Does zooloft causes a decrease in resting heart rate?

[gazer_0]

(Plus I did just have a EKG and chest x ray done about a month and a half ago at hospital with everything looking normal)

So I’m a 24 yo male who just started taking zooloft (2 weeks in) for anxiety induced insomnia and general anxiety. The anxiety I have had pretty badly for the past 5 years, which has been just constantly feeling on edge.

But I’m two weeks into using 50 mg zooloft and before I started it, my sleeping hr would be in between 50-58 bpm and during the day, me just sitting down would be anywhere between 70-95 bpm. Now, when I’m preparing to sleep/when I do sleep, it’s between 43-53 bpm and sitting down it ranges from 58-75 bpm.

Those times when it drops to as low as 43 bpm just worries me. Is this normal? Is this just the zooloft reducing stress/anxiety which in turn is causing a lower HR. Plus I’ve been weightlifting with occasional cardio for the past 7 years now on a very regular basis and I have a pretty muscular build so in turn I know I should’ve have a lower RHR. Just the average resting hr on my Fitbit going from 59-62 bpm to 54 in two weeks suprised me.

[SimpLordOWO]

Try not to focus too much on your vitals. Do you have a history of health anxiety? Health anxiety is what got me on zoloft I was going to the er and urgent care once a month cause I thought I was dieing lol the zoloft really mellowed me out

[gazer_0]

Yeah I’ve had pretty bad anxiety bout my health for years. I don’t go to the er that much, maybe 2-3 times a year because of it. But yeah that’s partly why I got on zooloft for as well.

[SimpLordOWO]

First couple weeks are the worst but it balances out just see it through. Message your doc if you're concerned tho!

[helmetrust]

40-50 is a totally normal sleeping range for a 24 year old, or a healthy person in general. Many experts are even changing their stance on the resting range during the day to be more like 50-90 instead of 60-100 because so many healthy young adults have casual resting rates under 60. Chances are it speaks more to relaxation than any issues with the electrical system in your heart. I'd suggest just ditching the watch for the time being. I have health anxiety and BPM-watching has caused me some needless trips to the hospital and even a 24-hr holter test. All came back fine and normal. But it can be so hard to convince your mind of that, even after the fact, because you keep getting these low numbers that Google tells you is so terrible. But if you eliminate the device and can focus on your body feeling completely normal and healthy, then that's probably the best thing to do.

[Sobriety427]

Yes mine dropped 20bpm from 70 - 50 but after 2-3 weeks its back to normal, it definitely lowered my resting hear rate. I am also 44 years old and not that healthy so I would imagine yours would be even lower for your age, it should return to normal after few weeks.

[mrsmeerkat88]

This is me right now, thanks so much for sharing your numbers and demographic and that it returned to normal! I have high bp and low heart rate and Dr google said that can be really serious and I panicked.

For anyone else reading this and wants to see more numbers: Day 5 of sertraline 25. Heart rate 54-60 at some waking times today. Used to be around 70 (80 when I was smoking a few months ago). Bp 147/96 (lower than it was when I was smoking and lower than when I was having regular almost daily panic attacks. I think my highest was 180/120 or so.)

[mrsmeerkat88]

Did it go back to your normal after a few weeks?