few months at a time to keep it from going high again. I don't normally go in for supplements but that one worked for me and I think the Bilberry Extract I have been taking since I read back in 1985 something on RAF pilots being given it has also worked as at 72 I still have extremely good night vision.
It is advisable to discuss taking any supplement with your GP or a pharmacist before you start, in case there is any interaction with any medication you take.
True. I am on BP meds and a diuretic with Potassium but have been cleared for both supplements. When I wrote that it was late at night and not thinking all that clearly or I'd have added it. Another reason I was glad to switch off the statins besides the liver issue was that I couldn't have my favorite fruit with it. Same when I was on the Clopidogrel.
Grapefruit? I switched to pitavastatin, which would allow me to eat grapefruit again. However, I am now taking apixaban and the instructions suggest grapefruit be limited to 1 - 2x per week.
Lipitor and Crestor were the ones I was on and I was told to have none which really aggravated me to no end. The Clopidogrel I was put on after my TAVR was the same. fortunately I was not on it all that long.
Dont worry whatever you do! I am 68 and my resting HR is around 35, and has been for some years. Yes, I do keep pretty fit, but it's still brachycardia if you want to label it.I've had a heart valve replacement (likely caused by bacteria getting in my blood stream during gum infection), but otherwise all good.
Cardiologist has basically said if I do get dizzy regularly (ie not just standing up too quickly), then pacemaker might be needed.
Afib came back recently (and for me that meant HR drop to less than 30), and I had an ablation last week - he did say he might go for a pacemaker as well, depending on what he saw during the procedure, but nope.
So here I am, still beating away in the mid 30s, getting back to the gym and the bike.
No unexpected dizziness, and I think that's the key. Standing up suddenly doesn't count as unexpected.
Hope that helps a bit at least, wishing you all the best
Hi I am a 77 year old with 18 cardiac stents . I have had a low resting heart rate all my life less than 40 at night it can be as low as 35. It has not caused me any problems during my life. T
Hi, I wasn’t diagnosed for years. I had a low heart rate from my watch and low blood pressure making me dizzy and then started having pre syncope’s I fell twice when out walking with it. They found eventually I had bradycardia, very low Blood Pressure and my heart was missing beats every so often which was caused by too many ectopics, Bigeminy beats. I went private to have an echocardiogram as they kept telling me I was healthy and it was just anxiety. It resulted in EF of 35 which is classed as heart failure. Ectopics got worse ended up in hospital after passing out and I had a CRT-D (Cardiac Resynchronisation Therapy with defibrillator) in August 2023. It probably isn’t the same for you every one is different it’s just what happened to me. If you can afford it see a private cardiologist and ask for an Echocardiogram to reassure yourself? Good luck and hope it sorts itself out. X
I have a RHR of 39, at night my HR drops to 33, been like that for 2 years that I know of, it's been fully checked out and the cardiologist has given me all clear, he told me it would be of benefit to me in my recovery from my CA. I'm not on beta blockers for obvious reasons and feel fit and healthy, cycling every day and the gym several times a week.
Just a query since you mention low HR but high cholesterol… both can be symptoms of hypothyroidism, have you been tested for this with TSH, but also ideally Ft4 and FT3 and the two autoimmune antibodies TPO and TgAb? Sufferers are increasingly finding GPs now rarely test for little more than TSH and have to get a private lab test from the likes of Medichecks, Blue Horizon or Monitor my Health…not cheap (c.£80-100 range) , but tend to include major vitamin/ minerals too. Worth doing perhaps if you will continue to worry about your health stats. I see you don’t mention your BP…does that change with HR? I have postural hypotension ie on standing sometime my BP plummets, in contrast to you my HR then goes up to compensate, but some keep low HR.
Thanks for asking it was checked 2 years ago and was fine but needs to be rechecked. I may have to pay to have it done as my doctor is sometimes not very open to my requests.
Hi sounds just like I have been through last 6 months had numerous Blood tests all came back ok 24 hour ECG Todd occasionally drops to 40 told not to worry E ectopic beats (sitting here now having irregular beats mostly at rest ) also had echocardiogram told there not worried about that either ( I do have slight leak on valve ) so I’m trying not to worry hope you get some answers soon 🌻
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.
Fast heart rate
Unknown cause of heart attack
What is a low heart rate? 
Low heart rate
Low resting heart rate - should I be worried?
