A Resting Heart Rate (RHR) is your heart rate when you are at rest, lying down, awake, and not after recently exerting yourself. A typical healthy RHR in adults is 60–80 beats per minute (bpm). However, the RHR tends to decrease as cardiovascular health improves. It is not unusual for the RHR of people who regularly exercise to be below 50 bpm. In fact, there have been resting heart rates in some athletes that are as low as 30.
Key Takeaways
- A lower resting heart rate usually means you’re in better shape, with a healthy range of 60-80 beats per minute for most adults.
- Tracking your resting heart rate can help you understand your fitness level and spot potential health issues like stress, dehydration, or overtraining.
- You can easily check your heart rate using a fitness tracker or by manually counting your heartbeats when you’re relaxed and haven’t recently exercised or consumed caffeine.
Why Is Your Resting Heart Rate Important?
Generally speaking, the lower your RHR, the fitter you are. It also means your heart can pump more blood with each beat. In other words, better fitness means a larger heart capacity and lower RHR. You can lower your RHR by engaging in regular aerobic exercise like walking, running, or biking.
Everyone is different. Two people who perform the same exercise routine could have different RHRs. Additionally, several factors can affect your RHR.
Regularly checking your RHR helps you keep track of your fitness level. Furthermore, it may allow you to recognize possible health issues. An increase in your RHR could indicate sleep deprivation, dehydration, illness, a medical condition, or stress. For athletes and active people, it could mean overtraining.
Unfortunately, two medical conditions relate to abnormally low or high RHR. Generally speaking, Bradycardia is when the RHR is lower than 60 bpm in non-athletic individuals, while Tachycardia is when the RHR is above 100 bpm. However, there are usually symptoms with these conditions in addition to an abnormal heart rate. Therefore, you should seek medical advice from your doctor if you have any concerns or questions about these conditions.
How Do You Calculate Your Resting Heart Rate?
To determine your RHR, you will have to take your pulse. You can use the traditional two-finger method or a stethoscope and wristwatch. Today, the easiest and most common way to calculate your RHR is to wear a fitness tracker or a heart rate monitor.
If you take your pulse with two fingers or a stethoscope, you count the number of heartbeats over 1 minute. Alternatively, you can count heartbeats for 15 seconds and multiply the results by four, or for 30 seconds and multiply the results by two.
Some insist the best way to measure your RHR is to take it shortly after waking up. However, you can take it at any time throughout the day. If so, you should relax for several minutes while lying down or reclining in a chair before taking your pulse. Also, ensure you’re well-rested and hydrated and have not recently exercised, ingested caffeine, or taken other stimulants. These factors can elevate your RHR.
Tracking Your Progress
Your resting heart rate can help determine the intensity of exercise. Different intensity levels are used to improve cardiovascular fitness, lose weight, or improve anaerobic performance. As you increase your fitness level, your resting heart rate may decrease. Therefore, you should track your resting heart rate and adjust your activities to help you achieve your fitness goals.
Conclusion
Understanding your Resting Heart Rate (RHR) is like having a personal health dashboard that shows how well your heart is working. By regularly checking your RHR, you’re not just tracking a number. Instead, you’re gaining insight into your overall fitness and wellness. Think of it as a simple yet powerful way to listen to your body to help make smarter choices about your health and exercise routine.
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Disclaimer: No content on this site should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
