Heart rate higher in the mornings

Training
1

Hi, I always thought I struggled more training in the morning. I don’t mean really early like 9-10.
Anyway my last 2 workouts were almost identical. However my usual training time around 4:30pm shows a 10bpm drop in average HR although this workout was slighter harder.
Is there anything I can do or try to reduce my heart rate rising more in the morning?
I’d have thought it’d be higher after a days work but mine is back to front.

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2

Caffeine? Nutrition? Sleep? Stress? Recent training load? Ambient temperature? Cooling? Cadence?

These (and a dozen other things) will all affect your HR.

I wouldn’t sweat it. Wait and see if it develops into a real trend - and even then I’d probably still not care.

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3

I don’t have caffeine and my sleep is pretty consistent: it is something iv always noticed and just trying to work out why.
As logically I’d think having breakfast and sitting around for an hour or 2 then riding would be fresher than after moving around for 10hours.
It doesn’t make a massive difference just wondered what may cause this

4

Being fresher can cause your HR to be higher. HR is slippery like that. High (or low) != “a bad thing”

Focus on RPE. :+1:

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5

Yeah, as everyone has mentioned, HR can vary a lot because there are a lot of outside factors affecting it. That’s why we like to measure efforts with power :see_no_evil:

Variations like this can often be attributed to natural fluctuations in circadian rhythms, which regulate body temperature, hormone levels, and cardiovascular function throughout the day.

Why Your HR May Be Higher in the Morning:

  1. Incomplete Warm-Up: Your cardiovascular system might take longer to adjust in the morning because your body temperature and resting HR are naturally lower after waking up.
  2. Dehydration: Overnight fluid loss can lead to mild dehydration, which impacts HR. Even small decreases in hydration can make your heart work harder.
  3. Lower Glycogen Stores: After fasting overnight, your energy stores may be depleted, requiring your body to work harder to fuel the workout.
  4. Sympathetic Nervous System Activation: Morning stress or sleep inertia (the grogginess after waking) can activate your “fight or flight” response, raising HR.

Steps to Try:

  1. Extended Warm-Up: Spend more time gradually ramping up effort during morning workouts, including 15-20 minutes at an easy Zone 1 or Zone 2 pace to allow your cardiovascular system to “wake up.”
  2. Hydration and Pre-Fueling:
  • Drink water upon waking and consider adding a pinch of salt or an electrolyte mix to improve fluid balance.
  • A light snack (e.g., a banana or a small piece of toast with honey) 30–60 minutes before training can help stabilize blood sugar levels and reduce stress on your system.
6 Likes
6

If I eat my usual egg breakfast soon before my z2 workout, I’ve found my hr will be 5-10 bpm higher than if I do the z2 workout after only coffee.

7

I’ve been an early morning runner and cyclist since I started to exercise 12 years ago. I don’t have but a couple dozen workouts that started after lunch. My RPE and HR are always lower in the afternoon, even though I feel out of my element doing a workout that time of day. In the discussions I’ve seen on running forums, most runners say the same.

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8

Salt? I was surprised to hear that most heart attacks happen in the morning so maybe the body takes a while to wake up, or some hormone or other is to high/low, etc. When I do a killer workout in the morning (pre-11) I ‘feel’ different after than later in the day. I seem to be able to do the same workout and feel almost completely different depending on what time I do it. Weird, but seems to be true…

9

I barely use salt, and the sodium in the food looks to be less than I put in my water bottle.
I just assume my body is using extra energy to process the protein and fat and fiber from the eggs, butter, a little cheese, and veg. I’ll get to my bottom of z2 hr at 165ish watts instead of 180-185 watts, pretty consistently.

10

Pretty sure theres an old podcast where Chad goes into the deltas that tend to exist between AM & PM workouts. I also experience higher HR in my AM workouts for similar efforts in the PM. About 10bpm delta like you. Many factors as mentioned, but IIRC the podcast covered some underlying physical aspects that play a part too.

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11

Just after eating i would think that some blood is directed to digestion.