diff --git a/src/heartratetask/HeartRateTask.cpp b/src/heartratetask/HeartRateTask.cpp
index a3baa7d2..ba34c074 100644
--- a/src/heartratetask/HeartRateTask.cpp
+++ b/src/heartratetask/HeartRateTask.cpp
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ void HeartRateTask::Process(void* instance) {
 }
 
 void HeartRateTask::Work() {
-  int lastBpm = 0;
+  lastBpm = 0;
 
   while (true) {
     TickType_t delay = CurrentTaskDelay();
@@ -35,41 +35,16 @@ void HeartRateTask::Work() {
     if (xQueueReceive(messageQueue, &msg, delay) == pdTRUE) {
       switch (msg) {
         case Messages::GoToSleep:
-          if (state == States::Running) {
-            state = States::Idle;
-          } else if (state == States::Measuring) {
-            state = States::BackgroundWaiting;
-            StartWaiting();
-          }
+          HandleGoToSleep();
           break;
         case Messages::WakeUp:
-          if (state == States::Idle) {
-            state = States::Running;
-          } else if (state == States::BackgroundMeasuring) {
-            state = States::Measuring;
-          } else if (state == States::BackgroundWaiting) {
-            state = States::Measuring;
-            StartMeasurement();
-          }
+          HandleWakeUp();
           break;
         case Messages::StartMeasurement:
-          if (state == States::Measuring || state == States::BackgroundMeasuring) {
-            break;
-          }
-          state = States::Measuring;
-          lastBpm = 0;
-          StartMeasurement();
+          HandleStartMeasurement();
           break;
         case Messages::StopMeasurement:
-          if (state == States::Running || state == States::Idle) {
-            break;
-          }
-          if (state == States::Measuring) {
-            state = States::Running;
-          } else if (state == States::BackgroundMeasuring) {
-            state = States::Idle;
-          }
-          StopMeasurement();
+          HandleStopMeasurement();
           break;
       }
     }
@@ -106,6 +81,76 @@ void HeartRateTask::StartWaiting() {
   backgroundWaitingStart = xTaskGetTickCount();
 }
 
+void HeartRateTask::HandleGoToSleep() {
+  switch (state) {
+    case States::Running:
+      state = States::Idle;
+      break;
+    case States::Measuring:
+      state = States::BackgroundWaiting;
+      StartWaiting();
+      break;
+    case States::Idle:
+    case States::BackgroundWaiting:
+    case States::BackgroundMeasuring:
+      // shouldn't happen -> ignore
+      break;
+  }
+}
+
+void HeartRateTask::HandleWakeUp() {
+  switch (state) {
+    case States::Idle:
+      state = States::Running;
+      break;
+    case States::BackgroundMeasuring:
+      state = States::Measuring;
+      break;
+    case States::BackgroundWaiting:
+      state = States::Measuring;
+      StartMeasurement();
+      break;
+    case States::Running:
+    case States::Measuring:
+      // shouldn't happen -> ignore
+      break;
+  }
+}
+
+void HeartRateTask::HandleStartMeasurement() {
+  switch (state) {
+    case States::Idle:
+    case States::Running:
+      state = States::Measuring;
+      lastBpm = 0;
+      StartMeasurement();
+      break;
+    case States::Measuring:
+    case States::BackgroundMeasuring:
+    case States::BackgroundWaiting:
+      // shouldn't happen -> ignore
+      break;
+  }
+}
+
+void HeartRateTask::HandleStopMeasurement() {
+  switch (state) {
+    case States::Measuring:
+      state = States::Running;
+      StopMeasurement();
+      break;
+    case States::BackgroundMeasuring:
+    case States::BackgroundWaiting:
+      state = States::Idle;
+      StopMeasurement();
+      break;
+    case States::Running:
+    case States::Idle:
+      // shouldn't happen -> ignore
+      break;
+  }
+}
+
 void HeartRateTask::HandleBackgroundWaiting() {
   if (!IsBackgroundMeasurementActivated()) {
     return;
@@ -150,12 +195,7 @@ void HeartRateTask::HandleSensorData(int* lastBpm) {
   }
   TickType_t ticksSinceMeasurementStart = xTaskGetTickCount() - measurementStart;
   if (bpm == 0 && state == States::BackgroundMeasuring && !IsContinuosModeActivated() &&
-      ticksSinceMeasurementStart >= DURATION_UNTIL_BACKGROUND_MEASURMENT_IS_STOPPED) {
-    state = States::BackgroundWaiting;
-    StartWaiting();
-  }
-  if (bpm == 0 && state == States::BackgroundMeasuring &&
-      xTaskGetTickCount() - measurementStart >= DURATION_UNTIL_BACKGROUND_MEASURMENT_IS_STOPPED) {
+      ticksSinceMeasurementStart >= DURATION_UNTIL_BACKGROUND_MEASUREMENT_IS_STOPPED) {
     state = States::BackgroundWaiting;
     StartWaiting();
   }
@@ -176,22 +216,31 @@ TickType_t HeartRateTask::CurrentTaskDelay() {
 }
 
 TickType_t HeartRateTask::GetHeartRateBackgroundMeasurementIntervalInTicks() {
+  int ms;
   switch (settings.GetHeartRateBackgroundMeasurementInterval()) {
     case Pinetime::Controllers::Settings::HeartRateBackgroundMeasurementInterval::TenSeconds:
-      return pdMS_TO_TICKS(10 * 1000);
+      ms = 10 * 1000;
+      break;
     case Pinetime::Controllers::Settings::HeartRateBackgroundMeasurementInterval::ThirtySeconds:
-      return pdMS_TO_TICKS(30 * 1000);
+      ms = 30 * 1000;
+      break;
     case Pinetime::Controllers::Settings::HeartRateBackgroundMeasurementInterval::OneMinute:
-      return pdMS_TO_TICKS(60 * 1000);
+      ms = 60 * 1000;
+      break;
     case Pinetime::Controllers::Settings::HeartRateBackgroundMeasurementInterval::FiveMinutes:
-      return pdMS_TO_TICKS(5 * 60 * 1000);
+      ms = 5 * 60 * 1000;
+      break;
     case Pinetime::Controllers::Settings::HeartRateBackgroundMeasurementInterval::TenMinutes:
-      return pdMS_TO_TICKS(10 * 60 * 1000);
+      ms = 10 * 60 * 1000;
+      break;
     case Pinetime::Controllers::Settings::HeartRateBackgroundMeasurementInterval::ThirtyMinutes:
-      return pdMS_TO_TICKS(30 * 60 * 1000);
+      ms = 30 * 60 * 1000;
+      break;
     default:
-      return 0;
+      ms = 0;
+      break;
   }
+  return pdMS_TO_TICKS(ms);
 }
 
 bool HeartRateTask::IsContinuosModeActivated() {
diff --git a/src/heartratetask/HeartRateTask.h b/src/heartratetask/HeartRateTask.h
index 47b86d60..a8fa8b60 100644
--- a/src/heartratetask/HeartRateTask.h
+++ b/src/heartratetask/HeartRateTask.h
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 #include <components/heartrate/Ppg.h>
 #include "components/settings/Settings.h"
 
-#define DURATION_UNTIL_BACKGROUND_MEASURMENT_IS_STOPPED pdMS_TO_TICKS(30 * 1000)
+#define DURATION_UNTIL_BACKGROUND_MEASUREMENT_IS_STOPPED pdMS_TO_TICKS(30 * 1000)
 
 namespace Pinetime {
   namespace Drivers {
@@ -19,8 +19,29 @@ namespace Pinetime {
   namespace Applications {
     class HeartRateTask {
     public:
-      enum class Messages : uint8_t { GoToSleep, WakeUp, StartMeasurement, StopMeasurement };
-      enum class States { Idle, Running, Measuring, BackgroundWaiting, BackgroundMeasuring };
+      enum class Messages : uint8_t {
+        // Screen gets turned off
+        GoToSleep,
+        // Screen gets turned on
+        WakeUp,
+        // Start button pressed
+        StartMeasurement,
+        // Stop button pressed
+        StopMeasurement
+      };
+
+      enum class States {
+        // Screen turned off, heartrate not measured
+        Idle,
+        // Screen turned on, heartrate app open, heartrate not measured
+        Running,
+        // Screen turned on, heartrate app open, heartrate actively measured
+        Measuring,
+        // Screen turned off, heartrate task is waiting until the next measurement should be started
+        BackgroundWaiting,
+        // Screen turned off, heartrate actively measured
+        BackgroundMeasuring
+      };
 
       explicit HeartRateTask(Drivers::Hrs3300& heartRateSensor,
                              Controllers::HeartRateController& controller,
@@ -35,6 +56,11 @@ namespace Pinetime {
       void StopMeasurement();
       void StartWaiting();
 
+      void HandleGoToSleep();
+      void HandleWakeUp();
+      void HandleStartMeasurement();
+      void HandleStopMeasurement();
+
       void HandleBackgroundWaiting();
       void HandleSensorData(int* lastBpm);
       TickType_t CurrentTaskDelay();
@@ -52,6 +78,7 @@ namespace Pinetime {
       Controllers::Ppg ppg;
       TickType_t backgroundWaitingStart = 0;
       TickType_t measurementStart = 0;
+      int lastBpm = 0;
     };
 
   }