Sleeping heart rate dip

If you’ve ever been told that you have a low heart rate, you may be at risk for a stroke. A new study has found that people with a sleeping heart rate dip of more than 10 beats per minute are at an increased risk for stroke. This means that if your heart rate drops while you’re asleep, you could be in danger!

What is a pulse at rest?

Heart rate is a measure of heart function and health. While the average resting heart rate for healthy individuals is between 60 and 80 bpm, obesity, medicines, anxiety, and other circumstances can influence your heart rate. Physical fitness levels are also important. In fact, a professional athlete’s resting heart rate may be significantly lower than normal, ranging from 40 to 70 beats per minute (bpm).

Because their heart muscle is healthy and robust, regular exercisers’ hearts have to work less to distribute a sufficient quantity of blood throughout the body. For individuals who don’t have strong cardiac muscle, their heart has to pump much harder than usual in order to maintain normal blood flow, resulting in a greater than usual heart rate.

Perfect pulse

The average resting heart rate is 60 to 100 beats per minute in most persons.

In deep sleep, the heart rate can drop to around 60 beats per minute, especially in persons with a very low heart rate when awake.

After waking up, the heart rate of a person will begin to rise to their normal resting heart rate.

Slow pulse at rest

A sluggish resting heart rate can indicate a variety of things, depending on the circumstances. “A lower resting heart rate might indicate a healthier heart in certain situations,” explains Dr. Jason Wasfy at Massachusetts General Hospital Heart Center. “In some cases, a lower resting heart rate might imply greater physical fitness, which is linked to decreased rates of cardiac events like heart attacks.”

In some situations, a slow heart rate might indicate something more serious, depending on your activity level and age. It’s typical for the elderly to have a lower resting heart rate than others (for example). So what if your resting heart rate is less than 60 bpm but you’re not an athlete or a senior?

According to the American Heart Association, this might be an indicator of bradycardia, a condition in which the heart rate is lower than normal. Bradycardia does not always produce symptoms; when it does, however, it can cause lightheadedness and weakness while exercising. When any of these symptoms are present along with a low heart rate.

High resting heart rate

In contrast, Wasfy states that a high BPM (above 60 ppm) might lead to an increased risk of cardiac illness. When the heart works harder to transport the same amount of blood throughout the body, it wears out faster. Tachycardia is a chronic excessive heart rate — above 100 bpm – caused by anxiety.

The drawbacks of a rapid heart rate were discovered in a Copenhagen University Hospital research on heart rates. This research revealed that a higher resting heart rate (RHR) was linked to poor health and an increased risk of death. For every additional 10 beats per minute, the chance of dying rose by 16%.

What can affect your heart rate?

There are a number of external and internal influences that may affect a person’s heart rate.

In most situations, a high or low heart rate is only dangerous if there is an obvious cause.

High heart rate

• Anxiety: People who are experiencing severe anxiety might have heart rates greater than 100 beats per minute, especially during a manic episode.
• Pain might cause the heart rate to rise significantly.
• When a woman is pregnant, her heart rate rises. When performing usual activities, a person’s cardiovascular demand increases, making simple jobs like climbing stairs or taking short walks seem much more difficult. Heart palpitations and an irregular heart rhythm are two possible symptoms of pregnancy.
• A fever, on the other hand, may cause a higher heart rate. In extremely hot weather, a person’s heartbeat rate can be increased.
• Caffeine raises both heart rate and blood pressure. If someone has recently consumed caffeine and notices a higher heart rate, this might be the reason.
• Medication: Some medicines, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder medications, may alter the heart rate. If your heart rate increases dramatically after taking a new medicine, call your doctor.

It’s crucial to remember that panicking over a high heart rate may make it even worse. Taking a few deep breaths and doing calming exercises might assist people in determining whether or not their heart rate is dangerous.

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome

When a person has postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), his or her heart rate may increase when he or she stands up. Dizziness and a drop in blood pressure are also possible symptoms.

POTS is a malfunction of the autonomic nervous system. It’s caused by a problem with the autonomic nervous system’s ability to regulate bodily processes like blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing.

Low heart rate

In general, a slower resting heart rate is healthier for the heart muscle. A very low heart rate in individuals who are not active or healthy, on the other hand, might be an indication of cardiac electrical system disease.

A sudden fall in heart rate below a person’s normal resting heart rate might indicate sepsis (a serious systemic infection), a brain bleed, or the electrical system of heart failure.

A slow heart rate is an emergency in anyone with any symptoms of illness, significant bleeding, a recent serious injury, faintness, or dizziness.

Irregular heart rate and risks

Irregular heartbeats can be caused by a variety of things, but more research is uncovering a direct link between irregular heartbeat and atrial fibrillation (AF). AF, one of the most prevalent types of arrhythmia, is defined by abnormal contractions in the upper chambers of the heart.

Obstructive sleep apnea appears to raise the risk of atrial fibrillation, according to a study conducted by the University of Ottawa. Palpitations, lightheadedness, weakness, tiredness, shortness of breath, and chest pain are among the most typical symptoms of AF. Many individuals who have AF do not experience any symptoms.

Because AF is linked to stroke, heart failure, and other cardiovascular issues, its link to sleep apnea is important. These discoveries also highlight the significance of knowledge about sleep disorders such as sleep apnea and how it affects sleeping heart rate.

According to current projections, over 1 billion people (and 22 million in the United States) suffer from sleep apnea, implying that more individuals may be at risk of this disease – and its associated cardiovascular problems – than are aware in waking life.

Understanding and improving heart rates

Having a healthy heart is important, but what can you do to maintain your heart rate in an optimal range while you sleep? The easiest way to determine your sleeping heart rate is to use a heart rate monitor. These gadgets give valuable information about your heart rates that may help you discover long-term health results.

You may also measure your pulse rate by hand, but make sure you’ve had time to rest after a stressful occurrence or a vigorous exercise session. Heat and humidity can influence heart rate when measured in cooler, drier temperatures, providing a more accurate reading.

Electrocardiograms are a type of heart examination that may be used to determine the heart’s functional capabilities. These can be very beneficial for persons who have irregular heartbeat, chest discomfort, heart palpitations, or other cardiac-related problems. This is a quick and easy approach to assess cardiac electrical activity in its resting condition.

Physical activity is essential for lowering your resting heart rate and aiming for a healthy range. Regularly reaching your target heart rate while exercising helps to strengthen your heart and improve your aerobic capacity, according to Harvard Health Publishing. While this is one of the most efficient methods to reduce your sleeping heart rate and increase your maximum heart rate, proceed with caution is advised.

FAQ’s

What does heart rate dip during sleep mean?

A heart rate dip during sleep could mean you’re at risk for a stroke. A very low heart rate in individuals who are not active or healthy, on the other hand, might be an indication of cardiac electrical system disease.

What is a normal sleeping heart rate?

There is no definitive answer to this question as everyone’s resting heart rate will be different. Generally speaking, however, a slower resting heart rate is healthier for the heart muscle.

I'm concerned about my child's low heart rate – what should I do?

If your child has a low heart rate and experiences any symptoms of illness, significant bleeding, a recent serious injury, faintness, or dizziness (among others), it is important to seek medical attention as soon as possible. A low heart rate during sleep could be due to a number of factors, some of which are more serious than others. Speak with your pediatrician if you have any concerns.

Can I improve my heart rate without exercise?

Yes! You don’t need to be active in order to lower your resting heart rate. Making small changes to your daily routine and diet can help reduce strain on the cardiovascular system and promote a healthy heart rhythm. Some things you can do include avoiding processed foods, eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, drinking water regularly, and reducing stress levels.

What is an electrocardiogram (ECG)?

An ECG is a type of heart examination that may be used to determine the heart’s functional capabilities. This can be very beneficial for persons who have irregular heartbeat, chest discomfort, heart palpitations, or other cardiac-related problems. This is a quick and easy approach to assess cardiac electrical activity in its resting condition.

Conclusion

Maintaining a healthy heart is important for everyone, and there are many ways to achieve this goal. Monitoring your sleeping heart rate is one way to ensure that you’re on the right track, and making small changes to your daily routine can have a big impact. Being physically active is also essential for keeping your heart in good shape. So get moving and enjoy a healthy, happy heart!