I'm 34 and fairly active, but lately my resting heart rate has been sitting around 95-100 when I check it in the morning before getting out of bed. A few years ago it was more like 65-70. I haven't changed my caffeine habits much and I'm not stressed or sick. Is this something I should see a doctor about or just normal variation?
A 10-15 bpm increase like that isn't something to brush off as normal variation, especially when you haven't changed your routine. That said, it doesn't automatically mean something's wrong either - there are a bunch of reasons your resting heart rate could creep up, and some are totally manageable.
Things worth considering: are you sleeping worse than you used to? Even subtle sleep issues can elevate your resting heart rate. Same goes for underlying infections (sometimes people don't realize they're fighting something), thyroid problems, anemia, or increased stress even if you don't consciously feel stressed. Overtraining is another one - sometimes people push harder without noticing and their body responds by keeping heart rate elevated. Some medications or supplements can do it too. It's worth doing a quick self-check on these before jumping to conclusions.
That said, a persistent jump from 65-70 to 95-100 is worth getting checked out by a doctor. I'm not saying it's an emergency, but a routine appointment makes sense so they can rule out anything like thyroid dysfunction or cardiac issues. Bring a log of your recent readings if you can - that'll help them see the pattern. Could be nothing, could be something simple to fix, but you won't know without getting it looked at.
The timing matters here - checking it first thing in the morning is the right approach, but make sure you're sitting still for a full minute before you count, not just glancing at it. A sustained shift of 25-35 bpm upward over a few years definitely warrants a conversation with your doctor, even if nothing else has changed, because it could point to anything from thyroid issues to early cardiac drift to even sleep problems you're not aware of. You don't need to panic about it, but this isn't something where "wait and see" is the move when you've got a clear baseline to compare against.
Log into answer.
