Heart shows random drops to 40 BPM during the day on Apple Watch

[sTeaLth 236]

I have no other symptoms, but every few days I have one or two heart rate registers that show a large dip. I think if it was real I’d be light headed or short of breath or something. I don’t even know until I check my watch later and see it. It seems to have been happening for at least the last few months but I have no way of knowing if it is a real issue or just the watch being stupid every so often.  I have been working out quite a bit lately but not enough to get my heart into the 40s at rest. When I sleep my heart is in the 50s. 60s while awake at rest. Today I was watching basketball with my bpm around 65-75 and then it shows a random 40 before going back to normal. Not sure if that is a glitch in the watch or my heart showing signs of an issue. I don’t remember feeling any different at all. Anyone else seen this or what are your thoughts?

 

[Ironman 190]

14 hours ago, sTeaLth said:

I have no other symptoms, but every few days I have one or two heart rate registers that show a large dip. I think if it was real I’d be light headed or short of breath or something. I don’t even know until I check my watch later and see it. It seems to have been happening for at least the last few months but I have no way of knowing if it is a real issue or just the watch being stupid every so often.  I have been working out quite a bit lately but not enough to get my heart into the 40s at rest. When I sleep my heart is in the 50s. 60s while awake at rest. Today I was watching basketball with my bpm around 65-75 and then it shows a random 40 before going back to normal. Not sure if that is a glitch in the watch or my heart showing signs of an issue. I don’t remember feeling any different at all. Anyone else seen this or what are your thoughts?

 

I guess the only way to know is to get your heart rate checked with another device to see if it matches up with your watch.  My mother had a flareup in her congestive heart failure in April 2022.  It was marked by low oxygen levels in the blood - and they used a device that clamps onto the finger to check heart oxygen levels and heartbeat.  I just found a blood oxygen meter for the finger and it confirmed the rate on my Fitbit.  I got lucky as it was $20 on sale!

 

[sTeaLth 236]

Ya, the main issue is I can't ever catch it doing it.  It just shows a single ping of that rate and then it is normal again.  I never feel different so I don't know to check it at that moment.  I did go back into my heart history for Apple Watch and it shows that I have had days of random 40s as the low off and on since at least 2019 and probably before.  I am guessing it is just an Apple Watch glitch or at this point I would definitely have noticed something.  I have never felt light headed and had a low heart rate or anything and generally I believe if you have a real heart rate dip like this you have a great tendency of passing out from dizziness and whatnot.  Furthermore, yesterday I set my watch to notify me if my heart drops below 50.  This morning it shows a random 41 again while I was reading.  Once again, I never felt weird or anything and didn't notice until I saw it on my watch.  The funny thing is that my watch/phone never notified me that my heart rate dropped below 50.  This makes me think it never actually did but the watch logged a 41 randomly for some reason while my heart rate was actually in the 60s.  I know on their website they do have some info posted that I am attaching as a picture that also points to this anomaly.  I think it all comes down to I am noticing NOTHING in the symptom department.  I just see the weird low numbers randomly on my watch sometimes.  People with real low bpm issues tend to pass out and go to the hospital when it happens.  Mine is just on my watch.  IDK...  I hate this crap.  Haha.

 

[Ironman 190]

4 hours ago, sTeaLth said:

Ya, the main issue is I can't ever catch it doing it.  It just shows a single ping of that rate and then it is normal again.  I never feel different so I don't know to check it at that moment.  I did go back into my heart history for Apple Watch and it shows that I have had days of random 40s as the low off and on since at least 2019 and probably before.  I am guessing it is just an Apple Watch glitch or at this point I would definitely have noticed something.  I have never felt light headed and had a low heart rate or anything and generally I believe if you have a real heart rate dip like this you have a great tendency of passing out from dizziness and whatnot.  Furthermore, yesterday I set my watch to notify me if my heart drops below 50.  This morning it shows a random 41 again while I was reading.  Once again, I never felt weird or anything and didn't notice until I saw it on my watch.  The funny thing is that my watch/phone never notified me that my heart rate dropped below 50.  This makes me think it never actually did but the watch logged a 41 randomly for some reason while my heart rate was actually in the 60s.  I know on their website they do have some info posted that I am attaching as a picture that also points to this anomaly.  I think it all comes down to I am noticing NOTHING in the symptom department.  I just see the weird low numbers randomly on my watch sometimes.  People with real low bpm issues tend to pass out and go to the hospital when it happens.  Mine is just on my watch.  IDK...  I hate this crap.  Haha.

 

I would at least see if another device would reveal that.  I wouldn't completely dismiss it until you can confirm it is just your watch.   

[sTeaLth 236]

Ya. I plan to talk to my general about it in April when I do that appointment. There would be no way for me to where another device at all times for the random blue moon moment that it shows it happening. If the doctor is concerned he’ll probably have me where heart monitor for a week or something to see if there is any issue. I’d guess though since there are no symptoms of it and it is only Technology based that he’ll say “come back if there is another problem as well such as light headed, dizzy, short of breath, etc.”

[Ironman 190]

19 hours ago, sTeaLth said:

Ya. I plan to talk to my general about it in April when I do that appointment. There would be no way for me to where another device at all times for the random blue moon moment that it shows it happening. If the doctor is concerned he’ll probably have me where heart monitor for a week or something to see if there is any issue. I’d guess though since there are no symptoms of it and it is only Technology based that he’ll say “come back if there is another problem as well such as light headed, dizzy, short of breath, etc.”

Here's something to chime in on.  I kinda fall into this category with all the running I do.  I have  a BIG problem with dehydration, even in the winter.  Vasovagal syncope is what they describe here.

Are you making sure you are eating enough or drinking enough water?

https://www.foxnews.com/media/la-meteorologist-reveals-medical-reason-collapsed-live-tv-urges-viewers-stay-hydrated

[sTeaLth 236]

Ya. This is why I don’t think it’s actually my heart. I have no symptoms at all. It’s just the device and it’s only a SINGLE heart rate ping among the hundreds of normal ones. I shaved my arm hair off under my watch, it was a lot. It hasn’t even done it since doing that yesterday. I drink about a gallon of water per day. 

[sTeaLth 236]

Update:  I talked with a doctor and he told me that with my big workouts I do regularly I would be noticing things wrong if there was an issue. Due to it being A-Symptomatic, with no other problems or anything happening, he said it was almost certainly nothing and to ignore it.  I will mention it to my general next month but likely he will say the same.  Chalk that up as another wasted anxiety session.  Bah!

[Ironman 190]

On 3/23/2023 at 11:23 AM, sTeaLth said:

Update:  I talked with a doctor and he told me that with my big workouts I do regularly I would be noticing things wrong if there was an issue. Due to it being A-Symptomatic, with no other problems or anything happening, he said it was almost certainly nothing and to ignore it.  I will mention it to my general next month but likely he will say the same.  Chalk that up as another wasted anxiety session.  Bah!

I have issues with my BP medication if I get up too fast, the blood flow is slow and I feel like i oculd black out.

I am NOT 90 years old lol.  I am still spry.  They just told me "just don't get up as fast".  I wonder what that does. 

I am having an anxiety episode now, just in time for my recently reduced medication dosage.  It's going to be FUN. 

[sTeaLth 236]

Just a follow up that another person did post on my question in the Apple forums today regarding this issue.  I barely notice them anymore but this is still nice to hear from another person.  

"

Hi there!

 

I have also had this issue. I never really paid attention to my Apple Watch heart rate until I had COVID.

I started to pay attention and noticed these random spikes. I went back into my history, and it looks like this has been happening randomly ever since I had my Apple Watch.

I did speak to my cardiologist about this and even wore a holter monitor because of it and it all came back normal.

My cardiologist told me it must be artifact meaning that it has something to do with the Apple Watch reading.

When I see these pop up on my watch, it scares me for a second, but there were no symptoms involved and my HR went back to normal.

Just today a few minutes ago, it showed my HR go 87-90-42-97 and I was in the car driving to target. So I’m not sure if this is something in the way I am wearing my watch, or if I am moving a certain way that causes it."

 

[Ironman 190]

15 hours ago, sTeaLth said:

Just a follow up that another person did post on my question in the Apple forums today regarding this issue.  I barely notice them anymore but this is still nice to hear from another person.  

"

Hi there!

 

I have also had this issue. I never really paid attention to my Apple Watch heart rate until I had COVID.

I started to pay attention and noticed these random spikes. I went back into my history, and it looks like this has been happening randomly ever since I had my Apple Watch.

I did speak to my cardiologist about this and even wore a holter monitor because of it and it all came back normal.

My cardiologist told me it must be artifact meaning that it has something to do with the Apple Watch reading.

When I see these pop up on my watch, it scares me for a second, but there were no symptoms involved and my HR went back to normal.

Just today a few minutes ago, it showed my HR go 87-90-42-97 and I was in the car driving to target. So I’m not sure if this is something in the way I am wearing my watch, or if I am moving a certain way that causes it."

 

I have a Fitbit and haven't seen it.  Normally, it just wont show up at all if I am wearing it wrong.  

The only thing I have noticed is that I have recently reduced my Cymbalta dosage and my resting heart rate has actually dropped from near 70 to the low 60s in general.