Know if You Have a Healthy Heart Rate

The human heart is a vital organ that relentlessly beats to provide a continuous circulation of oxygen-rich blood throughout your body. Your heart rate refers to the number of times your heart contracts each minute and your resting heart rate it is a good predictor of your overall health. Men and women who have a high resting heart rate have a higher risk of death from ischemic heart disease. Thus, knowing if you have a healthy heart rate can be lifesaving.

Steps

Finding Your Resting Heart Rate

1. Sit down and remain calm for a few minutes. Your heart rate fluctuates based on your activity. Even standing can elevate heart rate. So before you measure your heart rate, you need to allow yourself to “relax.”
   • A good way to find out your resting heart rate is to measure it immediately after waking up in the morning.
   • Do not measure your heart rate after exercise as it can remain elevated and you won’t be able to get an accurate reading. Also, being stressed, anxious or upset can elevate your heart rate.
   • Do not measure your heart rate after drinking caffeine or in a hot, humid environment as these might temporarily increase your heart rate.
2. Use your fingers to find your pulse. Use the tips of your middle and ring fingers to press down on (or palpate) the radial pulse on the inside of your wrist or on the side of your neck (your carotid artery).
3. Push your fingers against the artery until you feel a strong pulsation. It might take you a moment to feel the pulsation and you might need to move your fingers around to find it.
4. Count each beat or pulsation to find your rate per minute. Count the number of beats in 30 seconds and multiply by two or in 10 seconds and multiply by six to get your heart rate per minute.
   • For example, if you counted 32 beats in 30 seconds, multiply that by two to get your resting heart rate of 64. Or, if you counted 10 beats in 10 seconds, multiply 10 by six to get a resting heart rate of 60.
   • If your rhythm is irregular, count for a full minute. As you begin counting, start the first pulse felt as zero and the second pulse as one.
   • Repeat the measure a few times to get a more accurate reading.

Assessing Whether Your Heart Rate Is Healthy

1. Assess if your resting heart rate is between the normal range. The normal resting heart rate for an adult is between 60 and 100 beats per minute (and for a child 70 – 100 beats per minute). However, a recent study indicated that a heart rate above 80 is one risk factor for obesity and diabetes.
   • If your resting heart rate is between 60 and 80 beats per minute, it is likely to be categorized as healthy or normal.
2. Assess if your heart rate is higher than 80 beats per minute. If it is, you might have a higher risk of cardiac disease and you should consult your doctor immediately.
   • A high resting heart rate means your heart needs to work harder to maintain a steady beat at rest. A high resting heart rate is considered a risk factor for ischemic cardiac disease, obesity and diabetes.
   • A 10-year clinical study found that adults whose resting heart rate increased from 70 to 85 beats per minute were 90% more likely to have died during the study than those whose rate remained below 70.
   • If your resting heart rate is high, take actions to lower it (see next section). A heart rate over 100 beats per minute is known as tachycardia.
   • Some medications (such as thyroid medication and stimulants like Adderall and Ritalin) can raise your heart rate. Discuss with your doctor if you are concerned that the medications you are currently taking have increased your heart rate.
   • Environmental temperature and humidity can also temporarily increase your heart rate because your heart needs to work a little harder in these conditions. This does not mean your heart rate is high in normal conditions.
   • Other causes of tachycardia include fever, hypotension, anemia, smoking, drinking too much alcohol or caffeine, electrolyte imbalance, hypothyroidism, and more.
3. Assess if your resting heart rate is lower than 60. Having your rate be below 60 beats per minute doesn’t usually mean you have a medical problem. People who are very athletic or in good physical shape can have a resting heart rate as low as 40 beats per minute.
   • Some people have low heart rate by nature and there is nothing abnormal or unhealthy about this. Low heart rate is medically known as bradycardia.
   • Some medications (such as beta blockers, sedatives, opioids, and many more) can slow down your heart rate. Ask your doctor if any of your medications cause low heart rate.
   • Consult your doctor and ask if you need to take action due to low resting heart rate.

Improving Your Resting Heart Rate

1. Exercise regularly. Regular exercise helps gradually slow down your resting heart rate. As your cardiovascular system strengthens so does your heart and in return it needs to work less to maintain circulation.
   • You should get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity every week.
   • Also, add regular strength training exercises to your weekly schedule to strengthen your muscles.
   • Always consult your doctor before starting a new exercise program.
2. Lose weight. Obesity is another risk factor for heart disease — the larger your body size is the harder your heart must work to supply oxygen-rich blood throughout your body. Thus, losing weight can help slow down an elevated heart rate.
   • In order to lose weight, you need to eat fewer calories than your body consumes, without entering starvation mode (you should consume no less than 1,050 – 1,200 calories). When this negative calories balance occurs, your body is forced to burn stored fat for energy.
   • If you burn 500 calories (or are have a negative balance of 500 calories) a day, you will burn 3,500 calories a week, which equals to one pound of fat. Maintaining this balance for 10 weeks would equal to 10 pounds of fat.
   • Add regular aerobic and strength training exercise to your weekly schedule to burn calories. The amount of calories you burn during an exercise depends on your age, gender and weight. Use an exercise calorie counter to assess how many calories you burn per exercise.
   • Consume a healthy, low-fat diet consisting of vegetables, fruits, lean meats, seafood, whole grains and low-fat milk products.
   • Use a basal metabolic rate calculator and food calorie counter to analyze how many calories per day you need and to count the calories in your diet.
3. Reduce your stress level. Stress stimulates the sympathetic nervous system and can increase your resting heart rate. Relaxation exercises, such as meditation, yoga and tai chi, and other stress-lowering techniques help lower your heart rate over time. Add these to your weekly schedule to promote healthy heart rate.
   • Try different relaxation techniques, such as autogenic relaxation, progressive muscle relaxation, visualization, and/or deep breathing, and pick one that fits your lifestyle and schedule the best.
   • Sign up for yoga or tai chi classes at your local gym or do them at home using DVDs, books or free youtube videos.
   • Hypnosis, meditation and massage can also help clear your mind and help your body relax.
4. Avoid smoking cigarettes or using other tobacco products. Smoking can increase your resting heart rate and is associated with other health risks, such as cancer.
   • Talk with your doctor about quitting smoking. There are several options available, such as nicotine replacement therapy, so you don't have go "cold turkey."
   • Make a plan and let your family and friends know about it. This will help you stay on track and give you the support you need.
   • Consider joining an online or in-person support group.

Tips

• Regular exercise helps improve your cardiorespiratory system. Always consult your doctor before beginning a new exercise program. Start slowly and increase intensity as your heart and skeletal muscles grow stronger.
• Consider purchasing a heart rate monitor for easier and more accurate measurement of your heart rate.

Warnings

• Consult your doctor immediately if your resting heart rate is above 80 beats per minute or if you suffer from symptoms of cardiac arrest.

Sources and Citations

See also

• Find the Popliteal Pulse
• Treat Low Blood Pressure
• Check Your Heart Rate
• Check Your Blood Pressure
• Interpret Blood Gas Results
• Cure Feeling Like You're About to Faint
• Do CPR on an Adult
• Thin Blood
• Treat an Enlarged Heart
• Determine Your Blood Type

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