On 20/07/2010 9:18 AM, Invisible wrote:
>
> I wasn't sure where the best place to measure from is. I know you can
> feel your pulse from *somewhere* in your wrist, but I wasn't sure
> exactly where.
>

Using the first two fingers on your right hand place them about one and 
a half to two inches below your left hand in the soft part between the 
line of your thumb and the tendons. When you press firmly but not hard 
you should be able to feel your pulse. If not lift your fingers and move 



> (I've never heard of it being measured from your neck. I especially like
> the way the instructions said "but don't press too hard". Um, why? What
> happens if you press too hard??)

You might restrict the flow of blood to one side of the brain. Duh! :-P

-- 

Best Regards,
	Stephen

Post a reply to this message

>> I wasn't sure where the best place to measure from is. I know you can
>> feel your pulse from *somewhere* in your wrist, but I wasn't sure
>> exactly where.
> 
> Using the first two fingers on your right hand place them about one and 
> a half to two inches below your left hand in the soft part between the 
> line of your thumb and the tendons. When you press firmly but not hard 
> you should be able to feel your pulse. If not lift your fingers and move 
> them a bit. You use the pads not the tips.

Yeah, I found it in the end. (A picture is worth 1e6 words...)




Not something I'm expecting to ever have a problem with. ;-)

>> (I've never heard of it being measured from your neck. I especially like
>> the way the instructions said "but don't press too hard". Um, why? What
>> happens if you press too hard??)
> 
> You might restrict the flow of blood to one side of the brain. Duh! :-P

I meant more "what happens if you restrict the flow of blood to your 
brain? Do you die??!?" o_O

Post a reply to this message

On 20/07/2010 10:40 AM, Invisible wrote:

> Yeah, I found it in the end. (A picture is worth 1e6 words...)
>

>> feel your own.
>
> Not something I'm expecting to ever have a problem with. ;-)
>

What would happen if you found your mother unconscious and could not 
detect signs of breathing? How could you tell if she was alive?

>>> (I've never heard of it being measured from your neck. I especially like
>>> the way the instructions said "but don't press too hard". Um, why? What
>>> happens if you press too hard??)
>>
>> You might restrict the flow of blood to one side of the brain. Duh! :-P
>
> I meant more "what happens if you restrict the flow of blood to your
> brain? Do you die??!?" o_O

Not if you do it to yourself. If you lost consciousness (unlikely if you 
only do it to one side) you would let go then recover consciousness. It 
is called throttling, a choke cuts off the air supply and strangling is 
a combination of both (British definition).

-- 

Best Regards,
	Stephen

Post a reply to this message

>>> feel your own.
>>
>> Not something I'm expecting to ever have a problem with. ;-)
> 
> What would happen if you found your mother unconscious and could not 
> detect signs of breathing? How could you tell if she was alive?

Isn't that called an "insurance job"? ;-)

>> I meant more "what happens if you restrict the flow of blood to your
>> brain? Do you die??!?" o_O
> 
> Not if you do it to yourself. If you lost consciousness (unlikely if you 
> only do it to one side) you would let go then recover consciousness. It 
> is called throttling, a choke cuts off the air supply and strangling is 
> a combination of both (British definition).

Still, the risk of permanent brain damage just from trying to measure 
your pulse is... uh, worrying.

Post a reply to this message

Invisible <voi### [at] devnull> wrote:
> Still, the risk of permanent brain damage just from trying to measure 
> your pulse is... uh, worrying.

  You can't get brain damage from measuring your pulse.

-- 
                                                          - Warp

Post a reply to this message

Invisible <voi### [at] devnull> wrote:
> I wasn't sure where the best place to measure from is. I know you can 
> feel your pulse from *somewhere* in your wrist, but I wasn't sure 
> exactly where.

  How about just trying?

> (I've never heard of it being measured from your neck.

  Just put your fingers on the sides of your throat, near the lower side of
your jaw, like you were going to grab it. The pulse is quite strong just
where the sides of your throat meet your neck.

> I especially like 
> the way the instructions said "but don't press too hard". Um, why? What 
> happens if you press too hard??)

  If it's your wrist, nothing probably (unless you plan to crunch your wrist,
that is). Don't be strangling yourself, though.

> >> Just FYI, feeling my own pulse seriously grosses me out! >_<
> > 
> >   Why?

> Same reason some people are freaked out by the sound of chalk squeeking 
> on a blackboard I guess...

  Your heartbeats makes such a loud noise?

> >> Anyway, I managed to grin and bear it for 60 seconds, and I counted 
> >> about 85 pulses.
> > 
> >   Not really necessary to wait for a full minute. Just count for 15 seconds
> > and multiply by 4.

> Sure. But I imagine the longer you measure for, the more accurate the 
> reading.

  But your pulse may vary more during one minute than during 15 seconds,
skewing the result.

> >> The monitor is claiming an average rate of 88 BPM. 
> >> These numbers are approximately similar.
> > 
> >   Was this in full rest?

> Well, I was sitting still not doing anything.

  Can I assume you are not in very good shape?

-- 
                                                          - Warp

Post a reply to this message

>> I wasn't sure where the best place to measure from is. I know you can 
>> feel your pulse from *somewhere* in your wrist, but I wasn't sure 
>> exactly where.
> 
>   How about just trying?

Well, sure, but it's easier with a picture to tell you roughly where to 
look. Once I had that, it didn't take long to find. More to the point, I 
wanted to see whether that's actually the best one to use, or whether 
there's something better.

>> I especially like 
>> the way the instructions said "but don't press too hard". Um, why? What 
>> happens if you press too hard??)
> 
>   If it's your wrist, nothing probably (unless you plan to crunch your wrist,
> that is). Don't be strangling yourself, though.

Yeah, the warning was about the one in your neck. It made it sound like 
"if you use the one in your neck, don't press too hard or Bad Things 
might happen..."

>>>> Just FYI, feeling my own pulse seriously grosses me out! >_<
>>>   Why?
> 
>> Same reason some people are freaked out by the sound of chalk squeeking 
>> on a blackboard I guess...
> 
>   Your heartbeats makes such a loud noise?

I meant that it's a similarly illogical reaction.

>> Sure. But I imagine the longer you measure for, the more accurate the 
>> reading.
> 
>   But your pulse may vary more during one minute than during 15 seconds,
> skewing the result.

Well, maybe. I compared it to the reported average rate rather than 
instantaneous though.

>>>> The monitor is claiming an average rate of 88 BPM. 
>>>> These numbers are approximately similar.
>>>   Was this in full rest?
> 
>> Well, I was sitting still not doing anything.
> 
>   Can I assume you are not in very good shape?

Do both my job and my hobby involve sitting motionless for hours on end 
while wiggling my fingertips? ;-)

Post a reply to this message

Invisible <voi### [at] devnull> wrote:
> >   Can I assume you are not in very good shape?

> Do both my job and my hobby involve sitting motionless for hours on end 
> while wiggling my fingertips? ;-)

  Try regular daily exercise. Start with just walking. 1 hour of walking
every day (or 6 days a week or whatever) at a pace that you get sweaty. As
the weeks and months pass, increase your walking speed. Maybe somewhere in
the 3 or 4 month checkpoint you can probably try jogging a bit.

  If you do this for at least 6 months, you'll notice how your rest pulse
will start lowering as you get into better shape.

  (For most optimal results, you would have to start also watching a bit
what you eat. More proteins and fibers, less carbs, more plant fats and
less animal fats.)

-- 
                                                          - Warp

Post a reply to this message

On 20/07/2010 11:42 AM, Warp wrote:
> Invisible<voi### [at] devnull>  wrote:
>> Still, the risk of permanent brain damage just from trying to measure
>> your pulse is... uh, worrying.
>
>    You can't get brain damage from measuring your pulse.
>

Not unless you cut an artery and time the spurts. ;-)

-- 

Best Regards,
	Stephen

Post a reply to this message

On 20/07/2010 11:30 AM, Invisible wrote:
>
> Still, the risk of permanent brain damage just from trying to measure
> your pulse is... uh, worrying.

BOO! :-P

-- 

Best Regards,
	Stephen

Post a reply to this message