French connected health pioneer Withings recently conducted a comprehensive study in which they analyzed the nighttime heart rate (NHR) of over 160,000 Withings users worldwide between the ages of 18 and 70 over a year between 2022 and 2023.
The result was the following:
People who take more than 10,000 steps per day have a nighttime heart rate (NHR) that is, on average, 4.74 beats per minute, lower than those who take less than 5,000 steps. This finding is especially significant since a higher NHR is linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
This was supported by a study by Johansen et al. – which found that nighttime heart rate is a better predictor of risk of cardiovascular events and overall mortality. And NHR is especially informative since it measures the heart rate in a relaxed state when the body is resting and regenerating.
Until now, the resting heart rate has been considered an important biomarker for assessing overall cardiovascular health. A normal nighttime heart rate is around 40 to 60 beats per minute, which is about 10% to 15% lower than resting heart rate. A higher NHR can be a sign of a variety of health problems such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity.
Average heart rate decreases as the daily steps increase
Regular exercise could lower nighttime heart rate and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. And the Withings’s study confirmed that the more steps users take on average during the day, the better their heart rate at night. Plus, the average heart rate falls as the number of daily steps increases. The results of the study are clear, which is that walking has the potential to significantly improve the night-time heart rate. And reducing stress and getting enough sleep can also have a positive impact.
Methodology
The study analyzed data from 161,239 users aged 18 to 70 who wore a Withings ScanWatch. They were divided into two main groups: 1.) A predominantly sedentary group with less than 5,000 steps per day and 2.) An active group with more than 10,000 steps per day. Geographically, the study included the U.S., U.K., Germany, and France, each with at least 10,000 users. Several confounding factors were taken into account to scientifically validate the results. These included recent BMI measurements, gender, and age group. The data was stratified accordingly, and the analysis focused on the 30-70 age group.
KEY QUOTE:
“Nighttime heart rate is a good indicator of cardiovascular health because it is a measure of the activity of the autonomic nervous system, which regulates the heartbeat. An increased heart rate at night can be a sign of impaired cardiovascular function and may indicate conditions such as high blood pressure and kidney damage. To improve nighttime heart rate, people should practice healthy sleep hygiene, such as avoiding alcohol in the evening, relaxing before bed, and exercising during the day.”
— Cardiologist and sleep physician Professor Pierre Escourrou, MD
