How To Lower Resting Heart Rate
If you are having an episode of elevated heart rate, try the Valsalva maneuver, a simple trick to relax your heart:
- Hold your nose tightly and breathe out forcefully through your mouth as if stifling a sneeze or blowing up a tight balloon.
- At the same time, bear down as if youre having a bowel movement.
This quick, full-body strain can trigger your heart to go back to a normal rhythm.
Generally, a lower resting heart rate indicates that your heart is functioning efficiently. The ability of the heart to return to a resting heart rate quickly after exercise is an indicator of good cardiovascular fitness.
If your resting heart rate changes drastically or you have a consistently elevated heart rate, talk to your provider. A higher resting heart rate can be a sign of a heart problem. If you are an adult with a resting heart rate between 80 to 100 BPM, you might be at risk.
Keeping track of your heart rate can help you improve your overall health and adjust your exercise routine to stay healthy.
Want to learn more about your heart? Visit the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute online.
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on July 11, 2015, and was last reviewed on April 6, 2022
Typical Heart Rates During Exercise
During exercise, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends aiming for a target heart rate between 64% and 76% of your maximum heart rate for moderate-intensity workouts, and 77% to 93% for high-intensity workouts.
You can estimate your maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from 220. For example, the maximum heart rate for a 50-year-old would be estimated to be 170 bpm, and 200 bpm for a 20-year-old. This means that the 20-year-old may want to aim for a heart rate between 128 and 152 bpm during a moderate-intensity workout, or between 154 and 186 bpm for a high-intensity workout.
However, there are additional factors to consider when calculating your target heart rate. It is important to consult with a medical professional to determine any potential risks prior to engaging in vigorous exercise.
What You Can Do For Your Heart Rate
You should always aim to take good care of your heart. This includes exercising regularly, eating heart-healthy foods, minimizing alcohol, and maintaining a moderate weight.
Additionally, you should visit your doctor regularly for physicals. Not only is it good practice, but it can also help with the early detection of high cholesterol or blood pressure abnormalities.
If you already have heart disease, you should carefully monitor your condition and stick to your treatment plan. Take all medications as instructed by your doctor. Be sure to promptly report any new or worsening symptoms.
Other heart health tips include:
- Find ways to reduce stress. Examples include things like yoga or meditation.
- Limit your caffeine intake when possible. Using too much caffeine can increase heart rate.
- Limit intake of energy drinks.
- Moderate your intake of alcohol. Women should only have one drink or less per day while men should have two or fewer drinks per day.
- Quit smoking. Smoking increases your heart rate, and quitting can help bring it back down.
- Avoid cannabis. Cannabis use
Recommended Reading: Does Xanax Help Heart Palpitations
About Heart And Vascular Institute
The UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute has long been a leader in cardiovascular care, with a rich history in clinical research and innovation. As one of the first heart transplant centers in the country and as the developer of one of the first heart-assist devices, UPMC has contributed to advancing the field of cardiovascular medicine. We strive to provide the most advanced, cutting-edge care for our patients, treating both common and complex conditions. We also offer services that seek to improve the health of our communities, including heart screenings, free clinics, and heart health education. Find an expert near you.
Tags
Normal Healthy Resting Pulse Rates For 40 Year Olds
The average resting heart rate for a 40 year old is 72 beats per minute2. 40 year old males average heart rates of 71 bpm while females average slightly higher at 73 bpm2. The normal resting heart rate range for all adults and children 10 and over is between 60 and 100 beats per minute3. 90% of 40 year olds resting pulses fall within the range of 54 to 91 bpm. In general, an adult’s resting heart rate will be lower for those in better athletic condition. See also: Exercising heart rates for 40 year olds
Resting Heart Rate Chart 40 Year Olds
| Percentile |
|---|
Read Also: What Is Normal Resting Heart Rate By Age
What Is A Normal Sleeping Heart Rate
Dr. Abhinav Singh, Sleep Physician
Fact Checked
Our team of writers, editors, and medical experts rigorously evaluates each article to ensure the information is accurate and exclusively cites reputable sources. Learn More
We regularly assess how the content in this article aligns with current scientific literature and expert recommendations in order to provide the most up-to-date research.
Your heart rate fluctuates throughout the day, based on activity levels and emotions. Stress and exercise can raise heart rate, while sleeping can lower it. A normal heart rate while sleeping is often between 40 to 50 beats per minute , though there is variability between individuals.
We discuss what is considered a normal sleeping heart rate for each age range, as well as share signs to look out for that may indicate an underlying condition.
What Is A Target Heart Rate
According to the AHA , your target heart rate during moderate-intensity activities is about 50 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate. Vigorous physical activity should result in about 70 to 85 percent of your maximum.
So for 35-year-olds, a goal target heart rate is between 93 and 157 bpm .
The table below shows the target heart rate range and average maximum heart rate for different ages, based on information from the AHA.
| Age |
- being an older adult
- problems with the conduction system of the heart
Borderline or occasional bradycardia may not need treatment. But prolonged bradycardia, or bradycardia thats not treated, can become more serious.
Certain underlying conditions are typically the true decider of what a dangerous heart rate is. If youre already living with heart disease, heart failure, or a history of heart disease and notice a fluctuation in your heart rate, you should go to the doctor as soon as you can, as it could be a sign of a serious complication.
Read Also: How Long Can You Have Angina Before A Heart Attack
When Is A Heart Rate Dangerous
A heart rate can be dangerous if it is regularly above or below normal levels, but it depends on the situation. For example, a consistently low heart rate can be healthy in an athlete, but a sign of an underlying problem in an older adult or someone who lives a sedentary lifestyle. Brief spikes in heart rate during stress or physical activity are normal, but a resting heart rate that is consistently higher than average could indicate heart disease, or a thyroid problem.
Symptoms like dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting can be signs that a heart rate is too high or too low. A high heart rate may also cause symptoms like chest pain, shortness of breath, or heart palpitations. A low heart rate may cause fatigue, difficulty exercising, or brain fog.
Knowing your typical heart rate can help you become aware when it falls outside of your normal pattern.
How To Determine Your Ideal Resting Heart Rate
Well-trained athletes may have a resting heart rate between 30 and 40 bpm. But everyones heart rate is different. Theres no ideal resting heart rate, even though a lower resting heart rate may mean youre more fit.
You can measure your resting heart rate at home. Take your resting heart rate by checking your pulse first thing in the morning.
- gently press the tips of your index and middle finger over the lateral part of your wrist, just below the thumb side of your hand
- count the beats for a full minute
Also Check: What Is Target Heart Rate
How Can You Measure Your Sleeping Heart Rate
To measure your sleeping heart rate at home, you can use a smart watch. Some companies are also starting to offer smart sensors that integrate into the bed. If your doctor suspects you may have a sleep disorder, they may order an in-lab or at-home sleep study with professional equipment that delivers a more accurate heart rate reading.
To calculate your resting heart rate during the day, lightly press the tips of your index and middle finger over the artery on your neck, your chest, or the inside of your wrist. Count your heartbeats for the next 30 seconds and multiply by two.
How To Calculate Your Maximum Heart Rate
Generally, a healthy active heart rate is 60 to 80 percent of the highest your heart rate should safely go. The highest heart rate is called your maximum heart rate. A guideline for calculating your maximum heart rate is to subtract your age from 220, like this: 220 your age = your maximum heart rate
You May Like: What Is My Heart Rate
How To Determine Your Ideal Exercising Heart Rate
Some athletes like to follow target-heart-rate training. This is based on your intensity level compared to your maximum heart rate.
Your maximum heart rate is considered the highest amount your heart can sustain during cardiovascular training. To calculate your maximum heart rate, subtract your age from 220.
Most athletes train at between 50 and 70 percent of their maximum heart rate. For example, if your maximum heart rate is 180 bpm, your target-training zone would be between 90 and 126 bpm. Use a heart rate monitor to keep track during exercise.
How To Calculate Resting Heart Rate
Heres how to quickly check your normal resting heart rate.
Take your pulse at either the base of your thumb on the palm side of your wrist or the base of your neck on the side of your windpipe.
Using two or three fingers, not your thumb, press lightly on your skin until you can feel your pulse beating underneath.
Count the beats for 10 seconds, then multiply that number by six. That number is your resting heart rate.
Recommended Reading: Does Dehydration Cause Rapid Heart Rate
Which Is The Best Way To Measure Your Resting Heart Rate
You can measure your heart rate manually, and the procedure is very simple. The most convenient place to measure it is on your wrist. First, you have to locate the pulse or beat by pressing the side of your wrist below the thumb. Press gently on that place for exactly 30 seconds and double the beats. This gives you your heart rate in beats per minute . If you feel your beat is a bit irregular, count it till 60 seconds.
The best time to measure your resting heart rate is as soon as you get up in the morning, preferably after a good nights sleep.
Those May Interest You:
You really are NOT getting this are you.
It’s not the EF that kills you. It’s what underlies the poor EF.
I get this fine. You are saying that it isn’t that being short makes it much more likely to play in the NBA but the ability to make shots against the opposing players. “Being short has nothing to do with the likelihood of playing professional basketball.”
What is it biologically that an EF of 25 is associated with a 6 to 9 times increase of having a heart attack compared to a normal EF greater than 50? I don’t know.
It’s the diseased heart that gives you the lower EF and the greater risk of having a heart attack, but the lower EF is not going to be the cause of your heart attack! This is demonstrated in many studies that show that deaths of people with heart failure with a normal EF are outnumbering those with a reduced EF.
Anyway, we’ll just keep batting this ball back and forth and get nowhere.
I still stand by the EF alone is not a reliable predictor of risk of death. You need to know the patient’s history and current conditions, such as poor cardiac perfusion, hypertrophy etc.
Research is all very well, but today’s research results may be too late by the time they are implemented to be a benefit to those of us diagnosed with heart disease today. Take the research about cholesterol heart blockages. More and more questions on whether it is the root cause of arterial blockage, or whether it’s inflammatory disease that cholesterol is trying to patch up.
Read Also: How To Figure Out Target Heart Rate
Garmin Fenix 7s Solar Edition Outdoor Watch
Meet any athletic or outdoor challenge with the rugged fnix 7S Solar multisport GPS watch. Its styled for smaller-sized wrists, and its Power Glass solar charging lens extends battery life powering advanced training features, sports apps, health and wellness monitoring sensors, and more.
$799.99
What Is the Stress Level Feature on My Garmin Watch?
Stress level is a feature found on many Garmin watches allowing a user to determine their current level of stress based on their heart-rate variability. When using the stress level feature, the watch uses heart rate data to determine the interval between each heartbeat. The variable length of time in between each heartbeat is regulated by the body’s autonomic nervous system. The less variability between beats equals higher stress levels, whereas the increase in variability indicates less stress. Some watches will prompt you when it detects a high level of stress offering you the option to reduce it through a breathing exercise. Some watches also provide all-day stress tracking so you can see your trends throughout the day and over time.
Training, physical activity, sleep, nutrition, and general life stress all impact your stress level. Wearing your device both day and night will return the most consistent, accurate results. If you are too active to determine stress level , a stress level will not be recorded.
My Garmin watch indicated I had the flu
$69.00
Measuring Resting Heart Rate
Though there are a number of products, like smartwatches and heart rate monitors, that can measure resting heart rate, all you need is a watch with a second hand.
To measure your heart rate, place a finger over the radial artery or carotid artery. The radial artery is found at the base of the wrist on the side of the thumb. The carotid artery is found on the neck, to the side of the windpipe, just under the angle of the jaw.
Once you have located the artery, place your index and middle fingers over it and count the number of pulsations in one minute. A quicker method is to count the number of beats over 15 seconds and multiply this by 4 to determine beats per minute.
Don’t Miss: Does Tylenol Increase Heart Rate
How To Check Your Pulse And Heart Rate
Exercise is an important part of cancer prevention. You need 150minutes of moderate physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorousexercise each week to help lower your cancer risk. Your heart rate canhelp you determine if the exercise youre doing is moderate orvigorous.
If youre working at 50 to 70% of your maximum heart rate, then thatexercise is considered moderate. If youre working at 70 to 85% ofyour heart rate then its vigorous exercise.
How Do I Find My Target Heart Rate
To find your target heart rate zone, you first have to know your max heart rate. The simplest way to determine that is to subtract your age from 220. That number is a general guideline for your max heart rate. Then multiply that number times the percentage listed in the exercise heart rate zone you want to be in.
For example, a 40-year-old woman has a max heart rate of 180 beats per minute . To exercise in the lower-intensity zone, multiply 180 times 50% or 60%. The target heart rate would range from 90 to 108 for a low-intensity workout.
Some exercise machines like treadmills automatically track your heart rate for you. But you can also track it yourself by wearing a heart rate monitor or fitness tracker.
What heart rate is too high?
Anything over your max heart rate is unsafe. But its also about duration, says Travers. You can do short bursts in a higher, more intense heart rate zone. Overall, though, its best to spend longer periods in a zone below your max heart rate.
Recommended Reading: What Should My Target Heart Rate Be
Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome
A person with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome may experience an increased heart rate upon standing up. They may also experience dizziness and a drop in blood pressure.
POTS is a condition of the autonomic nervous system. It happens because this system does not properly regulate bodily functions such as blood pressure, heart rate, or breathing.
their heart muscle. However, a very low heart rate in those who are not athletic or healthy can be a sign of a condition affecting the electrical system of the heart.
A sudden drop in heart rate far below a persons usual resting heart rate may indicate sepsis , a brain bleed, or the electrical system of the heart failing.
In a person with any symptoms of illness, excessive bleeding, a recent serious injury, fainting, or dizziness, a low heart rate is an emergency.
According to one , the following factors may lead to a person experiencing a low heart rate:
It is not an emergency if the heart rate briefly falls outside of the recommended range or if a person has a shift in heart rate that improves with relaxation or deep breathing.
However, a person should contact a doctor if they:
- notice that their resting heart rate suddenly changes
- have a change in heart rate that causes anxiety
- experience a heart rate change after taking a new medication
- often have an irregular heart rate
A person should go to the emergency room if they:
To lower a high heart rate at home, a person can: