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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Slow Heart Rate When First Waking Up A Cause For Concern

Slow heart rate when first waking up a cause for concern? I m not an athlete or anything so this just doesn t seem normal. For awhile after I wake up, my heart rate is only around 50 to 55 or so. As I start getting out of bed and moving, it comes up to my normal resting rate (around 60 to 65 or so). Is this a cause for concern and if so what can be done about it?
Sun, 20 Dec 2009
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Not only is it normal, but it shows very well how the system operates. Sleep requires your body to just "tick over", -so very little demand for oxygen, and so the circulation is minimum. But not only is your pulse rate low but also the pressures generated by your heart drop very low too. If you measure your BP readings at the same time, you'll find they're about half your daytime maximum. Now: the interesting bit.... Upon waking and on rising to start the day, you'll usually get an (automatic) swift "Kick" of adrenaline. This boosts the pulse and makes the pressures rise quickly to make your cardiovascular system ready to spring into action. This phase last perhaps an hour or so in most cases, and gradually fades back to normality. Sometimes .. it doesn't . Then you know something's amiss -illness,. impairment, old age, cardiac failure, -... whatever. So now you can see that if you DIDN'T exhibit the symptoms you describe, THAT would be abnormal. You have no cause for concern.

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Slow Heart Rate When First Waking Up A Cause For Concern

Not only is it normal, but it shows very well how the system operates. Sleep requires your body to just tick over , -so very little demand for oxygen, and so the circulation is minimum. But not only is your pulse rate low but also the pressures generated by your heart drop very low too. If you measure your BP readings at the same time, you ll find they re about half your daytime maximum. Now: the interesting bit.... Upon waking and on rising to start the day, you ll usually get an (automatic) swift Kick of adrenaline. This boosts the pulse and makes the pressures rise quickly to make your cardiovascular system ready to spring into action. This phase last perhaps an hour or so in most cases, and gradually fades back to normality. Sometimes .. it doesn t . Then you know something s amiss -illness,. impairment, old age, cardiac failure, -... whatever. So now you can see that if you DIDN T exhibit the symptoms you describe, THAT would be abnormal. You have no cause for concern.