I bought a heart rate monitor today and I came home, wet the connectors and put it on and the readings were like 85-95. They varied. Is this bad? When I got up and jumped a little it went up in the hundreds then dropped back down. Am I just twigging out or is this serious?

I don’t believe the 85-95 bpm would accurately reflect your resting bpm. Same thing happens to me when I put on my heart rate monitor, 85-95, but if do sit down for about 5-10 minutes I notice it goes down to the mid to low 70’s. I never realized how my heart rate fluctuates with mild activity until I got my HR monitor.

Definition:
The measurement of the number of heartbeats per minute.

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How the test is performed:
The pulse is measured at the wrist, neck, temple, groin, behind the knees, or on top of the foot. In these areas, the artery passes close to the skin. To measure the pulse at the wrist, place the index and middle finger over the underside of the opposite wrist, below the base of the thumb. Press firmly with flat fingers until you feel the pulse. To measure the pulse on the neck, place the index and middle finger just to the side of the Adam's apple, in the soft hollow area. Press firmly until the pulse is located. Once you find the pulse, count the beats for 1 full minute, or for 30 seconds and multiply by 2. This will give the beats per minute.

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How to prepare for the test:
If the resting heart rate is to be determined, you must have been resting for at least 10 minutes. The exercise heart rate is obtained while you are exercising.

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How the test will feel:
There is a slight pressure from the fingers.

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What the risks are:
There are no risks.

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Why the test is performed:
The test is useful for monitoring medical conditions. In emergency situations, the pulse rate can help determine if the patient's heart is pumping. During exercise or immediately after exercise, the pulse rate can give information about the fitness level and the health of the person.

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Normal values:
For resting heart rate:
newborn infants; 100 to 160 beats per minute
children 1 to 10 years; 70 to 120 beats per minute
children over 10 and adults; 60 to 100 beats per minute
well-trained athletes; 40 to 60 beats per minute

Definitely check your pulse manually several times over a couple of days. Good times are when you have been doing something very sedentary and, most importantly, before you get out of bed in the morning (and before any good morning bed activity ;) ).

My resting pulses tend to be in the high 50s, but they skyrocket when I'm really tired and stressed. Consistently high pulse rates on waking is a nearly certain sign that you are either sick or overdoing it. Classic marker for overtraining.

From your description of events, I would not be worried. Resting pulse means resting ... bored off your fanny in a doctor's office or just waking up. If your new toy has a logger built in, just wear it a while and you will see how it varies! Our hearts are amazing and miraculous devices capable of split-second response and heart rate will wander if not under constant load or rest.