My heart rate has suddenly dropped?

NITR8s
NITR8s Posts: 688
edited August 2012 in Road beginners
I noticed on a ride on Saturday that I was coasting up some hills that would usually have my heart in my mouth, I didnt think much to it and just thought I was having a good day.

Then yesterday, I was doing some studying and noticed I could feel my pulse with how I was leaning on my arm and thought that it felt quite slow. It was at this point I decieded to count how many beats per minute. Well I counted 52 Beats per minute, this is while i was sitting on my sofa.

I tested my heart rate about a month ago and my resting heart rate was 76bpm, weird or what!

Comments

  • danowat
    danowat Posts: 2,877
    Could just be something as straight forward as fatigue, but keep an eye on it.
  • Secteur
    Secteur Posts: 1,971
    I recently noticed that my training heart rates (average & maximim) have dropped. I take it as a sign of improving CV fitness.

    For most of the last year, until about a month ago, my HR would be 180 when climbing the local hills... now it's 165-170max, and this change seems to be consistent. I just cant work out why it happened so suddenly, after such a long time. I assume my body has broken some invisible physiological barrier and got fitter.
  • danowat
    danowat Posts: 2,877
    Secteur wrote:
    I recently noticed that my training heart rates (average & maximim) have dropped. I take it as a sign of improving CV fitness.

    It's something that happens over a period of time, not something that happens over a couple of days
  • amaferanga
    amaferanga Posts: 6,789
    Secteur wrote:
    I recently noticed that my training heart rates (average & maximim) have dropped. I take it as a sign of improving CV fitness.

    For most of the last year, until about a month ago, my HR would be 180 when climbing the local hills... now it's 165-170max, and this change seems to be consistent. I just cant work out why it happened so suddenly, after such a long time. I assume my body has broken some invisible physiological barrier and got fitter.

    You may be getting fitter, but it sounds like you're just putting in less effort....
    More problems but still living....
  • dubcat
    dubcat Posts: 754
    overtraining and fatigue usually resulting in a higher resting heart rate don't they? Perhaps a combination of losing weight and getting fitter has resulted in a lower hr?

    On my run yesterday my heart rate was a few beats per min lower than usual. I am pretty sure this is down to the slightly cooler weather yesterday. I think weather has a big impact on heart rate.

    Another factor that effects heart rate quite significantly is hydration levels.
    2010 Specialized Rockhopper
    2012 Bianchi Infinito
  • ShutUpLegs
    ShutUpLegs Posts: 3,522
    amaferanga wrote:
    Secteur wrote:
    I recently noticed that my training heart rates (average & maximim) have dropped. I take it as a sign of improving CV fitness.

    For most of the last year, until about a month ago, my HR would be 180 when climbing the local hills... now it's 165-170max, and this change seems to be consistent. I just cant work out why it happened so suddenly, after such a long time. I assume my body has broken some invisible physiological barrier and got fitter.

    You may be getting fitter, but it sounds like you're just putting in less effort....

    THIS
  • Secteur
    Secteur Posts: 1,971
    Ahh, I did consider that, but my average speeds etc have remained the same over the same courses, and weather doesnt seem to be a significant factor. I am pretty confident it's a physiological breakthrough, somehow. I am losing weight, so that may have had an impact also. I did find it odd that is was a fairly rapid change in my averages, but I cant see it being anything else.
  • rubyrider
    rubyrider Posts: 68
    I think it can make a big difference how you measure your resting heart rate. If you lie down and relax for 10 mins first it will be much lower than if you're sitting up. Even raising my arms would make a difference to me.

    I used to monitor mine for running but haven't measured it cycling yet. Taking it in the morning before I got out of bed it was sometimes as low as 44 but would be up to about 75 when I was about to go on a run.

    Hopefully you've just got fitter and maybe haven't been consistent with your measuring?
  • Wirral_paul
    Wirral_paul Posts: 2,476
    If it ever drops to zero then you should start worrying - you might be dead. :P
  • NITR8s
    NITR8s Posts: 688
    Wirral_Paul wrote:
    If it ever drops to zero then you should start worrying - you might be dead. :P

    Last time I was hooked up to a heart rate monitor the doctor said the same thing to me, this followed with a couple of seconds of no heart beat. Its amazing what your subcontious mind can do, I managed to stop my heart briefly for a couple seconds just because the doctor hinted it.

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