Monday, March 25, 2024

What Is A Typical Resting Heart Rate

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How Will You Spend Your Heartbeats

What is a normal heart rate?
  • Your resting heart rate appears to determine how long you live. And the things you do to lower your resting heart rate are good for your overall health.
  • Theres at least one risk factor of having a very low RHR, but there seems to be a higher risk of overall disease at higher heart rates.
  • Stress, physical or emotional, seems to be the most important factor in determining your heart rate.
  • Exercise allows your body to adapt to stressful situations better. Additionally, it will enable your body to reach a deeper relaxed state as your heart muscle becomes stronger and your circulation becomes more efficient.
  • How do you compare with your age group? I am in the athlete range, but I exercise regularly.
  • If youre going to exercise, build up slowly so your body can adapt.
  • I find the simplest exercises are the most effective. Theyre the ones you can do at home every day without going to the gym.
  • High-intensity interval training is one of the quickest and most effective workouts for resting heart rate, HRV, muscle building, and weight loss. Why not give it a try?
  • You have a maximum number of lifetime heartbeats, use them well.

How Do I Check My Resting Heart Rate

To check your heart rate:

  • Sit down and rest for 5 minutes.
  • Turn your wrist so your palm is facing up.
  • Feel for a pulse at thumb side of your wrist.
  • Once you feel it, count how many times you feel a beat in 30 seconds. Then double it.

If you cant find your pulse at your wrist, put 2 fingers on the side of your neck, next to the windpipe.

If you still cant find a pulse, ask someone else to feel it for you.

What Your Resting Heart Rate Says About You

If you want to know more about your cardiovascular health, weve got one big question for you: Do you know what your resting heart rate is?;

Your resting heart rate can tell you a lot about your cardiovascular health and while some of what it says may seem scary at first, dont worry! There are ways to improve your cardiovascular health. At Tri-City Medical Center, we see patients with high resting heart rates lower theirs to healthier levels all the time.

Heres a little background on just what your heart might be trying to tell you.

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How To Lower Heart Rate

If your heart rate is too high there are ways to lower it safely. Your heart rate could be high after exercising or because youre feeling stressed or anxious.;

Here are some fast-acting methods that can help lower a fast heart rate:

  • Breathing exercises: You can use your breathing to raise the aortic pressure in your heart, which will lower your heart rate. To do this, close your mouth and nose and raise the pressure in your chest. Breathe in for five to eight seconds, hold it for three to five seconds, and then exhale slowly. This can be repeated several times.;
  • Taking a bath: This can help relax you and bring your heart rate down.;
  • Light yoga: Calming yoga or meditation can help relax you and bring a high heart rate down.
  • Moving to a cooler location: If your heart rate is raised because youre too hot, moving to a cooler location will help bring it down.;

Here are some long-term solutions that can help you achieve a healthy heart rate:;

  • Exercising regularly: Starting and keeping an exercise program will help decrease resting heart rates over time.
  • Eating healthy:Healthy diets that contain whole grains, leafy greens, fruits, and omega-3 fatty acids are great for supporting long term heart health and will help keep heart disease at bay.
  • Quitting smoking:Non-smokers have a lowered risk of recurrent heart attacks and cardiovascular disease.
  • Staying hydrated:Drinking enough water allows the heart to pump blood more easily throughout the body.;;

How Do I Take My Heart Rate

Whats Your Resting Heart Rate?

There are a few places on your body where itâs easier to take your pulse:

  • The insides of your wrists
  • The insides of your elbows
  • The sides of your neck
  • The tops of your feet

Put the tips of your index and middle fingers on your skin. Press lightly until you feel the blood pulsing beneath your fingers. You may need to move your fingers around until you feel it.

Count the beats you feel for 10 seconds. Multiply this number by six to get your heart rate per minute

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What Is A Normal Resting Heart Rate

A normal resting heart rate for adults is between 60 beats per minute and 100 bpm. An abnormal pulse rate below 60 bpm or above 100 bpm could increase your risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, or early death.

Normal Resting Heart Rate for Women

The normal resting heart rate for adult women is similar for men, between 60 bpm and 100 bpm. Age and activity level are more important factors for heart rate.

Studies show that having high resting heart rate increases your risk even after controlling for other factors such as physical fitness, blood pressure, and lipid levels.

Is a resting heart rate of 80 bad? A bpm of 80 is still within the normal range, but over 90 can be dangerous.

For example:

One study tested the resting heart rate of about 3,000 men over 16 years. The study found that, after accounting for other risk factors, men with a resting heart rate over 90 bpm were three times more likely to die than the men with the lowest RHR.

Further, an increase in heart rate over time is associated with an increased risk of death from heart disease and all-cause mortality.

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Is A Low Resting Heart Rate Good Or Dangerous?

At the other extreme, one study found that having a low resting heart rate is a risk factor for atrial fibrillation in athletes.

Having a heart rate below 60 bpm doesnt mean that youre not healthy. For example, a low RHR could be the result of taking a drug such as a beta-blocker. Moreover, athletes generally have lower heart rates.

Foods That Lower Resting Heart Rate

People in the Blue Zones, areas where people live longer than average, eat plenty of beans. One reason beans are so healthy is that they can help lower your pulse.

In one study, participants were given a cup a day of beans, chickpeas, or lentils. Participants lowered their resting heart rate from an average of 74.1 to 70.7, a 3.4 point drop. The change was similar to those in the other study who exercised for 250 hours!

You might consider eating beans regularly to keep your resting heart rate in a healthy range. Beans are also an excellent source of vegan protein.

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Factors That Affect Resting Heart Rate

When measuring your RHR, keep in mind that there are a number of things that can affect your reading, including:

  • Age: RHR can decrease with age, according to some studies.
  • Gender: On average, women’s RHR tends to be two to seven beats per minute higher than men’s.
  • Air temperature: RHR can increase during hot weather, but usually not more than 10 bpm.
  • Emotions: Strong feelings of stress, anxiety, or even happiness can raise your RHR.
  • Body position: RHR can be 3 bpm higher when sitting versus lying down. Similarly, RHR tends to increase a bit upon standing.
  • Medication: Prescription drugs like antidepressants and beta blockers can cause your RHR to be higher or lower than it would if you weren’t taking the medication.

Adjusting Your Activity Level

How to Figure Your Resting Heart Rate

Once youve determined your ideal heart rate for exercise, its important to use this information to help keep the intensity level of your workouts in check.

Slow down your pace and effort level if your heart rate during activity is higher than it should be based on your doctors instructions and the guidelines above. If its lower that it should be, work harder to ensure that youre getting the benefits of the exercise.

Start slowly during the first few weeks of working out, aiming for the lower end of your target zone. You can then build up gradually to the higher end of your target zone.

With a little practice and guidance from your healthcare team, youll soon be able to make the most of your exercise routine by measuring your ideal heart rate.

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What Is A Healthy Heart Rate What Is Optimal

An optimal heart rate about one beat per second; at rest, or . Consequently, for every 10 beats per minute increase, theres a 10 to 20% increased risk of premature death.

Theres strong evidence showing that everyone with a high heart rate is at risk , even otherwise healthy individuals. But there are ways that you can slow your heart rate naturally.

First, check your resting heart rate before you make any changes using the method in section 2. This reading will be your baseline number to track your progress and test which programs work for you. Secondly, record your heart rate after any changes you make.

Exercise And Heart Rate

Like any other muscle, your heart needs exercise to keep it fit and healthy. Regular exercise can help reduce your risk of heart disease and other health conditions, such as diabetes.

To keep your heart healthy, you should aim to do 150 minutes of low to moderate intensity exercise a week. If you have a heart condition, talk to your doctor about what exercise and target heart rates are safe for you.

One way to measure the intensity of your exercise is by using your heart rate. To exercise at a low to moderate intensity your heart rate should be at 50 to 70% of your approximate maximum heart rate.

The easiest way to get an approximate maximum heart rate is to calculate 220 your age. You then need to calculate 50 to 70% of your MHR.

For example, if you’re 40-years-old:

  • your approximate maximum heart rate is: 220 40 = 180 beats per minute
  • 50% of your MHR is 180 X 0.5 = 90 bpm
  • 70% of your MHF is 180 X 0.7 = 126 bpm.

Alternatively, you can use our heart rate chart below to get a rough idea.

Remember if you’re on medications to slow your heart rate down, you may not be able to meet these upper heart rates and the aim should be to exercise at a rate that makes you lightly puff.

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What Is A Good Resting Heart Rate By Age

A healthy resting heart rate is about 60 beats per minute, but this number varies with age. The normal range for a resting heart rate is between 60 bpm and 100 bpm. Well-conditioned athletes, however, could have a resting heart rate of around 40 bpm.

If having a low resting heart is key for health and longevity, how can you lower your resting heart rate naturally?;

Whats Your Ideal Heart Rate

Resting Heart Rate Chart

Heart rate is the number of times your heart beats per minute. You can measure it while at rest and while exercising . Your heart rate is one of the most reliable indicators that youre pushing yourself hard enough while exercising.

If youve been diagnosed with a heart problem or if you have any other risk factors of cardiovascular disease, talk to a doctor before you start exercising and trying to establish a training heart rate range. They can tell you which exercises are safe and appropriate for your condition and fitness level. Theyll also determine what your target heart rate should be and if you need to be monitored during physical activity.

Its helpful to know some basics so youre more informed when speaking with your doctor. Below are some important things to know about your heart rate.

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Resting Heart Rate During The Night

Nightly average RHR varies widely between individuals. A normal heart rate can range anywhere from 40 to 100 beats per minute and still be considered average. It can also change from day to day, depending on your hydration level, elevation, physical activity, and body temperature. As with many of your bodys signals, its best to compare your RHR with your own baseline. Avoid comparisons to those around you.

When looking at your RHR curve, pay special attention to these three things:

  • Your trend: Does your RHR go up, down, or stay level during the night?
  • Your lowest point: When is your RHR lowest?
  • Your end: Right before you wake up, does your RHR change?

With these questions in mind, here are three patterns you may recognize in the night-time heart rate curves you can see with Oura:

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.

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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.

Factors That May Influence Healthy Resting Heart Rate

Resting Heart Rate

There are many different factors that can contribute to a higher or lower heart rate, including activity level, fitness level, air temperature, body position, emotions and stress level, body size, medications, food and drink, and illness. Depending on these factors, you may find you have a higher or lower heart rate. To get the most accurate resting heart rate measurement, you should be at complete rest. Measuring your heart rate during activity will render higher numbers, and if you go by those readings you may think your heart is at risk.

Additionally, it is important to recognize that resting heart rate tends to increase with age. Also, certain medications may also affect our resting heart rate, as drugs used to treat asthma,;depression,;obesity, and;attention deficit disorder can lead to it increasing.

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What Are Heart Palpitations

A heart palpitation is when you suddenly become aware of your heart beating, usually in an irregular way. Sometimes you can feel it in your ears or your chest when youre lying down. Your heart beat may feel:

  • too fast or slow
  • like its fluttering
  • like its thudding, or pounding.

It is not unusual to feel heart palpitations occasionally and mostly they are harmless. However if youre experiencing them on a regular basis, see your doctor.

What Constitutes A Normal Resting Heart Rate

In short, the normal resting heart rate of a runner, or any well trained athlete, is statistically proven to be significantly lower than that of sedentary folks.More specifically, for adults the average normal resting heart rate should fall somewhere between 60 and 100 beats per minute in order to be considered normal. For well-trained athletes including runners however, resting heart rates in the range of as low as 40 and up to 60 bpm is more the expectation.

There are of course always exceptions to the rule. In fact, the lowest recorded resting heart rate for a well-trained athlete was for a Spanish cyclist who was a repeat winner of the tour de France. His RHR was 28! From personal experience and those of many fellow runners, more common readings fall around the high 40s to low 50s.

The best time to measure your true resting heart rate is right upon waking in the morning since you are in a relaxed state and other body systems like metabolism don’t interfere. Its important to keep the conditions the same for all of your future readings as well so that you can eliminate any variables that might give you different results. It probably goes without saying however if you consider your resting heart rate to be consistently and significantly above or slightly below what is deemed normal, it wouldnt hurt to consult with a medical professional on the matter.

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Blood Pressure Vs Heart Rate

Some people confuse high blood pressure with a high heart rate. Blood pressure is the measurement of the force of the blood against the walls of arteries, while pulse rate is the number of times your heart beats per minute.;

There is no direct correlation between the two, and high blood pressure, or hypertension, does not necessarily result in a high pulse rate, and vice versa. Heart rate goes up during strenuous activity, but a vigorous workout may only modestly increase blood pressure.

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