Heart rate recovery

How far your heart rate falls in the first minute after a workout ends, as estimated by Apple Watch.

When you stop exercising, your heart rate drops fast at first, then more slowly. Heart rate recovery is the size of that first drop: your peak workout heart rate minus your heart rate one minute after the workout ended. A bigger number means a quicker settle.

Apple Watch estimates it after workouts recorded with it and saves it to Apple Health. The first minute is mostly your body switching the brakes back on, so it's a window into how quickly you bounce back.

The number depends a lot on the workout itself. How hard you were going right before the end, whether you keep moving afterwards and even your posture all change it. For the fairest comparison, end the workout when you actually stop, and compare similar sessions.

In studies, well-trained athletes recover faster than untrained people. Pajdo averages the day's workouts and charts them against your own usual range, never against anyone else's.

This is general wellness information, not medical advice. If a number worries you, or stays away from your usual for a while, talk to a doctor.

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