What Your Resting Heart Rate Says about You

About couple of months ago I started taking my heart rate first thing in the morning and writing it down. I'd take my wrist site pulse for 30 seconds, double it and wholla - you've got your resting heart rate!

So why would you do this?

Our nervous system has 3 different sub-systems:

1. Central Nervous System (the brain)
2. Peripheral Nervous System (outside the brain and spinal chord)
3. Autonomic Nervous System (nerves and ganglia)

Right now we're goin to focus on the autonomic nervous system that has 2 parts to it eing:

1. Parasympathetic
2. Sympathetic

Ideally you want to be able to easily swing between these systems depending on the stress you encounter at that specific point in time. 

The paraympathetic nervous system is your chilled out, rauncho relaxo system while your sympathetic nervous system is your anxious, toned up (not in a good way), fight or flight system.

If your resting heart rate consistently above 60 beats per minute then you're sympathetic nervous system dominant.

This can spell trouble because the body feels and acts like it is under constant threat and stress resulting in broken sleep, poor recovery and fat storage from being in a state of "emergency" 24/7.

So you can see it's not just a matter of improving your fitness level, it's a matter of lifestyle.

It is crucial to your long term health if you can pin point some actions that you can put in place easily to combat when times are tough.

So for example if you take your heart rate and it's 3 or more beats above your daily average resting heart rate, then you know you're body is working overtime!

It might be best to make some time to get outside for a walk before work or at lunchtime.

Don't take work home with you.

Get to the gym.

Hit the road.

Get your cardi on and take in a movie.

Even better, hit us up for a be activated treatment session, that helps the body to get back to baseline, essentially resetting your body!

Take your resting heart rate every morning upon waking for 2 weeks and let us know where you're at!