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

I have always had a high heart rate--as long as I can remember. But I never knew how high it typically was until I got my heartrate monitor a couple of weeks ago.

I am 24 years old. 5'11" 155lbs. I'm in pretty good shape. I've been active all of my life: running, cycling, swimming, lifting and I am a little more fit now than I have been in a few years, but my heart rate is still very high.

The lowest resting heart rate I've measured since I got my HRM is 59, a more typical number would be 75. This is first thing in the morning where the only thing I have done is reach over the side of the bed and strap on the monitor. It's not at all unusual for my standing heartrate to be 110 and sitting to be 100. My max heartrate (that I have managed to measure by running up hills) is 199. I think I could have pushed it higher still.

Does this seem strange to anyone? It seems pretty high to me. I always hear people talking about their RHRs and it makes me wonder if this is just a very arbitrary measure of fitness.

Thanks. -Chris

It would be better to ask a doctor than to get the opinions of people on a forum. With that said, I do know over training can cause the at rest heart rate to increase but only around 10%. Do you consume caffeine? Meth?

Do you take your heart rate at different times of the day when you are going about your activities? Or is it only in the morning and right before you go on a ride?

Do you have any medical conditions or take any drugs? This could be caffeine and the like.

Are there any cardiac conditions that run in your family?

Has a nurse or doctor ever taken you pulse? Do you suffer from stress or have unresolved anxiety?

As well, when was the last time you had your thyroid gland checked?

It could also be related to genetics and that is just the way that you body works?
Have you gone for your anual physical lately? if your Dr. is concerned I am sure he may be able to help you clarify the situation.

HR seems about right to me...

I would say that fine too. When i've tried to get up to my max heart rate i've had it up over 200 and kept it at 190 for a good 7-10 mins. So i dont see whats wrong with yours. Unless age has a large effect on it seeing as im 15.

Comparing HR between people doesn't really do anything - different people have different-sized hearts.

Standing does take a fair bit of effort. My resting is in the low 40s, but I'll be up in the 70s when I'm waiting to start a ride.

Thanks for the advice. I should probably talk to a Doctor, but that will have to wait. I'm not really worried about it, just curious. I mean, it's been high as long as I can remember, even when I was swimming an hour and half every day. I just didn't really have much to compare to until I got the HRM.

Anyway: No caffiene, no drugs, no meth (sorry kenny!). Maybe I'm a bit excitable though, I often have trouble sleeping at night, I get stressed out sometimes and ADD runs in my family--I don't know if any of these would have an effect.


Do you take your heart rate at different times of the day when you are going about your activities? Or is it only in the morning and right before you go on a ride?

I often waste a bunch of time before I ride and I've worn my HRM all day a couple of time just for the hell of it, but now that the novelty is wearing off I only use it first thing in the morning and right before I work out (I've been running lately b/c my bike was messed up--first ride in over two weeks tonight btw!:D ).

Mine is like that. My max is at least 202 now (I'm 27) and sitting around it's in the mid 50s. Since I've been riding a lot it gets into the 40s on occasion, but that seems to correspond to when I'm over-reached. The other thing that seems to have happened is a drop in my LT HR, but with a huge increase in power at LT. Maybe I'm just wimping out now before LT...

Heartrate monitor readings are great discussion starters..... Heartrate, by itself, has little to do with good or bad health. The fact that you can raise to HR to a high level pretty much assures you are normal.

People in poor health, usually cannot change their HR very much.

Actually, to get your resting heart rate, you need to sleep with the monitor on and check it when you wake up. The 59 sounds excellent for anybody as does your max. More typical lows are in the 70's, but that's for non exercised folks. The rest of your readings seem high for the efforts described. As mentioned, I'd get a doctor to look into it, but it could be just normal for you.

Al

Thanks all!

Next time I see a doctor I'll ask. Meanwhile from what you have all told me, I won't worry about it. I wish I had the HRM that saves my heartrates...

If you are 5' 11" and only weigh
155, I'd have your thyroid checked dude!

Sounds like you could be hyperthyroid!
The symptoms of trouble sleeping at night
and being hyper are dead give-aways too.

If high thyroid 'is' the problem, the worst
case scenario is that they remove your
thyroid and you take a supplement of
synthroid for the rest of your life in
milder doses. There may be other
things you can do without surgery.

See your Doctor and have em run a T2 - T3
test and see what your levels are. That
is one reason I could think of for such a
high resting HR.

Sounds like you are otherwise healthy
as hell though.

If you are 5' 11" and only weigh
155, I'd have your thyroid checked dude!

Sounds like you could be hyperthyroid!
The symptoms of trouble sleeping at night
and being hyper are dead give-aways too.

If high thyroid 'is' the problem, the worst
case scenario is that they remove your
thyroid and you take a supplement of
synthroid for the rest of your life in
milder doses. There may be other
things you can do without surgery.

See your Doctor and have em run a T2 - T3
test and see what your levels are. That
is one reason I could think of for such a
high resting HR.

Sounds like you are otherwise healthy
as hell though.


If you suspect hyperthyroidism there are other obvious signs that one can look for at home. Bulging eyeballs are a physical sign, as well as lid lag-when you look down your eyelids should naturally follow, covering more of your eyeball the further you look down. Other symptoms may be weight loss, fatigue, heat intolerance, shortness of breath, excessive sweating, fine muscle tremors, thin silky hair and skin, infrequent blinking, and a staring appearance. Jarvis 2004. p295

Of course blood tests will work fine also.

If you are 5' 11" and only weigh
155, I'd have your thyroid checked dude!

Sounds like you could be hyperthyroid!
The symptoms of trouble sleeping at night
and being hyper are dead give-aways too.

If high thyroid 'is' the problem, the worst
case scenario is that they remove your
thyroid and you take a supplement of
synthroid for the rest of your life in
milder doses. There may be other
things you can do without surgery.

See your Doctor and have em run a T2 - T3
test and see what your levels are. That
is one reason I could think of for such a
high resting HR.

Sounds like you are otherwise healthy
as hell though. What in the hell does that mean-that he is too skinny, look at the weights of most cyclists and you will find they tend to be on the thin side. When I was 36 and riding and racing I was 151 lbs and 5 ft 11 inches. That height and weight falls in the normal range for the wieght charts also (low side). I'm 55 now and weigh 165 and plan on getting down to 160 next summer.

If you are 5' 11" and only weigh
155, I'd have your thyroid checked dude!



I don't think that's particularly light. I'm currently at 170 pounds on my 6' 2" frame, and when I played soccer in high school, I was 162 pounds.

And, no, I'm not hypothyroid.

I don't think that I'm too skinny--I don't think anyone here is implying that--or at least I didn't take it that way. I've been heavier. Anyway, nedgoudy did correctly point out that the problem I was complaining about is a symptom of hyperthyroid (which is the opposite of hypothyroid).

So yeah, I do fit the bill and I'll ask my doctor. Thanks guys.

Not sure what he was implying but I just don't think your heart rate is high at all and am not sure why you think so.

morning resting heart rate should be the lowest of any time of day.
you literally should wear the HRM strap to bed, with plastic baggie parts under the
electrodes (to save battery life). in the morning, wake up, pull plastic, wet electrodes with
saliva on fingertip and take a reading. do not even roll over once ! for accurate results.

if it is running that high, you are having scary dreams, have to pee, or
have a real issue.

I don't think that's particularly light. I'm currently at 170 pounds on my 6' 2" frame, and when I played soccer in high school, I was 162 pounds.

And, no, I'm not hypothyroid.

"Heavy" is not relevent if it's muscle mass. Weight is not important, fat percentage is. Also, the famous Body Mass Index was developed for population studies and not for application to individuals, but people do it any way. It only works reasonably well for folks with little muscle mass.

Al

I also fit in the higher then average camp. However, hearts are hard to replace, so I'd highly recomend you run it by your doctor to confirm your thoughts and make sure it's not something else going on (even if it's been that way for a long time).

My bodyfat is about 9.5%, which is not really too low for someone my age. So, no worries about my weight.

It sure sounds fine to me. What number did you think would be normal if you think 70's is abnormal?

It sure sounds fine to me. What number did you think would be normal if you think 70's is abnormal?

i heard that 70-90 was normal for sedentary people and usually people that were fit would have rhrs in the 60s and under. i just wanted to know if anyone else who was in pretty good shape also had a heartrate that was higher than the "standard."

heard that 70-90 was normal for sedentary people and usually people that were fit would have rhrs in the 60s and under. i just wanted to know if anyone else who was in pretty good shape also had a heartrate that was higher than the "standard."

Maybe you are not as fit as you think or you are just in the range of what is normal. It can take years of above average exercise to get your HR to that level (sub 60's) I was always very fit as a teenager and into my 20's. I ran track for 2 hours a day, 5 days a week. Push mowed my lawn for three hours on Sunday and rode a horse on Saturday. My resting HR was never below 76 and was usually in the 80's or 90s. As long as it is under 110 you are fine.

He did say he has seen 59 after reaching over to get the HRM so it looks fine to me. Love the posts about how skinny some people are-I think some posters are not aware of what serious cyclists weigh if they tend to be on the thin side, ever check out the weight of pro cyclists-scrawny little dudes but they ride like a raped ape.

Maybe you are not as fit as you think or you are just in the range of what is normal. It can take years of above average exercise to get your HR to that level (sub 60's) I was always very fit as a teenager and into my 20's. I ran track for 2 hours a day, 5 days a week. Push mowed my lawn for three hours on Sunday and rode a horse on Saturday. My resting HR was never below 76 and was usually in the 80's or 90s. As long as it is under 110 you are fine.

That's more along the lines of what I was expecting to hear from people. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't the only one. :D

I wonder what the stats are for thyroid diease. I might look around. I wonder if thyroid disease is over or under treated.

I wonder what the stats are for thyroid diease. I might look around. I wonder if thyroid disease is over or under treated.

I have heard that synthroid is the most perscribed drug in north america so it may be one of the most prevalent diseases. It would be interesting to know the results of your search, and would be nice if you could share it with us.

Thank you

What in the hell does that mean-that he is too skinny, look at the weights of most cyclists and you will find they tend to be on the thin side. When I was 36 and riding and racing I was 151 lbs and 5 ft 11 inches. That height and weight falls in the normal range for the wieght charts also (low side). I'm 55 now and weigh 165 and plan on getting down to 160 next summer.

Excuse me Lance,

But at 6' tall, 155 lbs is probably
considered a beanpole in today's
society. I was just trying to suggest
what I thought might be a possible
cause for his high heartrate.

And don't sweat being a beanpole
yourself. You obviously are using it
to your advantage.

As for myself, I weigh 150 lbs of lean
muscle and am 5'6".

I could conceivably be considered 10 lbs
overweight, but frankly I am happy just
the way I am. If I were 6 feet tall I
wouldn't mind weighing 195 lbs of lean
muscle.

If you are into racing road bikes, good
for you, but that is not my interest.

I am 55 years old, just glad to be fit
and alive and ride for fitness and health.

I wish you and your's well, you BEANPOLE! :O)

Excuse me Lance,

But at 6' tall, 155 lbs is probably
considered a beanpole in today's
society. I was just trying to suggest
what I thought might be a possible
cause for his high heartrate.

And don't sweat being a beanpole
yourself. You obviously are using it
to your advantage.

As for myself, I weigh 150 lbs of lean
muscle and am 5'6".

I could conceivably be considered 10 lbs
overweight, but frankly I am happy just
the way I am. If I were 6 feet tall I
wouldn't mind weighing 195 lbs of lean
muscle.

If you are into racing road bikes, good
for you, but that is not my interest.

I am 55 years old, just glad to be fit
and alive and ride for fitness and health.

I wish you and your's well, you BEANPOLE! :O) Ah so you were suggesting he was too skinny (I thought so), I was not trying to sound like someone I'm not just saying that his height and weight is inline for many cyclists. I go on bike rides all summer long and a lot of people are "beanpoles" so just an observation on my part. I do not have a problem with your weight but it seems like you think we are too skinny. LOL