Heart rate..just used a pulse oximeter

[Dowser]

Borrowed this device from DD
Just wanted to see where I am with this kind of stuff as in oxygen..98 per cent and BPM , which I think is beats per minute. Mine is 85. I checked using my pulse manually and yes it’s the same.
Last time I took it was about 70 -75 so a bit of a shocker.That was A few years ago.
Maybe I need to take it first thing in the morning .
I’m 68 , on no medication, a bit chubby.. Lead quite a sedentary lifestyle what can I do to get it down.
I really don’t want to go into medication and would like to go healthily into older age.

Dh is the same and he’s on blood pressure pills

Normal heart rate is 60-100bpm. It's not a concern by itself, don't worry about it. Pressure is far more significant than rates in that range.

That is fine there is a degree of error with pulse ox but your 02 saturation is good.

the fitter you are the lower your pulse will go, so exercise the best you can! Especially any which gets you out of breath and challenges you cardio wise.

And this is why non medical people should not be buying medical equipment. Because it increases anxiety if you don't know how to interpret the numbers.

OP, as other have said, being fitter will lower your pulse rate in general, your is within normal limits. 98% oxygen SATS is fine. I have to agree with Toddlerteaplease. My DPs bought a bp machine. Then rang me in a panic because they’d both been measuring it multiple times a day and at one point it had gone up. This was after they’d been out for a walk so I had to calm them down first then explain that bp will vary, and go up when they exercise and maybe they should just not keep measuring it so much since neither of them had issues with bp in the first place.

And this is why non medical people should not be buying medical equipment. Because it increases anxiety if you don't know how to interpret the numbers.

Well it reduced my anxiety no end when I was having dreadful panic attacks and could see that actually all was well. Anyone with the internet can interpret basic medical data and my local GP has advised us to.

Normal range of BPM is 60-100 so don’t worry.

Don't forget that other factors could have affected your heart rate- having caffeine, walking around and just sat down, dehydration etc. I wouldn't be concerned that last time it was 10 beats a min slower than today.

the fitter you are the lower your pulse would go

Is that true? I'm 51, very overweight and unfit and mines is 66 at rest

No it's not necessarily true. It wouldn't in my case. It's a generalisation

Maybe I need to take it first thing in the morning .

Good idea, your heart rate is supposed to vary to adjust to demand.

I've got an Apple Watch so I can see my resting heart rate today was 56, it was average 75 during my zoom Pilates class and 96 during my walk (range 65-132 ... fast up a hilly bit).

I don't think my lowish resting heart rate necessarily indicates I'm super fit btw (as slightly overweight 59yos go) - I'm on thyroxine, hypothyroidism can cause low heart rate.

An already low pulse doesnt necessarily mean you are fit as there are other not so healthy causes, but it will go lower the fitter you get. I used to have 66 resting bmp average and now have 47 bpm but train a lot.

Your obs are well within normal limits. Heart rate variation is good, would be concerning if your heart rate rarely changed, I’m a cardiac physiologist, so this is my bread and butter.

It's not true that your pulse will always be lower if you're fitter. I was in the gym 5 days a week, pulse rate nearly always over 100 (at rest). I do less now and it's always under 100 (at rest). There are lots of reasons that your pulse rate may be higher or lower, it's not just concerning your fitness level but if you don't have any other health concerns doing a bit more exercise is never a bad thing. Yours would be considered normal though OP

" this is why non medical people should not be buying medical equipment"

What patronising nonsense. How hard is it to interpret oxygen saturation percentage?! Pulse oximeters have saved our bacon more than once over the years with our 'happy wheezer' asthmatic toddlers. Luckily no doctor has ever suggested we are too stupid to own one.

Thank you all so very much, and you too Elsie bear
I’ll try it when I wake in the morning
And I’m not too worried...at the moment
I’ll try and waff myself out a bit more too

Elsiebear I'm intrigued, what's a cardiac physiologist? Is it a special kind of cardiologist?
I do have a reason for asking. My adult DC was due to have investigation for heart irregularities but it was all cancelled due to CV. He's having increasing symptoms.

your completely fine, when I stand up my pulse shoots from 60/80 to 100/110. When I was on beta blockers it used to be in the 40's at rest and if it got into the 80's it would feel like my heart was racing but now not on them 80's feels completely normal. That's just your heart rate, your blood pressure is measured completely differently so mine is usually 110/60. Which is considered low but I'm on no meds for it.

Like someone else said, there are lots of things that cause variations down to your diet, medicine and lifestyle. You should have a check up with the doctor every three to five years to check these types of things, rather than you worrying or assuming you may need to change what you are doing.

If you feel unwell and your stats change then by all means go ahead and see the doctor sooner rather than later. It helps if you know what your bmi is or your general height and weight, then you can see on google what your range should be for heart rate at rest. Oxygen should always be 98-100 if your well

Thanks 2 little boys
I woke this morning. Looked for phone to see time and spotted the meter
Oxygen was 97 and bpm were 72
Just had another go
Reaching for the phone must’ve exerted me a bit too much 😂
I’m now averaging 97/98 and 68
I’ll give it back tomorrow..honest
I’ve slept 7 hours but am shattered.

Oh and my BP is usually around 108/68
I shall get dh to check that also
Might as well have the full mot

the fitter you are the lower your pulse would go

Only as a rough guide.
People's heart rates vary a lot and it's not all down to fitness levels.
All through my life I've had a fast heart rate - often way above 100. Even when I was much younger, much slimmer and much fitter. Getting older and less fit hasn't changed that. It's been no better and no worse regardless.

During svt issues my heart rate has been known to hit 280+ although my watch could only measure to 210 bpm.

Now that's 'fixed' my heart rate is still higher than normal but now rarely goes above 160ish.

@Aragog I also have SVT and have registered some spectacular heart rates but 280bpm

Yes - the hospital were surprised just how high it got. I had lots of trainee staff coming and trying to take my pulse manually 'to see what it feels like' - felt like one of those people from the old fashioned bizarre shows! Had to have that drug which resets your heart - thats not pleasant!

I had the procedure to stop my SVT in September and it appears to have been successful. I now get a few missed beats - they feel like an SVT is about to start, but then it misses some beats and starts again as normal. Fingers crossed anyway.