Did you know that RHR is a potential cardiac disease prevention target? Higher RHR is strongly associated with cardiac morbidity and mortality. A new study sought out to determine whether changes in activity, fitness and standing frequency correlate with changes in RHR.

Study Summary 

By analyzing high volume smartwatch data, this study found that: 

• In the community, overall fitness and activity inversely correlated with RHR; Higher fitness levels correlated with a lower RHR.
• There was a moderate inverse correlation between RHR and the frequency of standing.
• RHR inversely correlated with heart rate variability (HRV). 

The Hearty Take 

These study results suggest that RHR might be lowered by increasing frequency of standing and improving HRV, such as through increasing fitness and activity levels. However, this study is limited by population and there is a need for more studies to confirm these findings.