Sudden spike in heart rate when streaming

Yesterday morning, I took a walk and felt fine. I went out into the yard to play with my granddaughters and I noticed shortly after I started pushing my four year-old granddaughter in a swing, my watch showed that my heart rate went up to 199. Granted, she is 42 pounds, but I can’t imagine that my heart rate went that high. I’m wondering if it was the motion that set it off, since the reading was so brief.


I have included my overall reading for the day, as well as the sample details for that period, along with the overall heart rate rates for that period of time too. This may simply be an outlier.


I realize these are bit medical grade devices, but I had a similar occurrence like this last June when I was mopping the floors in my home and it showed a streaming heart rate of 188. I had a different band on my watch at that time, if that matters.


For the record, I’m a 54 year old female with no significant health issues. I’m of normal weight and exercise 20-35 minutes a day.




Apple Watch Series 8, watchOS 11

Posted on Apr 20, 2025 2:58 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Apr 20, 2025 3:20 PM

Nobody here can answer with certainty. If you are concerned about a medical issue, check with your medical provider. (That’s not us.)


I’ve had pulse rates mis-read on Apple Watch. The series 5 would incorrectly read double on occasion. Particularly when active.


If this arises again and if you notice the rate at the time, check your own pulse rate manually. Detecting a pulse at the wrist and at the carotid should be familiar. If it is not, ask somebody to demonstrate, or locate a video showing how.


If 199 is somehow not an incorrect reading, then the pulse rate of over three beats per second should be very obvious when feeling for your pulse.


Oh, and even “medical grade devices” can routinely mis-read under field conditions, too.

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Apr 20, 2025 3:20 PM in response to SunnierDaysAhead

Nobody here can answer with certainty. If you are concerned about a medical issue, check with your medical provider. (That’s not us.)


I’ve had pulse rates mis-read on Apple Watch. The series 5 would incorrectly read double on occasion. Particularly when active.


If this arises again and if you notice the rate at the time, check your own pulse rate manually. Detecting a pulse at the wrist and at the carotid should be familiar. If it is not, ask somebody to demonstrate, or locate a video showing how.


If 199 is somehow not an incorrect reading, then the pulse rate of over three beats per second should be very obvious when feeling for your pulse.


Oh, and even “medical grade devices” can routinely mis-read under field conditions, too.

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Sudden spike in heart rate when streaming

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