resting heart rate question

[wanderlusty]

hey guys, I've been checking my resting heart rate first thing in the mornings for the past few days. It has been 72 bpm which matches what it was a few years ago. This morning, it came in at 68 bpm though. Is it normal for it to fluctuate so much? I know that an elevated resting heart rate indicates susceptibility to sickness and perhaps overtraining. The only thing I can think that was differnet was that I only got about five hours of sleep, rather than my normal eight. I woke up on my own, however.

Thanks

 

[flex4life]

lusty,
are you taking RHR very 1st thing in am- before movement, water, food, no activity? for a full minute or multiplying? at the carotid artery?
just curious...

 

[wanderlusty]

well I use my heart rate monitor.. i get up first to put on the transmitor and wet the electrodes, then I get a glass of water and sit down in front of the computer.. wait a few minutes until my heart rate is back down.

I tried taking it by hand immediately upon waking, but I could hardly feel anything (at the carotid artery) so I didn't feel I was getting an accurate count.

 

[poohbear]

It's not adviseable to take it immediately upon waking. Sometimes, we wake suddenly, which can create a spike in the heart rate for a few minutes. You can have the heart monitor ready. It's best just to lay there and relax for 10-15 minutes. Take it and repeat every day for 3-4 days. Take average