If you wear a Fitbit, Apple Watch or a similar wearable while working out, you already know that you have a useful tool right at your fingertips. One especially helpful feature wearables like these have is a heart rate monitor.Monitoring your heart rate during exercise is a good way to evaluate how hard your body is working. If your heart rate is pretty much the same as when you’re sedentary, that’s a sign that you aren’t getting as many cardio benefits out of your workout as you would be if you pushed your body a little bit harder.But what happens if your heart rate is too high during exercise? As cardiologists explain here, reaching this point could be dangerous, so it’s important to know what to do if it happens.?SIGN UP for tips to stay healthy & fit with the top moves, clean eats, health trends & more delivered right to your inbox twice a week?
It’s difficult to know when your heart rate gets too high if you don’t know what your baseline should be. When it comes to what heart rate number to aim for during exercise, Dr. Mintu Turakhia, MD,a cardiac electrophysiologist and the Director of the Stanford Center for Digital Health, says that there isn’t one specific number that’s recommended for everyone; it depends on the individual, their health and their exercise goals.
“What we know is that the maximum predicted heart rate is 220 minus your age. So, 220-40, if you are 40 years old,” Dr. Turakhia says. He explains that the goal isn’t to reach the maximum predicted heart rate (in this case, 180), but a percentage of it. “These percentages correspond to different ‘zones’ of fitness,” he explains.
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There are five different heart rate zones, which are explained below:
Zone 1: This is the lowest zone and where your resting heart rate falls. In this zone, your heart rate is between 50% and 60% of your maximum predicted heart rate.
Zone 2: In Zone 2, your heart rate is between 60% to 70% of your maximum predicted heart rate. Often, people are in this zone during their warm-up.
Zone 3: In Zone 3, your heart rate is 70% to 80% of your maximum predicted heart rate. In this zone, it’s hard to hold a conversation.
Zone 4: In this zone, it’s hard to talk, but you still could if you really want to. Heart rate in this zone is between 80% to 90% of your maximum predicted heart rate.
Zone 5: The last zone is Zone 5, where heart rate is between 90% to 100% of your maximum predicted heart rate. It’s only possible to stay in this zone for a few minutes due to the level of exertion.
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What Happens if Your Heart Rate Is Too High?
Now that you’re familiar with the five heart rate zones comes the big question: When does heart rate become too high and what should you do if it happens? Dr. Frank Y. Han, MD, a cardiologist at OSF HealthCare, says that different people have different heart rate thresholds.
“There is not a one-size-fits-all answer because of individual variability in personal fitness levels and medical conditions,” he says. But in general, Dr. Han says that heart rate is considered too high when it's over 85% of one’s maximum predicted heart rate.
For someone who is 40 and has a maximum predicted heart rate of 180 (using the previously explained formula of 220-40), this would mean that a heart rate of 153 or higher is too high, because 153 is 85% of their maximum predicted heart rate of 180.
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Since a too-high heart rate varies from person to person, Dr. Han says an easier way to tell if your heart rate is too high is to check in with how you're feeling: “In general, your heart will tell you in the form of nausea, dizziness, shortness of breath or chest pain with exercise, if you have exercised at a high heart rate for too long. You'll know typically in the span of a few minutes if the symptoms occur and will not need to wonder what your heart rate is, as measured by your mobile device or watch."
If you start experiencing these symptoms, both doctors say it’s important to gradually slow your exercise down to a stop, drink water and sit or lie down.
When it comes to heart rate, there isn’t one universal number indicating a danger zone. And remember, getting your heart rate up is good for your heart. But if you start feeling dizzy or nauseated, that’s a sign that you’ve pushed yourself too hard and it’s time for your workout to end. And if you experience a rapid heart rate when you aren’t exercising, see a doctor for a consultation.
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Sources
Dr. Mintu Turakhia, MD,cardiac electrophysiologist and the Director of the Stanford Center for Digital HealthDr. Frank Y. Han, MD, cardiologist at OSF HealthCare Read More Details
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