What’s the Difference Between Resting Heart Rate and Sleeping Heart Rate?

Sleep and rest are not the same things, and neither is resting heart rate (RHR) and sleeping heart rate. This is something that we are all aware of. Knowing the difference between your resting heart rate and your heart rate when you sleep is extremely important if you want to take control of your health and cardiovascular fitness.

What is a resting heart rate?

According to the American Heart Association, your “resting heart rate” is the amount of blood your heart pumps when at rest and not exercising. This is the smallest volume of blood that your heart pumps when you are awake. Your resting heart rate can be affected by a variety of factors, including the temperature, the way you’re sitting, your emotions, certain drugs, and your level of physical activity (typically, athletes have lower resting heart rates, but we’ll discuss this in further detail later).

What is a sleeping heart rate?

A sleeping heart rate is exactly what it sounds like: the heart rate of a sleeping individual. As you fall asleep, your heart rate gradually slows until it reaches its resting rate during light sleep. When you fall into a deep sleep, your heart rate will slow by an additional 20 to 30 percent below its resting rate.

Why do we need to care about our resting heart rate?

The heart rate is determined by the number of beats per minute (BPM). According to the American Heart Association, an adult’s healthy resting heart rate varies from 60 to 100 beats per minute (BPM). If your RHR consistently exceeds this range, it’s possible that your heart is working harder than it should. Your resting heart rate reveals how hard your heart works while you are peacefully seated and relaxed. This measurement is indicative of your general health and fitness.

Age, weight, and fitness level are just a few of the variables that influence resting heart rate. People who engage in regular moderate-to-vigorous activity, such as jogging, swimming, and other aerobic activities, will have a resting heart rate that is, on average, lower. This is because exercise strengthens the heart muscle and improves its efficiency, resulting in fewer beats per minute.

Why do we need to care about our sleeping heart rate?

Normal adult sleeping heart rates range between 40 and 100 beats per minute. It is vital not to be frightened if a heart rate monitor indicates that your heart rate is lower while you are sleeping. Since it is unaffected by causes such as pain, tension, and worry, measuring your heart rate while sleeping is also a useful approach to monitoring your daily heart rate.

Based on the state of sleep a person is in, the heart rate varies throughout the night. Additionally, dreaming has an effect. The sleeping heart rate comprises the whole pattern of heartbeats while an individual cycle through various stages of sleep. Depending on brain activity, it can decrease below your resting heart rate and then rocket upward, making it variable and unpredictable.

How to Measure Your Resting Heart Rate Properly?

Despite this, you may be wondering how to measure your resting heart rate most effectively. To obtain an accurate reading of your resting heart rate, measure it when you are calm and your body and mind are still. You may utilize a heart rate monitor, fitness tracker, or another certified gadget. (As previously stated, some wearable devices also monitor your heart rate while you sleep if you wear them at night.)

You can also take your pulse using these instructions from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

1. Under the thumb pad, detect the radial pulse on the artery of the wrist.

2. Place the tips of your index and middle fingers lightly on top of the artery while applying pressure.

3. Count your heartbeats for sixty seconds.

4. Also, you can count your heartbeats for 30 seconds and then double that number.

5. Begin to count a beat. “0” is counted as the initial beat.

The NexRing, a digital smart ring, specializes in individualized monitoring of your sleep, heart rate, activity, and body temperature. Nexring is better than other wearable devices for monitoring sleep since it allows for the recording of sleep-related vitals and the development of individualized insights. It has the ability to monitor vital indicators and activity, including heart rate, body temperature, SpO2, and HRV.

How can you improve your heart rate?

Studies have shown that a higher resting heart rate increases the risk of getting heart disease and even of dying prematurely, so it’s crucial to improve this health indicator if you can.

The heart can be strengthened by exercise, just like any other muscle. If you are not currently doing so, it does require regular aerobic exercise.

Reducing or managing stress and consuming heart-healthy foods can also reduce resting and slumbering heart rates. Good sleep hygiene, such as avoiding coffee close to bedtime, going to bed at the same time each night, and avoiding bright lights late at night, all contribute to a decrease in the heart rate when sleeping.