Heart rate monitoring device is a device that tells the reading of our heartbeat. These devices are ubiquitous among athletes, cyclists, and gymnasts.
But many seem to have a question like how does a heart rate monitor work, and does it give accurate data?
If you are also puzzling with this question then, read it. We bring this writing after quite a research on the heart rate monitors and their functions.
By the end of this writing, you will know all the ins and outs of a heart monitoring machine.
What is a Heart Rate Monitor?
Heart rate monitor is a heartbeat sensor device that can read the beat of your heart. Most people who do high-potential workouts need to keep track of their heart rate.
It helps to determine whether the workouts are going effective or not. The reading of the HRM helps to reach the target health goal fast.
Types of Heart Rate Monitor
This heart rate monitoring device may come in the form of a fitness tracker along with other fitness tracking functions. Again, some heart rate monitor is a strap system. You may need to wrap the strap around your chest to have a track on your heartbeat all the time.
So, generally, two types of heart rate monitoring devices are available. One is the smartwatch system, and another is the strap system.
How Does a Heart Rate Monitor Work?
Whether the device is to wear on your wrist or wrap around the chest, the primary function is the same. Let’s see how these devices show the rate of the heartbeat.
The function of Wrist HRM
The heart rate monitor of the wrist watches works with the base of an optical sensor. Most of the optical heart rate monitoring machines use an LED light on the back of the device. You can see having one or two green LED lights that can detect the blood flows. The light sensor goes through the blood cells and gets back after reflecting from the blood cells and hemoglobin.
The more hemoglobin it gets on its way, the more it gets reflected. And in this way, the device shows the data of heartbeats based on the number of light sensors reflects.
Many got questions like if these HRM chips can give accurate data. To let you know, we can say these bracelets or fitness watches are worn on your wrist. So, the LED light goes through the vessels and enters into the blood cell promptly.
Finally, the monitor of the wrist HRM shows the data for your heartbeat per minute, known as bpm.
There is another type of heart rate monitoring device that is also worn on the wrist. When you need to check your heartbeat, you have to put your finger on the device screen, and the device shows the reading of your heartbeat after checking your pulse.
But these HRM devices seem not that much popular among the fitness trainees, as you need to put your finger to check the rating, which is much troublesome to most.
The function of HRM Chest Strap
Well, in the chest strap HRM, devices use electrodes that get the beats of your heart. The process of working in the heart monitor chest strap is like the function of doing an electrocardiogram(ECG) or( EKG).
The electrodes situated in the chest strap can detect the Systol and diastole of the heart. Thus it can calculate the rate of beating in a minute then send the data to any nearby connected device through Bluetooth.
In this way, you can see the heartbeat rate during any workout by using the chest strap heart monitors.
In terms of accuracy, most of the devices can’t give 100% accurate data for the heartbeat. Maximum fitness experts say not to rely entirely on the heart rate monitoring machines. These are technological devices, and their functioning system may fail sometime.
So, if you get any doubtful reading, don’t start panicking. Recheck your data and see. Whether you use the bracelet type or the strap type, always remember, the devices can give an almost precise reading if and only if you have movement and sweating.
If you are not doing that much exercise and results in not sweating, your heartbeat will not increase. Consequently, you won’t get your target heartbeat.
Which One Found More Effective
To keep track of your fitness workouts, you must need an HRM machine with you. Among the two types of heart rate monitors, the chest strap system seem to be more productive. These HRM machines use electrodes and record data, almost like an ECG test.
Again, many people seem to have irritation while wearing a device around their chests. So, they prefer to have a wrist-worn one. But nowadays, many brands are also using optical methods in the chest strap as people get issues with the electrode metals used in the belt.
And the best part is you can connect most of these devices with your phones or tablets or PC also to have a record of the data. Oh, if you need can check out some outstanding heart rate monitors compatible with Apple watch to have a proper track on your fitness exercise.
Most of the HRM devices show a heartbeat rating as bpm, meaning beats per minute. Some machine also shows the reading in three categories, such as high rate, low rate, and an average rate of heartbeat rate.
So, you can use any type according to your suitability and have your fitness workouts more precisely to reach your dream health fast.
Final Thoughts
Heart rate monitor devices have become essential in fitness workouts. You need this for your benefit to exercise. You need this to check whether you are reaching your target or not. Again, it is also helpful for getting precautions for an excess of workouts.
For all these vital facts, it has become crucial to several people to know of how does a heart rate monitor work. If you know the working methods, you can buy the right one.
And in this writing, you can find the working function of both types of heart rate monitors. So, read it and use your preferable heart monitoring device to reach your health motto.
META
Do you want to know how does a heart rate monitor work? Then, don’t waste time. Read it and get known of the performing criteria behind a heart monitor.