Ask the doctors: Keep heart rate guidelines in mind while exercising
Q: I'm a 55-year-old man, and I have been active all my life. I know target heart rates are based on age and was surprised that my heart rate while running is often between 150 and 195. Should I slow down a bit? I jog alone in a rural area and rarely carry my phone. Is this dangerous?
A: Target heart rate refers to a rough guideline for how fast your heart should beat during exercise. We say “rough” because it is based on a one-size-fits-all formula. While target heart rate can be a useful tool for assessing safety and progress during exercise, it should not be viewed as absolute. As we'll discuss in a moment, when it comes to exercise intensity and overall fitness, other factors come into play.
Let's begin with the calculation often used to identify target heart rate. The method suggested by the American Heart Association starts with subtracting your age from 220. This gives you a suggested maximum heart rate. In your case, that's 165 beats per minute (bpm). Then, depending on the desired exertion, calculate between 50% and 85% of that maximum to get a range. With your numbers, your target heart rate range is between 83 and 140 bpm.
While these age-based guidelines can be useful, they don’t take into account other key information. This includes each person's general health, resting heart rate, level of fitness, medical and family history and fitness goals.
How someone's body responds and adapts to exercise is also important. For example, the exercise capacity of a 55-year-old who is new to running would not be the same as someone the same age who is a seasoned runner. And yet the formula would serve up similar target heart rates for both people.
When it comes to your own heart rate, your numbers are higher than the recommended range. Wearable devices can miscalculate, so check manually as well. Using your watch, count your pulse for six seconds, then multiply by 10. If your device numbers turn out to be correct, consider if you are exerting yourself beyond your body's fitness level.
See how much you have to slow down your running to be in the recommended range. If that turns out to be a lot slower than your level of fitness would predict, it would be wise to discuss with your healthcare provider. At the very least, the visit will create a baseline for further evaluation.
Meanwhile, as you adjust your runs, scan your body for other symptoms. Check for chest pain or pressure, irregular heartbeat and dizziness. Also, pay attention to unusual breathlessness or discomfort in other parts of the body. Another important metric is how quickly your heartbeat returns to normal after exercise. Also, when running solo in a rural area, bringing your phone is a smart safety precaution.
The bottom line: relying on your body as well as the heart rate guidelines will allow you to exercise safely and effectively.
• Dr. Eve Glazier is an internist and associate professor of medicine at UCLA Health. Dr. Elizabeth Ko is an internist and assistant professor of medicine at UCLA Health. Send your questions to askthedoctors@mednet.ucla.edu.
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