To: SPOW…@FORWILD.UMASS.EDU
s>From: "Shawn M. Powell" <spow…@forwild.umass.edu>
s>
s>I am a new user of a chest-strap-on heart rate monitor (the
s>Cardiosport HeartSafe-T), and I have been trying to determine my
s>resting heart rate for the purpose of calculating my target zone for
s>aerobic exercise. I am having difficulty figuring out what this
s>resting heart rate is. I initially tried palpating my pulse at the
s>wrist as soon as I woke up, since I was afraid that the act of
s>reaching over for my heart rate monitor and strapping it on would
s>raise my heart rate. Using this method, my resting heart rate was 64
s>(I am 29 years old, incidentally). Then I started trying sleeping with
s>my monitor strapped on and reading it when I woke up. By the time I
s>silenced my alarm clock and was awake enough to remember to look at my
s>monitor, it was also about 64, but I could see that it was already on
s>the rise. Next I tried setting my monitor to sample my heart rate
s>every 60 seconds while I lay still, closed my eyes, and tried to fall
s>asleep again. Out of 30 stored samples, about 2 or 3 readings were as
s>low as 53, while others were closer to 64. Is resting heart rate the
s>same as sleeping heart rate? And is resting heart rate the lowest rate
s>that your heart can reach, even if it only stays there briefly, or is
s>it the lowest sustained rate, or the average, or something else?
s>Finally, should resting heart rate be taken while I am lying down
s>horizontally?
s>Thanks!
s>
s>Shawn Powell
s>spow…@forwild.umass.edu
Shawn,
A sleeping heart rate is generally lower than the resting heart rate,
often much lower. In addition, waking up can be very stressful and will
cause the rate to go up. When I was working as a Telemetry tech, I could
tell when a patient was waking up just by watching his monitor. I could
also tell when he or she was overdue for morphine..the heart speeds up
in response to pain. You’re not going to be able to get an exact
reading for a resting HR. The rate will go up after you’ve eaten, go up
or down at various times of day, etc. Relax reclined for a few hours
before or after you’ve eaten then get a rate. That’ll be close enough.
-Rod-
Rod & Susan Venger, Venger’s Orchids
Homepage address http://www.usa.net/venger/
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Order Line 1-800-483-6437
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