Why Did My Resting Heart Rate During Sleep Rise So Much After A Long Hike?

[Vileplume]

My heart rate has been chronically low (usually around 45 bpm asleep and 50 upon waking), presumably due to having spent the last ten+ years of my life restricting calories, overexercising with tons of daily cardio, and a year of keto/carnivore. For about as long, I’ve suffered from social anxiety, depression, and terrible digestion.

Since incorporating carbs, taking a break from intense exercise, and trying to lower PUFA, which began about 6 weeks ago, my heart rate hasn’t changed. However, yesterday I went on an 8-hour beast of a hike, and my heart rate during sleep jumped up to an avg of 65 bpm last night. Why is this? Cortisol and adrenaline? Is it a sign I should reintroduce exercise?

 

[rei]

Because you stressed yourself and repair continued into sleep. You should always incorporate some exercise.

More speculatively, the capillaries in your extremities are more dilated through the night to do all that needs to be done after heavy use. Capillaries contain the most cross-section, so if many are at high flow heart rate must be increased to ensure enough flow elsewhere in circulation.

 

[jb116]

Did you sleep well? Walking and hiking are one of the best forms of movement and exercise. They will help increase CO2 levels and that is a good reason why your heart rate went up. If you slept well, then that would clinch it that the increase was due to CO2 and an overall systemic health boost.

 

[Vileplume]

Because you stressed yourself and repair continued into sleep. You should always incorporate some exercise.

More speculatively, the capillaries in your extremities are more dilated through the night to do all that needs to be done after heavy use. Capillaries contain the most cross-section, so if many are at high flow heart rate must be increased to ensure enough flow elsewhere in circulation.

I thought stressing yourself was not a good thing if you’re trying to recover and repair metabolism. I’ve been doing light walking everyday before this, and yesterday was more intense cardio than I’ve done in a while.

 

[Vileplume]

Did you sleep well? Walking and hiking are one of the best forms of movement and exercise. They will help increase CO2 levels and that is a good reason why your heart rate went up. If you slept well, then that would clinch it that the increase was due to CO2 and an overall systemic health boost.

It took me a while to fall asleep, but when I did fall asleep I got a lot of deep sleep. So I’d say I slept well. I should also mention that the hiking was at very high elevation—8000 feet higher than where I live.

 

[jb116]

It took me a while to fall asleep, but when I did fall asleep I got a lot of deep sleep. So I’d say I slept well. I should also mention that the hiking was at very high elevation—8000 feet higher than where I live.

That seems to point to good CO2 production then, so I think you did good for yourself. Perhaps having some salty sweetness will calm the probably slight adrenaline increase from the activity in effect allowing you to also fall asleep quicker too along with the good deep sleep you did get.

 

[Vileplume]

That seems to point to good CO2 production then, so I think you did good for yourself. Perhaps having some salty sweetness will calm the probably slight adrenaline increase from the activity in effect allowing you to also fall asleep quicker too along with the good deep sleep you did get.

After an hour of lying in bed, I ate a honey/egg/salt mixture and slept soon after. Sounds totally in line with what you’re saying. I’ve been struggling to raise my temps and heart rate for about a month now—I’d love to know how I can replicate this high CO2 effect without daily strenuous exercise.

Perhaps it just takes more time Then a single month of eating a higher-carb diet? Bag breathing?

 

[jb116]

After an hour of lying in bed, I ate a honey/egg/salt mixture and slept soon after. Sounds totally in line with what you’re saying. I’ve been struggling to raise my temps and heart rate for about a month now—I’d love to know how I can replicate this high CO2 effect without daily strenuous exercise.

Perhaps it just takes more time Then a single month of eating a higher-carb diet? Bag breathing?

That's very good. My personal perspective sort of intersects these main Peat principles. I believe in activity and movement but remain mindful of the thresholds where it is counterintuitive or adaptive but with a price. For me high carb and bag breathing are good supplements to life. But the activity is life. I think this CO2 effect can be had with walking with perhaps 2 or 3 day breaks a week.

 

[mrchibbs]

My heart rate has been chronically low (usually around 45 bpm asleep and 50 upon waking), presumably due to having spent the last ten+ years of my life restricting calories, overexercising with tons of daily cardio, and a year of keto/carnivore. For about as long, I’ve suffered from social anxiety, depression, and terrible digestion.

Since incorporating carbs, taking a break from intense exercise, and trying to lower PUFA, which began about 6 weeks ago, my heart rate hasn’t changed. However, yesterday I went on an 8-hour beast of a hike, and my heart rate during sleep jumped up to an avg of 65 bpm last night. Why is this? Cortisol and adrenaline? Is it a sign I should reintroduce exercise?

Hiking in nature is possibly one of the very best, most therapeutic activities one can do. It can profoundly lower cortisol and increase the protective steroids. As the others said I think your heart rate went up because you needed to do a lot of repair work during the night, but also it probably activated your metabolism in a very positive way.