An adult has a resting heart rate between 60 and 80 usually. This is the normal range. If you are unfit, your heart rate is often higher. If you are very physically active, you get a lower rate. Below 57 is called “athlete” in some graphics I have seen, which I think is too optimistic. Let’s call it physically active.
Anyway, moving house is supposed to be stressful, up there with divorce and death in the family. I recently had the easiest house move in history. I moved from a flat to a town house in the same building. Actually, when I moved in, the van was parked further away from the flat than the house is. On top of this I had good time, 10 days to do it in, and full understanding from my employer. I had friends that helped carrying stuff across and my mother came to visit, helping packing everything down and most of the stuff out again.
It was very stress-free, compared to other house moves I have been involved in. Still, there is a markedly change in my resting heart rate over the period, peaking on the last day of moving house. As I wear a Fitbit Surge, I have been able to track it clearly. It was something of an eye-opener.
Only today I am getting back to exercise, so the reason for the heart rate not getting below 60 again is easy to explain. But the leap was rather excessive. Yes, the last 66 was the last day of moving…
Er, I’m not a PhD cardiology student but isn’t this just a long term reaction to doing some physical exercise and the excitement of moving house rather than a negative stress thing? I can’t imagine QC have standing desks when editing books at a PC to get your heart working a bit
The last time I moved I lost 35 rating points, my worst single-tournament loss ever!
To link the last two threads – When I moved from 2nd floor flat to house a few months ago the delivery men were far from happy about my boxes of QC hardbacks! (Along with all my other books).
@Johnnyboy
No, I am usually very physically active and it drives the heart rate down, not up. I guess I have the second lowest resting heart rate at the office, after Andrew.
Mentioning stress of moving house makes me think about the stress of playing chess and whether it is suitable for older players. I recently read Chess For Life by Regan and Sadler . A book About keeping chess skills into 40s and 50s, but was worried to see that of the about a dozen players featured 2 have had cardiac issues and 2 sadly died young of stroke and cardiac.
Most of the middle aged players talked about preferring blitz or rapid to classical and I feel it is wise to have stopped playing classical tournament chess to try and avoid health issues related to high blood pressure.
@Soviet School
If you combine chess with exercise, I do not see an issue. If you are physically weak, I get your point.
@Jacob Aagaard
Well said. I’m 69, play tennis including singles 2-3times a week, resting heart rate of 60. Studying green Yusupov & Grandmaster prep series. My rating is going up. Love the long time control vs blitz.
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I recently moved my house too. It has taken 2 months, some very stressful days (at the beginning) but not too much stress in general. It has been a very positive thing to do. I lost 30 rating points, from 2390 to 2360, my biggest rating loss ever, but I can say I’m back in business. I’ll start preparing for my next tournament very soon with GM Prep series!