Count the beats you feel for 10 seconds. Multiply this number by six to get your heart rate (pulse) per minute. Count your pulse: beats in 10 seconds x 6 = beats/minute. What is a normal pulse? Normal heart rates at rest: Children (ages 6 - 15) 70 – 100 beats per minute; Adults (age 18 and over) 60 – 100 beats per minute. The normal pulse for healthy adults ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute. The pulse rate may fluctuate and increase with exercise, illness, injury, and emotions. Females ages 12 and older, in general, tend to have faster heart rates than do males. But if your pulse continues to be irregular, it can be a sign of atrial fibrillation – an irregular and often abnormally fast heart rate. This is more likely if you're 65 or older. See a GP if you're worried about your pulse. What's a normal heart rate? Most adults have a resting heart rate between 60 and 100bpm. A high pulse with low blood pressure may occur for various reasons. Some people may regularly experience a higher heart rate than normal, as the heart pumps more to make up for their lower blood.

• Normal Pulse Rate For Elderly
• Normal Pulse For Adult Woman
• Normal Pulse Rate For Women
• Normal Pulse Pressure
• Normal Pulse Ox Range
• Normal Adult Pulse Rate Chart

Did you know heart disease claims approximately one million lives per year? That’s why it’s 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 (bpm). Your heart rate varies depending on your body’s physical needs at any given moment, and in response to several other factors in your life.

Factors That Can Affect Heart Rate:

• Cardiovascular disease or diabetes: If you have one of these diseases, your heart is likely pumping out a lower amount of blood than needed which can increase your heart rate.
• Food and drink: Drinks such as coffee, tea and soda can raise your heart rate. It’s important to eat a balanced diet and include heart-healthy foods like avocados, walnuts and leafy greens. Keep in mind experts no longer recommend the food pyramid but rather MyPlate proportions.
• Medications: Certain medicines such as asthma medications, antibiotics, decongestants, and antidepressants could play a part in your heart rate. Be sure to speak to your doctor if you’re concerned.
• Body size: Carrying extra weight on your frame can put a strain on your arteries and veins making your heart beat faster.
• Stress levels: If you’re under a lot of stress, your heart will release adrenaline which speeds up your heart rate. Do what you can to manage your stress levels.
• Activity and fitness level: Your level of activeness plays a role in your heart rate. Because your heart is a muscle, it will become stronger and more efficient the more you work it. Add more activity into your life with LifeSpan fitness equipment.

Calculating your resting heart rate (RHR) is a simple indicator of your cardiovascular health. A healthy heart that is in good shape doesn’t 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.

Once sufficient time has passed, locate your radial artery, or the pulse on the underside of your wrist by gently applying pressure with your index and middle fingers. Use a digital stopwatch or a watch with a second hand to count how many beats you feel in ten seconds.

Repeat this calculation two or three times and find your average number. Multiply this number by six to find your RHR. For example, if you count 12 beats in ten seconds, your RHR would be 72 BPM (12 x 6 = 72).

Be sure to check your heart rate regularly. Tools such as heart rate chest straps and smartwatches make it easy. Plus, many treadmills also have heart rate sensors built into the handles so you can get an accurate reading during your workout. Routinely check your RHR and make a record of your results to see your true RHR over time.

What Do The Numbers Mean?

This resting heart rate chart shows the normal range for an RHR according to age and physical condition. Remember, many things can cause changes in your normal heart rate so take those factors into account.

At the end of the day, your heart is a muscle so the trick to keeping it healthy is similar to the way you keep your muscles strong. Be sure to eat a balanced diet and find a form of cardio that works for you. At LifeSpan, we believe in wellness for everyone, no matter what stage of life you are in. Whether you need help understanding your blood pressure or figuring out which exercise bike is best for you, we’ve got your back.

Resting heart rate is a person’s heart rate when they are not performing any physical activity – they are at rest. A normal resting heart rate is between 60 to 100 beats per minute. Essentially, the lower the resting heart rate is the more efficient your heart functions. A low resting heart rate is also a signifier of better cardiovascular fitness. A resting heart rate below 60 bpm is often seen in athletes, and it’s not abnormal for their resting heart rate to be as low as 40.

The good news is, no matter what your resting heart rate is, you can improve it and in turn improve your heart function. Below you will find normal rangesfor resting heart rate based on age, the contributing factors for a higher resting heart rate, along with tips on how to improve your resting heart rate.

Resting heart rate chart

The below charts reveal healthy ranges for resting heart rate based on sex and age.

Normal Pulse Rate For Elderly

High heart rate at rest linked to a higher risk of death even in physically fit healthy people: Study

High heart rate at rest is linked to a higher risk of death even in physically fit healthy people, according to research findings. The researchers tracked the health of almost 3,000 men for 16 years.

At the start of the study, all participants were interviewed by a doctor to evaluate their health and lifestyle. Cardiorespiratory fitness was also assessed using a cycling test.

About 15 years later, the researchers followed up with some of the participants for an additional check-up. Sixteen years after, the researchers checked to see if the participants were still alive. Nearly four of 10 of the men had died by then.

High resting heart rate was associated with lower physical fitness, high blood pressure and weight, and higher levels of circulating fats. Men who were more physically active had lower resting heart rates.

The study showed that the higher the resting heart rate, the higher the risk of mortality, regardless of physical fitness level.

The researchers concluded, “We found that irrespective of level of physical fitness, subjects with high resting heart rates fare worse than subjects with lower heart rates. This suggests that a high resting heart rate is not a mere marker of poor physical fitness, but is an independent risk factor.”

Normal Pulse For Adult Woman

Your resting heart rate is determined by the activity of your central nervous system, levels of circulating hormones, and cardiorespiratory fitness. While the correlation between a high level of cardiorespiratory fitness and a low resting heart rate is well known, the researchers of the study wanted to remove all confounding factors to find out exactly why this is. Previously done studies relied on self-reported physical activity and objectively measured physical fitness. This is what prompted a more thorough investigation.

The results of the study demonstrated a correlation between VO₂Max and resting heart rate. This means that subjects with higher levels of fitness were more likely to have lower resting heart rates.

Overall, it was found that subjects with elevated resting heart rates were at significantly greater risk of mortality, with a resting heart rate in the range of 51 to 81 beats per minute being associated with about a 40 to 50 percent increase in risk. Having a resting heart rate in the range 81 to 90 beats per minute a twofold risk increase, with those over 90 beats per minute a threefold risk increase.

Surmising all the obtained data, there was no doubt that elevated resting heart rate is not merely a marker of poor general fitness but rather it should be treated as an independent risk factor for overall mortality.

Normal Pulse Rate For Women

Resting heart rate: A potential health issue indicator

A resting heart rate is one of the most important numbers you should know, as it can be used to track your fitness level and target your workouts. A resting heart rate can even alert you to potential health-related conditions. The following are some of the things your resting heart rate can tell you:

You’re not active enough: If your heart rate exceeds that of the average adult (60-100 beats per min) this may mean that your heart is less efficient at pumping blood.

You’re overtraining: Keeping an eye on your heart rate during exercise regimens can be a good measure of when you should start to scale it back a bit. Working out too hard, and thus at high heart rates, can mean you are working out more than is required.

You’re too stressed: Mental and emotional stress can wreak havoc on your resting heart rate, making it creep up over time. If stress remains constant for long periods of time, it can lead to a higher risk of heart attacks, strokes, and much more.

You’re sleep deprived: Not getting enough sleep can lead to fatigue, a lower metabolism, and excessive snacking and calorie intake. Not getting enough sleep can also lead to increases in resting heart rate.

You’re dehydrated: Having a dry mouth, noticing your urine is more yellow than normal, and even a slightly higher resting heart rate may indicate you are dehydrated. Drinking more water, especially during hot days of the year, will help remedy this.

You’re developing a medical condition: Experiencing symptoms such as shortness of breath, unusual fatigue, dizziness, and excessive thirst combined with an increase to your resting heart rate may indicate an underlying condition. These symptoms may present with medical conditions such as cardiovascular disease, hyperthyroidism, or type 2 diabetes. Speaking to your doctor as soon as possible is highly recommended in such cases.

Factors that may influence healthy 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.

How to measure resting heart rate

Normal Pulse Pressure

To measure your resting heart rate, ensure you are relaxed and comfortable. Stay seated and motionless between five to 10 minutes to fully relax. Once well relaxed, locate your pulse, which can be easily done by applying pressure with your index and middle fingers on the inside of your wrist – there is your radial artery.

Use a watch with a second hand and count how many beats you feel within 10 seconds. Complete this test two to three times to find your average number and multiply that number by six. For example, if you count 12 beats within the ten-second span, your resting heart rate is 72 beats per minute (12×6 = 72).

Normal Pulse Ox Range

Tips to have a healthier resting heart rate

There are many natural ways for improving your resting heart rate. Here’s what you can do:

• Exercise regularly
• Reduce stress
• Quit smoking
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Reduce your intake of caffeine
• Sleep well

By ensuring your resting heart rate is in a healthy range, you can reduce the risk of heart-related complications and improve your heart function.

Have a higher than normal resting heart rate should prompt you to be suspicious about your overall cardiovascular health. Referring back to the heart rate chart, you can easily find which category you fall into. If you do find yourself having an abnormally high resting heart rate, seeing your doctor about its potential cause will help reduce your chances of succumbing to an untimely death.

Related: Fluctuating blood pressure: Causes and treatments

Normal Adult Pulse Rate Chart

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