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How Do You Calculate Your Resting Heart Rate

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Is Resting Heart Rate Different By Age

How to Figure Your Resting Heart Rate

For most of us , between 60 and 100 beats per minute is normal.1 The rate can be affected by factors like stress, anxiety, hormones, medication, and how physically active you are. An athlete or more active person may have a resting heart rate as low as 40 beats per minute. Now thats chill!

When it comes to resting heart rate, lower is better. It usually means your heart muscle is in better condition and doesnt have to work as hard to maintain a steady beat. Studies have found that a higher resting heart rate is linked with lower physical fitness and higher blood pressure and body weight.2

How To Measure Active Heart Rate

People can measure their own heart rate during any given exercise by following the steps below:

  • Stop the exercise temporarily and immediately place the index and middle fingers firmly on the artery on the thumb side of the wrist.
  • Concentrate on feeling the pulse in the wrist.
  • When it is possible to feel the pulse, use a watch or the timer on a smartphone to count the number of times the heart beats in 60 seconds. Alternatively, count the beats for 30 seconds and multiply the number by two.

The number of beats per minute will tell someone their current heart rate, which can help them determine whether they are exercising at the right level of intensity.

People can also monitor their activity level via perceived exertion , which involves noticing physical signs of exertion in the body. For example, a person can consider how fast the heart rate feels and look for other signs of exertion, such as sweating and muscle fatigue.

Anyone experiencing drastic changes in heart rate, physical discomfort, or pain while exercising should stop the exercise and speak with their doctor.

The ideal active heart rate for someone will depend on their age. The following calculations can provide a rough guideline for the average adult.

How Is Resting Heart Rate Calculated

Measuring your resting heart rate is as easy as checking your pulse, which can be felt on the side of your neck or the underside of your wrist .

While sitting down and once you feel your pulse count the number of beats you feel over the span of 30 seconds . Multiply this number by two to calculate your heart beats per minute.

“To get an accurate representation of your resting heart rate, repeat this process a few times and over the course of a few days,” adds Dr. Chebrolu.

She also advises against checking your heart rate immediately after a stressful event, strenuous activity or consuming caffeine, which can lead to temporary elevation in your heart rate.

Additionally, most wearable fitness trackers and smart watches provide insights into your heart rate. And since these devices collect measurements throughout the day, they’re a simple way to effortlessly monitor your average resting heart rate.

“The heart rate measurements taken by wearable devices may not be as reliable as checking your pulse by hand, but they can help you track general trends and spot changes in your resting heart rate,” says Dr. Chebrolu.

And while some smartwatches now come with an ECG feature that can help monitor for heart rhythm issues, these devices alone cannot detect a life-threatening arrhythmia, such as atrial fibrillation .

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How To Calculate Heart Rate Maximum

Before we get into the thick of this heart rate calculator, we should discuss the information you need to provide it with to get your heart rate zones and find out if you have a healthy resting heart rate. The first bit of information you need to give is your age. We use this to calculate your heart rate maximum with the Oakland non-linear formula:

Heart rate maximum = 192 –

We chose this formula because it is one of the most accurate formulas around. To compare, the commonly used Haskell & Fox equation, Heart rate maximum = 220 – age, was, according to one of its creators, “never supposed to be an absolute guide to rule people’s training.” But you can use whatever formula you wish take a look at our heart rate maximum calculator and input whatever number you want into the Maximum heart rate field.

There is no easy way to get a 100% accurate answer to the question “How to calculate heart rate maximum?” with an equation – it varies too much from person to person. Scientists currently think it depends on your age, sex, BMI, genetics, activity levels, to name but a few The only way to know for sure is to get a maximum heart rate test from a physician. If you have received a test, input that number into the Maximum heart rate field.

How To Find Your Resting Heart Rate

How to Calculate Your Target Heart Rate: 9 Steps (with ...

This article was medically reviewed by Luba Lee, FNP-BC, MS. Luba Lee, FNP-BC is a board certified Family Nurse Practitioner and educator in Tennessee with over a decade of clinical experience. Luba has certifications in Pediatric Advanced Life Support , Emergency Medicine, Advanced Cardiac Life Support , Team Building, and Critical Care Nursing. She received her Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Tennessee in 2006.There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 93% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 71,450 times.

Experts agree that your resting heart rate is an important indicator of your fitness level and overall cardiovascular health.XTrustworthy SourceMayo ClinicEducational website from one of the world’s leading hospitalsGo to source Finding your resting heart rate is simple, and something you can do on your own at home. Studies show that once you’ve tracked your heart rate, you can use the information to help you learn more about your heart and your health.XTrustworthy SourceMayo ClinicEducational website from one of the world’s leading hospitalsGo to source There are several steps you can take to effectively use this information in your daily life.

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Can Resting Heart Rate Be Too High

Can resting heart rate be too high?

As mentioned, normal heart rate can range between 60 to 100 beats per minute. So, if your resting heart rate is consistently higher than 100, do you need to be worried?

“The more beats your heart has to take on a regular basis, the more strain it places on your heart over time. A resting heart rate regularly above 100 beats per minute is called tachycardia, which can place you at an increased risk of heart disease, and even death if your heart rate climbs high enough,” warns Dr. Chebrolu.

This means that it’s incredibly important to talk to your doctor if you’re resting heart rate is consistently high. He or she can run the tests and bloodwork needed to assess your overall heart health.

Your doctor can also recommend lifestyle changes that may help lower your resting heart rate, including:

  • Getting regular exercise
  • Regularly practicing relaxation techniques, such as yoga and meditation
  • Losing excess weight
  • Maintaining healthy choices and modifying your cardiovascular risk factors
  • Avoiding certain prescription and over-the-counter medications that can affect your heart rate
  • Avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol use

“In particular, starting an exercise program can help you decrease your resting heart rate up to one beat per minute for every week or so that you train with reductions in resting heart rate, over time, ranging from 10 to 12 beats per minute,” adds Dr. Chebrolu.

What Is A Good Resting Heart Rate

Well, that’s the tricky part done – you’ve provided the heart rate calculator with all of the information that it needs, and now you’re ready to reap the rewards. First up is a quick analysis of your resting heart rate. We know that a lot of people want to answer the question “What is a good resting heart rate?“, which is what we aim to do here. The general rule is that, the lower your heart rate, the better. This is because your heart is stronger and needs fewer beats to push the same amount of blood around your body.

Take this measurement with a pinch of salt though! While it generally holds that the lower your heart rate, the better, recent studies suggest that there is enormous variability in the average resting heart rate from person to person. This means that you shouldn’t worry too much if you are far from the average resting heart rate of 65.6 ±7.7 bpm, as long as you’re living a healthy life, full of exercise, plenty of fruit and vegetables, and enough sleep.

This doesn’t mean there aren’t resting heart rates to worry about. The healthy range is 60 – 100 bpm. If you are above this range and haven’t done any exercise in an hour or recently taken any drugs or medicine, like alcohol and nicotine, consult a doctor immediately. The same is true if your heart rate is below 60 bpm, except if you lead a very athletic lifestyle. Repeat the measurements first, as errors can be made. Our calculator will tell you this automatically.

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How To Prep For Measuring Your Resting Heart Rate

When you make the baseline measurements for your resting heart rate, dont do any strenuous training leading up to the measurement and make sure youre fully recovered from any activity.

Its best to measure your resting heart rate in the morning, right after you wake up. You can do it the old-fashioned way with a timer and a finger on your pulse, but for an accurate and easy way, consider using a heart rate monitor.

Before you go to bed, make sure you have your heart rate monitor handy.

When you wake up, its OK to go to the bathroom before the measurement if it helps you to relax. Clear away all distractions, like music, and do not speak or be spoken to during the measurement.

Its best to measure your resting heart rate in the morning, right after you wake up.

You should do the measurement more than once, preferably on consecutive mornings so that you get a baseline for your resting heart rate.

Target Heart Rate Calculator

Heart Health : How to Find a Resting Heart Rate

Ever ask yourself, “how do I find my target heart rate?” Finding your target heart rate is easy with our target heart rate calculator. Target heart rate calculation can be determined for any age and activity level, enabling you to use a heart rate monitor and get the most benefit from your workouts.

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Is Rmr Testing Accurate

The most accurate way to find your RMR is to visit a licensed facility. The test involves you breathing into a small device for roughly 10 minutes, as the majority of the CO2 produced during respiration leaves the body via the mouth. This is, however, expensive, and using an online calculator is a free alternative, with an accuracy of +/- 300 calories.

Exercise And Your Pulse

If you check your pulse during or immediately after exercise, it may give an indication of your fitness level. A heart rate monitor is also useful for recording your heart rate when resting and during exercise.

Aerobic activities such as walking, running and swimming are good types of exercise because they increase your heart and breathing rates.

If you haven’t exercised before, or haven’t for some time, see our Live Well section to read about the benefits of exercise and how much exercise you should be doing.

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How To Calculate Target And Maximum Heart Rates

You can calculate your target and maximum heart rates using the formula below.

To determine your maximum heart rate, subtract your age from 220. Your target heart rate zone is determined based upon your maximum heart rate. You want to stay within 5075 percent of your maximum heart rate during exercise, depending upon your fitness level.

To find your target heart rate, multiply your maximum heart rate by 0.50. This will give you the low range number.

What Does A Low Active Heart Rate Mean

How to Calculate Your Target Heart Rate: 9 Steps (with ...

A low active heart rate can mean that a person is not exercising intensely enough to benefit from the activity. For example, if a person is walking or jogging slowly, their heart rate may not be within the ideal range.

People with no underlying conditions who notice that they have a low active heart rate may want to increase the intensity of their workout to get it within the recommended range.

However, if someone is new to regular exercise or has a health condition that affects their ability to exercise, it may be better to aim for the lower end of the range initially.

The American Heart Association recommends that these individuals aim for 50% and gradually work upward as they develop more strength and stamina.

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Heart Rate Reserve Example

How to calculate heart rate reserve?

  • First, determine your maximum heart rate.

    Using the calculator linked above, determine your maximum heart rate based on your age and gender.

  • Next, determine your resting heart rate.
  • Finally, calculate your heart rate reserve.

    Subtract your resting heart rate from your maximum heart rate to determine your HRR.

  • How To Measure Different Kinds Of Heart Rate

    There are four different heart rate measurements you should know about. They all have some place in monitoring health and fitness, but your resting heart rate and max heart rate are the two most important.

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    What Is A Healthy Resting Heart Rate For An Adult

    A normal resting heart rate for adults lies somewhere between 60 and 100 beats per minute , and varies based on age group and gender. Women’s heart rates are about 2-7 BPM faster than men’s on average.

    Generally speaking, you want to keep your resting heart rate as low as possible. One large, long-term study compared men with heart rates above 90 and those below 80. The men with higher average heart rates were associated with triple the risk of death.

    People with lower heart rates tend to be more active and get more exercise than others. A young, highly-trained athlete’s healthy resting heart rate may be as low as 40 BPM.

    When To See A Professional About Heart Rate

    How to check your resting heart rate (aka your pulse)

    Certain medications or irregularities in your heart rate may warrant a visit to your doc. For example, many people on beta blockers are asked by their doctor to monitor and log heart rate. Keeping tabs on your heart rate can be helpful for your doctor when determining dosage or other treatment.

    Additionally, if your pulse is very low, very high or switches frequently between the two, tell your doctor right away. Your pulse is an insightful tool into the status of your health and fitness level. Always check with a doctor before beginning an exercise program.

    Read more: How to run a marathon without leaving your house

    The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

    The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

    Also Check: How To Calculate Target Heart Rate Zone

    How Do I Get My Heart Rate In The Target Zone

    When you work out, are you doing too much or not enough? Theres a simple way to know: Your target heart rate helps you hit the bullseye so you can get max benefit from every step, swing and squat. Even if youre not a gym rat or elite athlete, knowing your heart rate can help you track your health and fitness level.

    Other Factors That Affect Active Heart Rate

    Other factors can influence a persons active heart rate, potentially pushing the rate lower or higher than is ideal. They include:

    • Overall health: A persons general health status and current fitness level have a significant influence on heart rate. If a person is not used to exercise, their heart may have to work harder during physical activity, causing their heart rate to be higher.
    • Medications: Some medications, such as beta-blockers, can lower the heart rate. However, other medications can raise it.
    • Temperature: Heat and humidity can raise the heart rate by about 510 bpm, according to the AHA.
    • Emotion: Stress, anxiety, anger, and even happiness can also raise the heart rate.

    A persons body weight typically does not affect heart rate very much. People with obesity may have a slightly higher heart rate, though.

    Getting the heart rate into a healthy range during exercise typically involves exercising in a way that is challenging but not strenuous. There are several ways people can keep track of this metric during exercise, including:

    • taking breaks to check the pulse
    • wearing a device on the wrist, such as a fitness tracker, that measures heart rate
    • using fitness equipment that measures the heart rate

    People can also take note of how they feel during exercise. If a persons bpm falls within a healthy range, and they feel that the current level of exercise is acceptable, they can continue as they were.

    If the heart rate is too low or too high, people can try adjusting:

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