Exercising can assist you with strengthening your muscles, increasing your flexibility and improving your overall health over time. However, experiencing a sudden drop in pulse rate or heart rate can be a sign of a serious medical condition or heart problems. Exercising typically causes your heart to work harder and beat faster, thus causing a slight increase in blood pressure; however, a lowered pulse rate during exercise may be a sign that your heart is not functioning properly.
Pulse
According to the National Emergency Medicine Association (NEMA), a normal resting heart rate or pulse rate is between 60 and 90 beats per minute, depending on many factors like age, gender and genetics. Your heart rate can fluctuate up and down, especially following strenuous physical activity such as exercise. As your muscles begin to work harder, your heart must pump faster in order to supply your muscles with oxygen-rich blood. Therefore, your heart rate should increase temporarily during physical activity.
Fainting
When your blood pressure or pulse rate begins to drop, you may begin to feel faint or dizzy. As MayoClinic.com suggests, the most common condition associated with fainting or a sudden drop in pulse rate is vasovagal syncope. This condition is a brief loss of consciousness caused by a sudden drop in your heart rate triggered by an external stimulus, such as seeing something that causes a high level of anxiety or distress. While this condition is typically harmless to your body, fainting while in the middle of exercising may increase your risk of injury in the presence of exercise equipment.
Bradycardia
Bradycardia is another medical condition that can cause your heart to beat slowly even while exercising or performing strenuous activity. This condition is marked by a heart rate that is lower than the normal 60 beats per minute. As the American Heart Association suggests, bradycardia can cause a lack of bloodflow to your brain or other organs and can lead to fainting, shortness of breath, or other symptoms. When left untreated, this condition can cause additional medical complications up to and including death.
Considerations
Determining your target heart rate can serve as a marker to determine if your heart is working properly during exercise. As the NEMA states, you can calculate your target heart rate by subtracting your age from 220. If you begin to experience a sudden drop in heart rate during exercise, stop your physical activity immediately and seek medical attention.
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