Heart rate keeps dropping when I'm exercising

[butterfly359]

Hello,
I am wondering if anyone has had any experience with a low heart rate while exercising?
I have a cardio app on my smart watch and the past few days it's been showing my heart rate dropping to between 50-40 bpm while I'm doing a high cardio workout.
My heart rate while resting is usually 50-40 but not while I'm working out. I have an appointment with the nurse tomorrow to get my blood pressure checked. But just wondering if anyone else has experienced this.
T.I.A x

Are you sure the tracker is tracking accurately? If you were having sharp drops in HR while working out, I'd expect you to be feeling very dizzy and ill and struggling to continue. Are you?

My dad kept thinking his heart rate was very low but felt fine. Mentioned it to the Dr when he was there about something else. There are some heart conditions that can cause a low heart rate, he was diagnosed with one of them and ended up having a pace maker fitted. He was in his 70s though. I'd definitely mention it to the nurse.

Could you not put your fingers on your wrist and get a quick estimate of what your HR is?
Sounds like it's the monitor not picking up properly.

Maybe I'm old fashioned but if I had a monitor giving a wildly improbable reading I'd immediately think the tech was at fault rather than rushing to the overstretched NHS for reassurance!

Check your you heart rate yourself in case the tracker isnt accurate. If you are getting drops when exercising, you need an urgent doctors appointment for a ECG and cardiac consult. Your could be developing heart block and that can be fatal if untreated. Treatment is installing a pacemaker and then you resume normal life.

Hi thank you all for your replies,
I have fainted once in the past while exercising and felt light headed a couple of times, (I stoped exercising when they happened) but I just put that down to the exercise as I was pushing my self at the time.

I've been wearing the watch since Xmas and the dropping heart rate has only been happening this week.
I'm hoping it's just a glitch with the app on the watch. X

If you have fainted or feel dizzy you need to get to the doctor urgently. Please don't mess around with this.

Totally it's a glitch on watch (I bet).
Measure your pulse by hand instead. You can do that this morning.

Yes, check pulse manually during exercise.

The condition PP mentioned is called heart block and is potentially serious.

I have a low resting heart rate, but it goes up whilst I exercise and I do not feel faint/breathless during exercise I am happy with my running performance. So I don't think I have it. But a resting HR

Thank you all for your replies
I'm a very active person and exercise 5-6 times a week, 4 of those being HIT training, so my resting heart rate being

In the meantime, if it drops and / or you are dizzy then go straight to a and e

Sorry meant to say drops below 40bpm, and even that is pushing it a lot.

Sorry your blood pressure was high, it may be just a one off though, so fingers crossed. My watch was reading 50 yesterday but taking my pulse manually after doing burpees it was way over that, so perhaps check it manually as well. The doctor can arrange an ECG for you if it is indee dropping. Perhaps don't exercise anywhere alone until you've been seen, and good luck.

Thanks for your replies,
The Dr is sending me for a chest X-ray, bloods and a 24hour ECG. She said my heart is health, but there is an underlying problem somewhere, will know more when the tests results come back x

I hope you get it sorted soon and that it's not a serious problem. Good luck.

Thanks for the update. When you do the 24 hour monitor, make sure you take some exercise while it is on. Also dont use any moisturizer on your torso for 24 hours before they place it as it reduces the efficiency of the contact.