Resting Heart Rate And Fitness
Your resting heart rate is the number of times your heart beats per minute while at complete rest. It is an indicator of your physical fitness. Your resting heart rate will decrease as your heart becomes stronger through aerobic exercise training.
A low resting heart rate indicates better fitness in people who are in athletic training or a workout program, but it can have other health significance for people who are not physically fit .
Things Your Resting Heart Rate Can Tell You
Youre Not Active EnoughA normal resting heart rate for the average adult is 60 to 100 beats per minute or 40 to 60 bpm for highly conditioned athletes.If youre sedentary most of the day, your RHR likely approaches or exceeds the top end of this range. This may be because your heart is less efficient. The good news? By regularly engaging in moderate to vigorous aerobic activities , you will help your heart become more efficient at pumping blood, plus you might shed a few pounds, all of which will lower your resting heart rate over time. Even modest reductions in resting heart rate can dramatically reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease and add years to your life!
Youre OvertrainingWhile pushing your body can lead to great gains, it can also be detrimental. If you notice an increase in your resting heart rate when youre going heavy on the training and light on the rest, your body may be telling you that you need to scale back. By giving it the proper rest it needs, your body can repair and adapt and you may bounce back stronger than ever.
Youre Sleep DeprivedAlways exhausted? Chronic sleep deprivationwhich can lead to fatigue, a lower metabolism, and extra snackingcan also raise your resting heart rate. Aim for at least 7 hours of sleep each night.
If You Slow Your Resting Heart Rate Can You Slow Down Aging
Having a lower resting heart rate is associated with having a longer lifespan.
Athletes generally have a lower resting heart rate due to their physical fitness.
One study found that the more physically fit you are, the lower the resting pulse. The same study found that even controlling for physical fitness, people with a higher resting heart rate had a shorter life expectancy compared to those with a lower resting heart rate.
So a high resting heart rate is not just a marker of risk, but a risk factor for premature death. The difference between a risk marker and a risk factor is that if you can control the risk factor, you can control the risk.
Why Is A High Resting Heart Rate Dangerous?
If your heart is beating fast 24 hours a day, all that circulatory stress can damage the elastic fibers supporting your arterial walls causing them to become stiff. Your arteries do not have enough time to relax between beats.
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How To Measure Your Child’s Heart Rate
Generally speaking, there’s no reason to check your child’s pulse unless you suspect that they’re not feeling well, says Amalia Guardiola, MD, a pediatrician and an associate professor with McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston . Some underlying causes of a fast heart rate include dehydration and an underlying infection, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
If you do want to measure your child’s resting heart rate, the best place to find a pulse is on the wrists, the inside of the elbow, the side of the neck or the top of the foot, according to the American Heart Association . Once you choose a location, place your finger over the pulse and count the number of heart beats that you feel during the next 60 seconds.
Keep in mind, too, that a number of factors can affect the reading for example, being stressed or anxious can result in a higher pulse, according to the AHA. Your pediatrician should also measure your child’s heartbeat at every checkup, says Dr. Guardiola.
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The Workout Term Aerobic Exercise Is Interchangeable With Which Term
The term aerobic exercise or aerobics is interchangeable with the term cardio. Cardio refers to cardiovascular fitness exercises. Both terms refer to brisk physical activity that requires the heart and lungs to work harder to meet the body’s increased oxygen demand. Aerobic exercise promotes the circulation of oxygen through the blood.Examples of aerobic exercise include running, swimming, and cycling.
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Heart Rate Tips To Keep In Mind
- Start at your beginning. Before getting overly concerned about your heart rate, Martin says, its best to simply get moving. If you havent exercised much before, start where youre comfortable and gradually exert yourself more over time.
- Listen to your body. Your body provides other indicators of how hard its working that you need to consider along with heart rate. Pay attention to how hard youre breathing or sweating, and stop if you feel very uncomfortable, Martin says. Devices recording your heart rate have been known to malfunction, for exampleanother reason listening to your body is important.
- Remember that target heart rate is just a guide. Dont get overly fixated on numbers, Martin says. Ideally, they just push you to work a little harder.
During: Make A Pit Stop
Whether youre a professional athlete who trains for several hours or you have a low to moderate routine, keep your body hydrated with small, frequent sips of water.
Platt notes that you dont need to eat during a workout thats an hour or less. But, for longer, high-intensity vigorous workouts, she recommends eating 50-100 calories every half hour of carbohydrates such as low-fat yogurt, raisins, or banana.
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Maintaining A Normal Heart Rate
A healthy heartbeat is crucial for protecting cardiac health.
While exercise is important for promoting a low and healthy heart rate, there are several other steps a person can take to protect their heart health, including:
- Reducing stress: Stress can contribute to an increased heart rate and blood pressure. Ways to keep stress at bay include deep breathing, yoga, mindfulness training, and meditation.
- Avoiding tobacco: Smoking leads to a higher heart rate, and quitting can reduce it to a normal level.
- Losing weight: More body weight means that the heart has to work harder to provide all areas of the body with oxygen and nutrients.
What The Experts Do
Monitor Heart Rate for Motivation
For Johns Hopkins cardiologist Michael Blaha, M.D., M.P.H., most workoutstake place on an elliptical trainer in his home. His machine has electrodeson which he can place his hands to automatically see his heart rate. Itgives me a sense of how hard Im working, he says.
Blaha also uses his targeted heart rate to guide the course that heprogrammed into the machine, so that he works up to where he wants to be interms of exertion. Knowing your target heart rate and trying to achieve itcan be very motivating, he says.
Stay on Top of Your Heart Health
If you have a new or existing heart problem, it’s vital to see a doctor. Our heart health checklist can help you determine when to seek care.
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Why Is My Heart Beating So Fast For No Reason
Many times, fast or irregular heartbeats are caused by normal life situations, like drinking too much caffeine or having anxiety. But if you notice that your heart is beating quickly a lot, you should consider seeing a cardiologist to make sure you dont have a dangerous, undiagnosed heart condition.
What Is A Healthy Heart Rate For A Child
When your child is sitting quietly, their heart rate is considered a resting heart rate. A healthy resting heart rate can vary by age.
- Newborns 0 to 1 month old: 70 to 190 beats per minute
- Infants 1 to 11 months old: 80 to 160 beats per minute
- Children 1 to 2 years old: 80 to 130 beats per minute
- Children 3 to 4 years old: 80 to 120 beats per minute
- Children 5 to 6 years old: 75 to 115 beats per minute
- Children 7 to 9 years old: 70 to 110 beats per minute
- Children 10 years and older: 60 to 100 beats per minute
It’s likely that your child’s pulse stays within these healthy ranges, even if the pulse feels very fast. Understanding the variations in heart rates and how to properly check your child’s rate can help keep track and prevent unnecessary concern.
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What Is Considered A Dangerously Low Heart Rate
The American Heart Association designates 60 bpm as the threshold for bradycardia, which is considered slower than normal. But, obviously, trained athletes may fall into this range, so whether or not its dangerous is specific to the individual. Anyone concerned about their heart rate should consult a physician.
Your Resting Heart Rate: What Is Normal And Healthy
Did you know heart disease claims approximately one million lives per year? Thats why its so important to monitor your heart health and make any needed lifestyle changes early. A simple way to determine the healthiness of your heart is by analyzing your resting heart rate. Learning how to track your heart rate now could make all the difference in the future.
Heart rate, also known as pulse rate, refers to the number of heartbeats expressed per minute . Your heart rate varies depending on your bodys physical needs at any given moment, and in response to several other factors in your life.
Factors That Can Affect Heart Rate:
Calculating your resting heart rate is a simple indicator of your cardiovascular health. A healthy heart that is in good shape doesnt have to beat as often to pump blood to the body. A healthy heart is strong and more efficient, pumping more blood at a higher rate while efficiently circulating oxygen throughout your body. Be aware, an RHR reading that is too low or too high may indicate an underlying health issue.
How to Calculate Your Resting Heart Rate
Measuring your RHR is simple and can be determined in just a few minutes with a heart rate chest strap. Or you can calculate your RHR on your own with just a timer. All you have to do is find a seat in a comfortable environment, take a deep breath and relax. Stay seated and as motionless as possible for 5-10 minutes, allowing your body to rest.
What Do The Numbers Mean?
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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.
Does Muscle Burn Calories Even When The Body Is At Rest
When you exercise, you use muscle. This helps build muscle mass, and muscle tissue burns more calories than body fat, even when the body at rest. According to Christopher Wharton, PhD, a certified personal trainer and researcher with the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University, 10 pounds of muscle would burn 50 calories in a day spent at rest, while 10 pounds of fat would burn 20 calories.
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Two Caveats To Keep In Mind
If you notice a change in your resting heart rate but none of the scenarios above seem plausible, there are two other factors that may be playing a part: age and medication.
Resting Heart Rate Increases With AgeMost of the time your RHR can be modified. Unfortunately, as you get older, your RHR tends to increase. To reduce the impact that aging can have on your cardiovascular system, you can help maximize your results by exercising within your target HR zone to help lower your resting heart rate.
Medication Affects Resting Heart RateChanges in your resting heart rate can also result from over-the-counter or prescription medications. Medications to treat asthma, depression, obesity, and attention deficit disorder tend to increase your RHR. However, medications prescribed for hypertension and heart conditions typically decrease your resting heart rate.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for medical diagnosis or treatment. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or condition. Always check with your doctor before changing your diet, altering your sleep habits, taking supplements, or starting a new fitness routine.
What Is Your Heart Rate Telling You
Almost every smartwatch and fitness tracker these days has a heart rate monitor built into it. This data can be very useful for runners to gauge effort level and training adaptations, but if you want to get the most out of this information, you need to understand what exactly its telling you. Confused by the numbers? Consider this a crash course in heart rate data.
Resting heart rate
Before you can make sense of the numbers your watch is spitting out at you during a run, you need to know what your baseline, or resting heart rate , is. Most people have a resting heart rate that sits between 60 and 100 beats per minute , however, some runners heart rates can be in the 50s or even 40s, particularly highly-trained athletes.
To get your true resting heart rate, you should measure it first thing in the morning, before youve even gotten out of bed. A heart rate monitor is the easiest way to do this, but you can also take your heart rate manually by following these steps:
Max heart rate
Your heart rate during exercise
When should you be concerned about your heart rate?
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What Can Change A Child’s Heart Rate
Just as in adults, a child’s heart rate will vary depending on the activity level, whether asleep or awake, and whether your child is healthy or ill, calm or stressed.
“Your child’s heart rate is typically not linked to an intrinsic heart problem,” says Dr. Kane. “Their heart rate can go up with anything that makes them excited or uncomfortable. When this happens, it’s just a natural response to stress.”
A child might have a fast heart rate if they are:
- Playing or exercising vigorously
- Experiencing a fever or illness
- Drinking a lot of caffeine or energy drinks
- Dehydrated
If your child is experiencing any of the above, a fast heart rate is typically not a cause for concern, though drinking a lot of caffeine can cause problems in some children. Also, remember that your child’s heart naturally beats faster than an adult heart and can get much faster during exercise than an adult heart rate.
However, if your child is experiencing symptoms such as chest pain or trouble breathing along with a fast heart rate, they may need medical attention. Dr. Kane says a good rule of thumb is if your child’s heart is beating too fast for you to count the beats, then medical help may be needed.
A child typically experiences a slower heart rate when sleeping. However, if their heart rate is slow in the middle of the day and they show symptoms of lethargy or experience fainting, they may need medical help.
So Whats A Good Resting Heart Rate
According to the American Heart Association , a heart rate range between 60 and 100 beats per minute can be considered normal.
The best time to check your resting heart rate is upon waking from a peaceful nights sleep before you do any exercise or down that first espresso.
Of course, theres more than just physical activity and caffeine that can affect your heart rate. Medication , hormones, stress and anxiety can also send your heart all aflutter or slow it down. And if youre an athlete you may find that your resting heart rate is actually much lower than the average person .
Resting Heart Rate by Age:
From the moment were born, our hearts are working hard to keep us alive and support our growth and development. For the first month out of the womb, your normal resting heart rate would have ranged from 70 to 190 bpm, and for the first year, it would have been 80 to 160 bpm.
As we get older, our resting heart rate gradually decreases as the heart muscle grows in strength. According to the National Institute of Health, the normal resting heart rates by age are as follows:
- 1 to 2 years 80 to 130 bpm
- 3 to 4 years 80 to 120 bpm
- 5 to 6 years 75 to 115 bpm
- 7 to 9 years 70 to 110 bpm
Once we reach 10 years old, our heart rate should fall within the normal range of 60 to 100 bpm. This range is considered healthy for children , teenagers, adults, and seniors.
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