3 Heart Rate Myths Debunked
The good health of your heart is very important. Your heart plays a vital role in your life, and your heart rate speaks volumes about your overall wellbeing. However, there are many misconceived concepts going around about your heart rate. Someone says something which they heard from someone else which they read in some shady magazine, and you decide to act on it; this is a common yet dangerous scenario. You need to be aware of the myths and facts about your heart rate as it could give you a clear image of your cardiovascular health.
Now, just so we all are on the same page, first let’s take a look at what the term heart rate means!
What is Heart Rate?
Your heart rate is the number of time your heart beats in a minute. Why is it an important measurement, you ask? Well, your heart provides a good basis for a lot of medical diagnoses. There are many factors which contribute to what your heart rate is. Furthermore, your heart rate changes with your age and also fluctuates according to physical activity. For example, if you monitor your heart rate while exercising, you’d notice that it has increased because your heart has to pump oxygenated blood faster to the muscles while they are working. In the same manner, if you encounter a stressful situation, your body releases stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. These, in turn, increase your heart rate. The way your body responds to stress-inducing situations is called fight or flight response.
Moreover, all these fluctuations in your heart rate are absolutely normal, and after you’re done with these activities, your heart rate should return to the resting level. What exactly is your normal heart rate? It differs from person to person honestly. Everyone is different, and so is their heart; therefore so is their heartbeat. There is an average range where it should normally lie in though which is about 50-70. Your normal heart rate can be affected by factors such as your physique like obese people tend to have higher resting heart rates or environmental factors such as the temperature outside, humidity levels, etc.
The general rule of thumb is if your body is in good shape and you are healthy, it is easier for your body to relax and you have a lower heart resting rate. Furthermore, you have a reduced chance of getting a heart attack. Exercising could potentially lower your resting heart rate, but that would be after years of training and consistent exercise like some professional athletes are known to have a resting heart rate of 40 beats per minute, but that is very rare.
Now that we understand what your heart rate is and how it can fluctuate let’s bust some myths people tell which you need to protect yourself against.
Myth # 1: A normal heart rate ranges between 60-100 heart beats per min
Over the years, we’ve been often told that this range is the gold standard for your heartbeat. Well, as it turns out, not really! Recently, it has been a belief of a lot of doctors that this range should actually be lower. The new ideal range is 50-70 heart beats per min. It has been studied that a heart rate higher than 76 heartbeats per min is associated with heart disease.
Myth # 2: An irregular heartbeat pattern means you’re getting a heart attack
That is not true! If your heart beats in an erratic manner, you are having palpitations. Now, what do these palpitations feel like? Well, they may feel as if your heart skipped a beat, a pounding in your chest, sudden increment of your heartbeat. In most cases, these situations are not life-threatening; however, if it is a new symptom and you are having trouble breathing or suffering from chest pain, you need to call your doctor.
These are some of the factors which cause palpitations:
- Alcohol
- Smoking
- Caffeine
- Dietary supplements
- Medication
- Dehydration
- Thyroid disorders
- Stress
- Exercise
- Fever
Myth # 3: Your blood pressure and heartbeat work hand in hand
Your blood pressure and your heart rate are two different measurements! Your heart rate is essentially the number of times your heart beats in a minute whereas your blood pressure is basically the amount of pressure your blood puts on the blood vessels while circulating. Both of these may change at the same time like they both rise during exercise; however not always though. You may have a normal heart rate but still have increased blood pressure. Similarly, someone with normal blood pressure may have an abnormal heartbeat.
The takeaway
So, there you have it! Some of the biggest myths about heartbeat debunked! There are many other myths circulating out there like how a slow heart rate is an example of a weak heart which is not true. We earlier discussed how it could actually be a sign of a healthy heart, and professional athletes have slower resting heart rates. Slower heart rates can only be a problem if you pass out, feel dizzy or are short of breath, then you need to consult your physician. Furthermore, it is also believed that the higher your heart rate is, the more fat you burn which is also false. The optimal fat burning zone ranges from about 45 to 60 heart beats per min. This is when you’ll burn the most fat.
These are some commonly believed heart myths; however, it is important for you to be able to differentiate between myth and fact, so you don’t harm yourself and continue to have a happy, healthy heart. Furthermore, even though these irregular heart rate patterns may not be a sign of an emergency, you should not completely ignore them. Instead, take notice and consult your doctor to be completely sure of what’s going on. Better safe than sorry!
