Low resting heart rate (bradycardia) concerns

[TX85]

Hi all. Well, here's a new one. Never thought I'd be asking about this seeing as how anxiety and panic go hand in hand with elevated heart rate, but I've been watching my bpm for the past few days and have found it to be below 60 quite regularly. I think it was even 52 for a bit while I was relaxing earlier.

That's cool and all, but I'm not an athlete. I'm 35 years old, a homebody, and while I do exercise almost daily, it's not strenuous and it's not for a very long time. My blood pressure is usually 128/80 or so, and it is right now. But I feel.. weird. I feel like my face and neck are straining, like they're going to pop. I have no idea what that's about or if it's even related. My pulse is 57 as I'm typing this. I got it up to 110 or so earlier when I hopped on the elliptical. My pulse oximeter measures around 95-96 which isn't great, but it's not horrible, I guess.

I have been suffering from allergies pretty badly the past few days (at least I think that's what it is) because the ragweed in my area seems to be out of control. Again, not sure if this is related but since my head feels funny, I'm open to the possibility.

I'm just trying to make sense of this. My resting heart rate has been around 60 for months. Seeing numbers like these is concerning, especially when combined with the aforementioned weird "my face and neck are going to pop" feeling. Does any of this ring a bell for anyone?

Thanks for reading and I hope you're all doing well. Just in one of my spirals again...

Edit: it was down to 50 for a bit shortly after I posted this!

 

[bin_tenn]

Sounds like you're in pretty good overall shape and you don't need to worry. Bradycardia is only an issue when the body requires more oxygen / blood than the heart is capable of delivering at whatever rate. Feel free to phone your doctor and ask about it, but I imagine they won't even think twice about saying you're fine.

60-100 is the average resting range for adults. However, it's perfectly acceptable for that to vary from person to person. Hence it's the "average", not a rule. Some people live their whole (long, healthy) life with a resting rate at 100, even a bit higher, and others live with it some amount below 60.

Don't worry, but ask your doc if you're still concerned and can't shake it.

 

[juma khamis]

Hi all. Well, here's a new one. Never thought I'd be asking about this seeing as how anxiety and panic go hand in hand with elevated heart rate, but I've been watching my bpm for the past few days and have found it to be below 60 quite regularly. I think it was even 52 for a bit while I was relaxing earlier.

That's cool and all, but I'm not an athlete. I'm 35 years old, a homebody, and while I do exercise almost daily, it's not strenuous and it's not for a very long time. My blood pressure is usually 128/80 or so, and it is right now. But I feel.. weird. I feel like my face and neck are straining, like they're going to pop. I have no idea what that's about or if it's even related. My pulse is 57 as I'm typing this. I got it up to 110 or so earlier when I hopped on the elliptical. My pulse oximeter measures around 95-96 which isn't great, but it's not horrible, I guess.

I have been suffering from allergies pretty badly the past few days (at least I think that's what it is) because the ragweed in my area seems to be out of control. Again, not sure if this is related but since my head feels funny, I'm open to the possibility.

I'm just trying to make sense of this. My resting heart rate has been around 60 for months. Seeing numbers like these is concerning, especially when combined with the aforementioned weird "my face and neck are going to pop" feeling. Does any of this ring a bell for anyone?

Thanks for reading and I hope you're all doing well. Just in one of my spirals again...

Edit: it was down to 50 for a bit shortly after I posted this!

No worries your absolutely fine. Talking from personal experience here , health anxiety is very hard to control , my resting heart rate used to be below 60 sometimes 52, used to worry about that , it made me measure my HR almost all the time, well i think overthinking of it triggered my sinus node now its always around 80 to 100 and am still worried.... so stop worring and try not to worry about it... its health anxiety playing tricks on us need to find ways to stop worrying. One way is to find people without anxiety and measure there resting heart rates believe me u wont be disappointed ...dont feel ashamed to ask especially when it comes to matters of your health. please do reply after the experiment.

 

[TX85]

Thank you both for your replies. I'm resting in bed -- it's 48 BPM as I type this. I've always struggled with it being higher than I wanted it to be, so this is very strange for me. I'm trying not to worry because I know I've been having bad allergies causing the other discomforts I mentioned, and my other numbers (pressure, oxygen, BPM during exercise) all seem okay. Sometimes HA just makes me want to cry!

 

[juma khamis]

do not worry brady does not pose any problem only if it accompanies symptms of brady must you worry but if not then dont worry coz that means your body is geting enough oxygen. Bolt once had 28bpm and he was perfectly fine.

 

[TX85]

Quick report...

As you all have said here, and as is conventional wisdom, a low resting heart rate (RHR) isn't that big a deal unless it's accompanied by the sorts of symptoms one would expect to have if they weren't getting enough blood and oxygen to the brain. Since I have been feeling just a tad woozy lately (either from allergies, anxiety, or both -- or just not doing enough aerobic exercise!), and since everyone also suggests that it's not a bad idea to go get that checked out to put fears to rest, I did go see my doctor yesterday morning.

To recap: RHR gets down in the low 50s when I'm relaxing, sometimes into high 40s when I'm asleep; blood oxygen is normal; blood sugar is normal; blood pressure is normal. Only strange measure is the RHR. My doctor said it's nothing to be concerned about at this time, but to keep an eye on it. If it dips below 45 bpm a lot, that's when to consider action. And the only real action there is a pacemaker, so that's a kinda yikes path to go down.

In the meantime, I am going to begin a light aerobic exercise regime (elliptical), since that does get my bpm up there in the 120s and such and reminds me that, yes, my heart is indeed doing its job.

Thanks for your help, and I hope maybe this also helps someone else!

 

[juma khamis]

Quick report...

As you all have said here, and as is conventional wisdom, a low resting heart rate (RHR) isn't that big a deal unless it's accompanied by the sorts of symptoms one would expect to have if they weren't getting enough blood and oxygen to the brain. Since I have been feeling just a tad woozy lately (either from allergies, anxiety, or both -- or just not doing enough aerobic exercise!), and since everyone also suggests that it's not a bad idea to go get that checked out to put fears to rest, I did go see my doctor yesterday morning.

To recap: RHR gets down in the low 50s when I'm relaxing, sometimes into high 40s when I'm asleep; blood oxygen is normal; blood sugar is normal; blood pressure is normal. Only strange measure is the RHR. My doctor said it's nothing to be concerned about at this time, but to keep an eye on it. If it dips below 45 bpm a lot, that's when to consider action. And the only real action there is a pacemaker, so that's a kinda yikes path to go down.

In the meantime, I am going to begin a light aerobic exercise regime (elliptical), since that does get my bpm up there in the 120s and such and reminds me that, yes, my heart is indeed doing its job.

Thanks for your help, and I hope maybe this also helps someone else!

Glad to know your ok...... yeah exercise will do the miracle...