Cyclists' hearts: Why elite cyclists die in their sleep (7 min video)

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Hello everyone,

I hope you don't mind me posting this as I am new to the forum, a few people suggested I share it here (my channel is not monetised, just thought people would be interested).

This is a short video inspired by Marco Pantani and that amazing phrase many of you will've heard, about his heart rate being so slow he had to wake up in the night to pedal on an exercise bike: "During the day he lived to ride, but at night...he rode to stay alive". I'm a cardiologist (and lousy cyclist) and try to explain why a couple of dozen endurance athletes have died in their sleep over the last few decades.

Any thoughts sincerely appreciated and thank you for watching!


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hT8GZlBBv5k
 
Good video and yes, you nailed it, drugs: One of the reasons that the UCI introduced the 50% haemotocrit level was due to a spate of deaths. They're still happening unfortunately, it's still drugs, although it's rumoured the drugs of choice these days are ones that cause weight loss and give a better power/weight advantage. And yes, elite athletes are freaks of nature.
 

jay clock

Massive member
Location
Hampshire UK
I have not watched (at work, open plan), but I am solid build, chubby top half, legs of muscle. Height 177 weight about 90kg. Not doing drugs of any sort (honest!) and resting HR of 45 average. At night it has gone down to 34 (watch tracks it all night)

So my question is am I about to die?
 

Andrew_P

In between here and there
I have not watched (at work, open plan), but I am solid build, chubby top half, legs of muscle. Height 177 weight about 90kg. Not doing drugs of any sort (honest!) and resting HR of 45 average. At night it has gone down to 34 (watch tracks it all night)

So my question is am I about to die?
Go to sleep with one eye open. If you wake gasping for breath try two.
 

Threevok

Growing old disgracefully
Location
South Wales
My resting HR is 75-85, can drop to 55 during sleep

Should I be worried ?

I also have a habit of stopping breathing for long periods of time during sleep. Luckily, Mrs V is there to "kick" start me
 

Heltor Chasca

Out-riding the Black Dog
Hello everyone,

I hope you don't mind me posting this as I am new to the forum, a few people suggested I share it here (my channel is not monetised, just thought people would be interested).

This is a short video inspired by Marco Pantani and that amazing phrase many of you will've heard, about his heart rate being so slow he had to wake up in the night to pedal on an exercise bike: "During the day he lived to ride, but at night...he rode to stay alive". I'm a cardiologist (and lousy cyclist) and try to explain why a couple of dozen endurance athletes have died in their sleep over the last few decades.

Any thoughts sincerely appreciated and thank you for watching!


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hT8GZlBBv5k


Love it. Your humour turns a relatively inane and even controversial issue into a fascinating subject. I have competed up to world championship level in sailing where basic nutrition and even more basic biology was covered, but it is only recently (while using TrainerRoad) I have become interested in the fundamentals of fit bodies. I never really considered capillary beds or lactic tolerance before.

Also about the right length. Well done. Keep them coming.

Subscribed btw.
 

Slick

Guru
What about the footballers or even the more recent case of the rugby player? Is this specific to cyclists or does it effect all athletes?
 

Tin Pot

Guru
My resting HR is 75-85, can drop to 55 during sleep

Should I be worried ?

I also have a habit of stopping breathing for long periods of time during sleep. Luckily, Mrs V is there to "kick" start me

Your RHR is the rate when you sleep, not the rate when your up and about or sitting down. Measure either through the night, or when you wake up but before you sit up.
 

Alan O

Über Member
Location
Liverpool
Hello everyone,

I hope you don't mind me posting this as I am new to the forum, a few people suggested I share it here (my channel is not monetised, just thought people would be interested).

This is a short video inspired by Marco Pantani and that amazing phrase many of you will've heard, about his heart rate being so slow he had to wake up in the night to pedal on an exercise bike: "During the day he lived to ride, but at night...he rode to stay alive". I'm a cardiologist (and lousy cyclist) and try to explain why a couple of dozen endurance athletes have died in their sleep over the last few decades.

Any thoughts sincerely appreciated and thank you for watching!


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hT8GZlBBv5k

That's excellent, and very well presented, thanks - I've subscribed.
 

GrumpyGregry

Here for rides.
Your RHR is the rate when you sleep, not the rate when your up and about or sitting down. Measure either through the night, or when you wake up but before you sit up.
I can get my resting heart rate down to, or just below sleep levels, when wide awake, sat in a chair, in the middle of the day.

I love doing so in the doctors or hospital when attached to a monitor. Only one doctor or nurse has ever sussed it. "Mr Grumpy is clearly one of the fat fit" he said, before ramming a camera up my 'arris.
 
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Alan O

Über Member
Location
Liverpool
The American Heart Association suggests taking it first thing in the morning before you get out out of bed but there is no standard definition of 'resting heart rate' and none of the ones commonly in use by health professionals/researchers are linked to being asleep. Most are along the lines of "after 10 minutes of being seated, and not within two hours of strenuous exercise or within one hour of consuming caffeine".
Wikipedia says "The basal or resting heart rate (HRrest) is defined as the heart rate when a person is awake, in a neutrally temperate environment, and has not been subject to any recent exertion or stimulation, such as stress or surprise", but I'd expect if you measured it at multiple times in such conditions during the day, you'd get multiple different answers - and I wouldn't be surprised if the most representative time is different for different individuals.

I like using a fitness tracker to measure it, and I'm currently wearing my fitbit 24 hours a day so it gets plenty of data to use. I'd like to know how fitbit calculates it, but all they say is it's done "by measuring your heart rate when it detects sleep, and by measuring it throughout the day while you are awake but inactive (no steps detected)" and they keep the actual calculation secret.

The results will surely vary between different devices, but at least it means I'm getting consistent measurements for me, and that's what I really need to keep a track of things. Currently, fitbit has my rest HR around 60-62, with my sleep HR typically dropping to 57-59, and I'm hoping that will come down as I'm making a big effort this year to get my weight down and improve my fitness.

An interesting observation I've made is the effect of alcohol on my rest HR, and the length of time it takes to recover from it. I had a slightly reduced-exercise rest the last two weeks of December and didn't wear my tracker, during which time I partook of a quantity of fine beers and my homemade wines, before embarking on an alcohol-free January (and hopefully beyond). With the tracker back on, my rest HR was up in the high 70s in the last few days of the month, and it took two weeks from stopping the alcohol to get back down to my usual low 60s.

I've seen the same thing happen with similar events in the past, and my HR also rises noticeably if I'm ill, even with just a cold.

I'm someone who finds being able to count and measure things a great incentive, and I think my main measure is going to be rest HR - it does seem to be a very sensitive indicator.
 
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