Apple Watch low heart rate notifications

[Foxyadam]

Hi there.

I know this should probably be discussed with my doctor, but being told I can't be seen for 6 weeks, I wondered if anyone here had experienced the same.

So, for about the last 3 weeks, each morning I have had a notification on my Apple Watch, telling me that my heart rate dropped to approx. 37bpm around 4-5am for over 10 minutes.

Now, I have been massively ramping up my running to circa 40 miles per week and wonder if this has anything to do with it?

Thanks in advance,
Adam.

[walkerwek1958]

When I ran seriously (40-60 miles/week, late teens/early 20s) my heart rate at rest was around 43, so it's fair to assume it dropped lower whilst asleep.

Doing more aerobic exercise should improve your general cardiovascular efficiency and possibly drop your blood pressure, a fall in heart rate at rest is to be expected.

Provided you feel fit and well you're probably worrying unduly. Perhaps the Apples watch is doing you more harm that good? Hell will freeze over before I`ll entertain owning one of those bloody things. Do yourself a favour, put it in a drawer, leave it there. These things turn folk into hypochondriacs.

If you seriously have concerns you shouldn't be increasing the running until you've had a proper health check.

[Saint-Just]

Hi there.

I know this should probably be discussed with my doctor, but being told I can't be seen for 6 weeks, I wondered if anyone here had experienced the same.

So, for about the last 3 weeks, each morning I have had a notification on my Apple Watch, telling me that my heart rate dropped to approx. 37bpm around 4-5am for over 10 minutes.

Now, I have been massively ramping up my running to circa 40 miles per week and wonder if this has anything to do with it?

Thanks in advance,
Adam.

[Caveat: Not a GP here]
What is your normal heart rate?
37 ppm would be low for me but I struggle to do a park run at anything but a slow jog. I think many cyclists have that sort of HR as normal. What I am trying to say is that the actual figure is not relevant in itself.
Now as your watch flagged it it is probably outside the expected variation but you may set them yourself, so again on its own it is not that meaningful. Lastly, your age will also matter.
You're obviously fit. If you think 40 miles is too much your body will tell you but not when you're asleep (in this case, it didn't tell you anything: your watch did). In any case if you are worried you should call 111. On the basis of the added info you would give them they may get you to see a doctor earlier (in hospital if not in your surgery). I'll just add that if I called my GP and told them I am worried about my HR being low early morning I am pretty sure he would call me back pronto to check on me.

[Passenger]

Doesn´t seem unreasonable- unhealthy that you could experience lower bpm when asleep and you´re running hard so resting bpm will be lower as a consequence. I´d pop into my local pharmacist if worried, they´ll sort you out.
Not a medical opinion.

[shoppy]

My normal resting heart rate is 41-43 so occasionally it goes lower. Had my annual health check and my doctor says it’s low but for all the good reasons.

[Passenger]

My normal resting heart rate is 41-43 so occasionally it goes lower. Had my annual health check and my doctor says it’s low but for all the good reasons.

Eggszhactly.

[verv]

Mine used to dip while I was sleeping too, cant remember the numbers but it was just because body is in deep sleep.

*Caveat, any concerns about your ticker though, get it checked.

[Tom-P]

I'm with most respondents here, i.e. unlikely to be an issue - at deep sleep you're virtually hibernating and it's not uncommon for the HR to go under 40.

What though is your resting HR when awake?

[langdalematt]

I walk 10k a day and my resting heart rate is 54 at 50 years old. When you are very fit your heart has to barely beat to maintain your body, so it would not be crazy to see this. What is it normally at during sleep, is it much higher?

[Foxyadam]

Many thanks for the replies, much appreciated.

I guess my resting HR, is normally pretty low, I feel good, so hopefully it is just a result of the extra training.

I will keep an eye on it though.

Adam.

[Captaincook]

Given that you’re using the Apple Watch, it might also be worth looking at your sleep pattern to see which stage of your sleeping cycle. You’re in at the point of time where it drops down to the notification zone. No doubt you’ll be in the deep sleep segment however, it might highlight some other consistencies or at least the pattern for you to look at.