Training & Nutrition - Why is my heart rate so high?

I've always had a racing heart rate, and I have no idea why. Even at my peak of fitness it was high. I'm now 40 and I strapped my wife's HRM on. We were both just standing here. Hers was around 73, and when she sat down it dropped to 63. For me, standing was 120-125, and sitting was like 100-110. The lowest I could get it, trying to sit back and relax was like 85. I think it's like 75 in my sleep.

The thing is, I've been riding consistently for over 20 years, while my wife has never done anything aerobic, other than the past year of cycling. Is it genetics? Bad luck? Does it even make a difference?

See a doctor.

Koffee

See a doctor.

Koffee


+1

That is far too high

Well I get regular checkups, and my last one was not too long ago. Blood pressure and everything was fine, but he didn't seem concerned with the heart rate. I wonder if I'm dehydrated.

Maybe I need a sports doctor or something.

Well, if your doctor isn't concerned, it may be something of no concern. Getting a diagnosis off bikeforums isn't a wise thing to do- that's like saying "ow, I think I broke my arm! What should I do, guys?". I wouldn't ask anyone here to give me a medical diagnosis or ask their opinions. I'd see a doctor.

If you're really concerned, you'll want to see a cardiologist. They'll be the ones who can run specialized tests and look to see what the cause of this high heart rate.

Good luck, man.

Koffee

I've always had a racing heart rate, and I have no idea why. Even at my peak of fitness it was high. I'm now 40 and I strapped my wife's HRM on. We were both just standing here. Hers was around 73, and when she sat down it dropped to 63. For me, standing was 120-125, and sitting was like 100-110. The lowest I could get it, trying to sit back and relax was like 85. I think it's like 75 in my sleep.

The thing is, I've been riding consistently for over 20 years, while my wife has never done anything aerobic, other than the past year of cycling. Is it genetics? Bad luck? Does it even make a difference?

A number of things... First, women will tend to have slighly lower HR's, and if she's smaller than you that could contribute also. Normal HR's for a person are almost entirely genetic, especially WRT to MHR's. If you get really fit then maybe it will be 56 when you first wake up in the morning like mine. Maybe your MHR will be 199-200 like mine. Sitting in a chair at 75bpm like mine. All perfectly normal for this 46 year-old. As far as doctors, well, my coach is a doctor!

As you can see, your numbers may be just fine, but a blood pressure check is certainly in order and a visit to your HMO for a little check would help put you at ease. If there is something wrong you'd like to know, right?

-Warren

P.S. Lay off the double cappacinos for awhile. :-)

Stick a hair pin in a wall socket...that should fix it. :) :D :eek:

Jon the internet doctor. ;)

My max heart rate (i.e. on a vile climb) is still up around 200. My last full physical was around 2 years ago, and included an EKG. Still, next checkup I'll bug the doc about it.




P.S. Lay off the double cappacinos for awhile. :-)
Don't drink coffee, never have. Closest thing I have to caffiene is some occasional chocolate.

I have similar numbers *, my sports doc said it's genetic and to ignore other people's numbers.

* 75 in my sleep, 85-90 sitting around, 100-110 walking around the house. Just getting on the bike puts me over 120, and I've been working out regularly for several years.

A number of things... First, women will tend to have slighly lower HR's, and if she's smaller than you that could contribute also. Normal HR's for a person are almost entirely genetic, especially WRT to MHR's. If you get really fit then maybe it will be 56 when you first wake up in the morning like mine. Maybe your MHR will be 199-200 like mine. Sitting in a chair at 75bpm like mine. All perfectly normal for this 46 year-old. As far as doctors, well, my coach is a doctor!

As you can see, your numbers may be just fine, but a blood pressure check is certainly in order and a visit to your HMO for a little check would help put you at ease. If there is something wrong you'd like to know, right?

-Warren

P.S. Lay off the double cappacinos for awhile. :-)

Actually, women will tend to have slightly higher heart rates- women have smaller hearts then men. Generally, the larger the heart, the lower the heart rate (of course, exercise can be a factor here that influences heart rate).

Koffee

Yes, if gender is the only difference. Size matters. Smaller bodies tend to have lower HR's.

-Warren

That's not correct. Smaller bodies tend to have higher heart rates. Generally, women tend to have higher heart rates then men. Thus, men pump more blood through their hearts. This gives them larger hearts than women, and therefore, a larger stroke volume. If you think about stroke volume, if stroke volume is limited (smaller heart), then heart rate increases as work load increases. With a larger heart, men would have a lower heart rate at the same work load as their female counterpart. Women generally have smaller bodies then men, which means they have smaller hearts then men. So their heart rates would be higher than men who are taller than they are.

Koffee

I think Koffee's correct. Little birds have heart rates of like 400, and elephants have heart rates of like 30. Bigger usually = lower with animals.

I'm 45 and have a MHR of 195. I would ignore all the formulas and comparisons. Everyone is different.

If you've seen a doc and he sees nothing to worry about, I wouldn't either.

You're simply special. :)

Az

That's not correct. Smaller bodies tend to have higher heart rates.

Koffee

When I asked a cardiologist about my own relatively high HR he replied that being larger/taller would tend towards a higher HR. It was awhile ago but I think he said something about the distance the blood was traveling, especially through the legs. I did a quick google and found more support of this-the larger body tending towards a higher HR.

-Warren

I have had a tendency to run "hot" with heart rate and BP throughout my life. With heart-rate, it becomes especially apparent the day after any type of heavy compound weight lifting, such as squats or deadlifts. Depending on the previous-days' workout, just getting up out of a chair can send heart racing. The second day, things are back to "normal" (for me) -- which is still in the 70's for resting rates. I rarely see any readings in the 60's. Never have.

The NIH did a study several years ago of resting heart rates (across selected age groups/gender). The study was actually to map the resulting numbers with health risks (including cancer, believe it or not) over time. Anyway, the numbers that came out of the study panned out to 40 bpm at the low end, and 100 bpm at the high end, which they mapped as the "normal range". The "averages" (across the group) for male were 70 bpm, and 75 bpm for female.

Edited to say: They did find a correlation between the higher resting heart rates and the onset of cancer in middle age. Remember the "averages" were 70male and 75female -- so the "higher" rates would be close to (or even above) the 100 resting bpm number on the scale given above.

Koffee is right - if you believe there is reason for concern see a specialist.
Just an off-note - Ever since these polar gadgets became popular, it seems that we are way to concerned with what the gadgets tells us about our heart and we don't listen with our hearts. Disconnect the gadgets and listen with your heart and mind, they generally will not lie.

Sitting here at the computer and mine is around 80.

The hard and fast rules of heart rate while resting:

>100 tachycardia
<60 bradycardia

Any reading in between will be basically ignored by a doc. Furthermore, doctors may dismiss a high HR in the office because they just figure you are tense. Talk to him/her just to rest your mind if nothing else.

When I asked a cardiologist about my own relatively high HR he replied that being larger/taller would tend towards a higher HR. It was awhile ago but I think he said something about the distance the blood was traveling, especially through the legs. I did a quick google and found more support of this-the larger body tending towards a higher HR.

-Warren

There must have been some kind of miscommunication. I know that taller people have larger hearts BECAUSE their hearts have to pump more blood out to longer extremeties. Perhaps when you did a google search, there were other mitigating factors in the studies you didn't immediately see in the studies you read that might have made those taller people have higher heart rates.

Koffee

Thats blood pressure..

I'm 45 and have a MHR of 195. I would ignore all the formulas and comparisons. Everyone is different.

If you've seen a doc and he sees nothing to worry about, I wouldn't either.

You're simply special. :)

Az

You my friend are a genetic freak relatively speaking. :D
Tis the truth laddy. We are genetically programmed differently from each other. And as much as I would love to disagree with Koffee, the lass speakith the truth (per capita). Generally speaking men have larger hearts thus stroke volume in greater but again that is generally speaking. To say that all men do, would be like saying all our bikes are the same. And here is another general fact “ women live longer then dudes do. Some say its because they don't have to marry other women, but I think its because they take better care of themselves then we do. ;) As far as RHR the average is 70 in the USA.
Hey if it bugs you see the doc.
Velocity

You my friend are a genetic freak relatively speaking. :D
Tis the truth laddy. We are genetically programmed differently from each other. And as much as I would love to disagree with Koffee, the lass speakith the truth (per capita). Generally speaking men have larger hearts thus stroke volume in greater but again that is generally speaking. To say that all men do, would be like saying all our bikes are the same. And here is another general fact “ women live longer then dudes do. Some say its because they don't have to marry other women, but I think its because they take better care of themselves then we do. ;) As far as RHR the average is 70 in the USA.
Hey if it bugs you see the doc.
Velocity


Women generally live longer because they have less of a chance of early heart disease because they are protected due to their high estrogen levels. After menopause, their chances of heart disease increases, but usually if you are going to have heart disease that is going to kill you, you have it earlier in life. :D

Koffee is right - if you believe there is reason for concern see a specialist.
Just an off-note - Ever since these polar gadgets became popular, it seems that we are way to concerned with what the gadgets tells us about our heart and we don't listen with our hearts. Disconnect the gadgets and listen with your heart and mind, they generally will not lie.


Right! I've been fine all along then got a HR monitor. Rate showed on the high side (or at least what I thought was high) and I got freaked! Turns out some of my riding friends had the same thing. In the end, I returned the HRM because I knew I would spend too much time worrying about this!

Sheldon