A heart rate question

[Deleted User]

I have just commenced heart rate training a la John Parker. I successfully established my max yesterday with the hilly reps method but am struggling to find my true resting heart rate.

Last night I took my pulse after lying in bed for a few minutes and it was 46 bpm. This morning I tried again before getting up or doing anything and it was much higher than that (in fact, I didn't even finsh counting the minute as I could tell it was faster). This has happened several times before - am I not sleeping enough, sleeping restlessly or what? Do I count the lowest evening reading or the higher morning reading?

[Deleted User]

Mine's the same - possible reasons

1. Dehydration first thing in the morning

2. Putting more effort into sleep than a day's work:)

I take the lowest evening reading.

[Deleted User]

Hi Frisky Piskie

Can I just ask, did you wake up normally or did the alarm wake you up?

If the latter that this could explain it. Also you should try to take it over a number of days and use the average to rule out any spurious readings you might get on a single day.


MK

[Deleted User]

BR - I thought I was the only one. And I probably do spend a lot of time "trying" to sleep. Perhaps the weekend readings will be better as I will be more relaxed.

MK - I had considered the alarm clock theory and have only tried to measure my HR when I have woken up naturally.

Anyway, I will try for another few days and just take the lowest reading I can manage. At least it is less painful than testing my max (which, funnily enough, I am willing to believe after one attempt!)

ceal

Frisky Piskie, when you wake in the morning do you need to go to the loo, ie have a full bladder, if so I would imagine that could put the pulse rate up.

Muttley

I took my minimum hr in the afternoon, flat out on the sofa with a good book followed by a nap.

[Deleted User]

Frisky.

My RHR is always lower either in the evenings during the week or in the afternoons at the weekends. It never seems to be at it's lowest in the mornings! I would go with your lowest reading which for you is in the evenings. 0:)

for me I am a lazy person at weekends and get that natural dozy feeling around 3pm, which is when my RHR drops. In evenings am usually relaxed (if not out running of course!) Mornings am usually busting for loo!!!

straitjacket

Mine is always higher in the morning than evening.I put this down to the fact that I don't realy want to get up and feel agitated that my daughter has come into our room first thing in the morning.Roll on the shorted days and darker nights.

sven27

Why not take your pulse rate on the bog?

paskha

I think HR tends to be higher in the morning cos you are preparing to rise & shine!! often mine is 56 or 60 (only take 15 secs worth) but am only concerned if it is 68 or 72!!

my actual RHR I consider to be 52 - or 48

and "deep in the night" I've caught it being as low as sub-40 (eg. a few days after a marathon ie. extreme endurance)

- almost scary!!