One of the vital signs a nurse checks when you visit the doctor is your heart rate, along with temperature, blood pressure and respiratory rate. Your heart rate, which is measured by your pulse, is an important indicator of your overall health and fitness level. It can signal certain medical conditions or a need to adjust lifestyle habits that elevate your heart rate above the normal range determined by your age.
The normal resting heart rate (when not exercising) for people age 15 and up is 60 to 100 beats per minute (bpm).
However, your heart rate may vary slightly from the norm due to several factors, including regular exercise, a medical condition, stress and use of some over-the-counter medications.
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Partner Offers feature brands who paid Forbes Health to appear at the top of our list. While this may influence where their products or services appear on our site, it in no way affects our ratings, which are based on thorough research, solid methodologies and expert advice. Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products or services
Oxiline Pulse XS Pro
- Accurately determines oxygen saturation, pulse rate (BPM) and perfusion index within seconds
- VTEC™ AX sensor provides unparalleled accuracy and reliability
- Feature-packed app with seamless Bluetooth connectivity across Apple and Android devices
- Lifetime warranty, free shipping and 30-day money-back guarantee
On Oxiline's Website
What Is a Resting Heart Rate?
Resting heart rate refers to when your heart pumps the lowest amount of blood your body needs when you’re not exercising. Your resting heart rate is measured by your pulse when you’re calm, relaxed, sitting or lying down and not ill.
Why Does Your Resting Heart Rate Matter?
A heart rate that’s too high or low—especially a rate that’s higher or lower than your usual resting heart rate—could be a sign of medical issues or other health conditions.
A high resting heart rate could signal an abnormal hormone level, an overactive thyroid, anemia or another potential health issue, such as a heart rhythm abnormality, says Hailu Tilahun, M.D., a cardiologist at Virginia Mason Franciscan Health in Seattle, Washington. Meanwhile, a resting heart rate that’s too low could cause dizziness, lightheadedness, fatigue or even fainting, which is dangerous and should not be ignored.
“Different levels of heart rate might reflect certain medical conditions,” says Dr. Tilahun. “However, it doesn’t always necessarily mean there’s something going on. And that’s why heart rate is important—because it can be a hint to at least consider exploring those possibilities.”
Normal Resting Heart Rate Chart By Age
Normal heart rate varies, according to your age. Below is the normal heart rate by age, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Age | Normal Resting Heart Rate |
---|---|
Newborns ages 0 to 1 month | 70 to 190 bpm |
Infants 1 to 11 months old | 80 to 160 bpm |
Children 1 to 2 years old | 80 to 130 bpm |
Children 3 to 4 years old | 80 to 120 bpm |
Children 5 to 6 years old | 75 to 115 bpm |
Children 7 to 9 years old | 70 to 110 bpm |
Children 10 years and older and adults (including seniors) | 60 to 100 bpm |
Athletes in top condition | 40 to 60 bpm |
It’s also important to know the normal “maximum” heart rate during vigorous activity and the “target” heart rate for your age.
To find your normal maximum heart rate, subtract your age from 220.
Meanwhile, your target heart rate should be about 50% to 70% of your maximum heart rate during moderate-intensity activity like walking. During more intense activity, such as exercising, running or working out with weights, your target heart rate should be about 70% to 85% of your maximum heart rate.
As a general guide, below are the average maximum heart rates and target heart rate zones by age for adults, according to the American Heart Association.
Age | Target Heart Rate Zone (50% to 85%) | Average Maximum Heart Rate (100%) |
---|---|---|
20 years | 100 to 170 bpm | 200 bpm |
30 years | 95 to 162 bpm | 190 bpm |
35 years | 93 to 157 bpm | 185 bpm |
40 years | 90 to 153 bpm | 180 bpm |
45 years | 88 to 149 bpm | 175 bpm |
50 years | 85 to 145 bpm | 170 bpm |
55 years | 83 to 140 bpm | 165 bpm |
60 years | 80 to 136 bpm | 160 bpm |
65 years | 78 to 132 bpm | 155 bpm |
70 years | 75 to 128 bpm | 150 bpm |
How to Check Your Heart Rate At Home
You can monitor your heart rate easily by using smartwatches and other fitness-tracking wearables, but it’s also simple to check your heart rate manually.
To find your heart rate, place your index and middle fingers gently against the underside of your wrist on the side just below the base of your thumb until you can feel the pulse. You can also measure heart rate by placing two fingers on one of the carotid arteries located on each side of your neck.
Other places where you can check your heart rate include:
- Groin
- Temple
- Back of the knees
- Top or inside of the foot
After you locate your pulse, count the number of beats you feel for 15 seconds, then multiply that number by four. Alternatively, count the beats for 30 seconds, then multiply by two. If checking your resting heart rate, count the beats when you haven’t been exercising or physically active for at least 10 minutes.
There’s no best time of day to check your resting heart rate. “You can do it in the morning or in the evening, but you really can check the heart rate at any time,” says Dr. Tilahun. “After activity, the heart rate might still be high. Also, you don’t want to check your heart rate after resting or meditating for a very long time since that’s also not going to be truly reflective.”
Hospital-Grade Pulse Oximetry For Everyone
Experience unparalleled accuracy for reliable oxygen saturation, perfusion index, and heartbeats per minute metrics every time.
What If I Can’t Locate My Pulse?
If you can’t locate your pulse in your wrist, try finding your pulse on your carotid artery or the other parts of your body where the pulse may be stronger. Be careful checking on your neck, though.
“When checking the pulse on the carotid, we have to be a little bit cautious because if it’s pressed too hard, it can cause a reflex that leads to lightheadedness and dizziness or may even cause fainting,” says Dr. Tilahun.
What Causes a High Resting Heart Rate?
Research indicates that a higher resting heart rate is linked with higher blood pressure and body weight, along with lower physical fitness[1]Target Heart Rates Chart. American Heart Association. Accessed 4/7/2022. . In addition to medical conditions, such as anemia, high thyroid or hormone levels and blood clots, certain lifestyle factors can cause an elevated resting heart rate, says Dr. Tilahun.
Additional possible causes of a high heart rate include:
- Fever
- Pain
- Infection (including bacterial, viral and rarely fungal infections)
- Dehydration
- Poor or disrupted sleep
- Caffeine, alcohol or nicotine intake or withdrawal
- Stress and anxiety
- Smoking
- Use of over-the-counter decongestants
- Poor physical condition
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Partner Offers feature brands who paid Forbes Health to appear at the top of our list. While this may influence where their products or services appear on our site, it in no way affects our ratings, which are based on thorough research, solid methodologies and expert advice. Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products or services
Scale X Pro
- Displays 16 unique body measurements in seconds
- Provides a comprehensive body composition analysis
- Uses groundbreaking sensor technology that interprets data in real-time
- Easily track your progress and see how your body is changing
On Oxiline's Website
How To Lower Your Resting Heart Rate
When your resting heart rate is in the normal heart rate range for your age, your heart muscle doesn’t have to work as hard to pump enough blood to keep a steady beat.
If someone notices an increase in their heart rate within a certain period—after not being physically active for a year or two, for example—but other things haven’t changed much with their health, the elevated heart rate could indicate they may need to be more active to lower the heart rate, says Dr. Tilahun.
If your resting heart rate is higher than the normal adult heart rate of 60 to 100 beats per minute, regular activity is key to bringing the heart rate down. “That activity could be exercise, but it doesn’t have to be dedicated exercise. It could be walking, gardening, mowing the lawn or other regular activities,” says Tilahun.
“When you’re doing the activity, the heart rate is going to be higher, and people sometimes get worried. But that’s not an issue—it’s what’s supposed to happen. Over time, regular activity will lower the heart rate for most people,” he adds.
When to See a Doctor
If a higher heart rate is a result of being under stress or consuming a lot of alcohol or caffeine, that’s not typically a cause for alarm. However, these situations still warrant a discussion with your clinician, as they can discuss with you how to best address any necessary lifestyle changes.
Meanwhile, adults without an acute condition that might cause an elevated heart rate may also want to contact their doctor if their resting heart rate remains above 100 beats per minute for a few days, says Dr. Tilahun.
“If the heart rate is persistently elevated for more than a few days and there is absence of a clear thing that can explain it, that should be a time to talk to your doctor,” he says.
Hospital-Grade Pulse Oximetry For Everyone
Experience unparalleled accuracy for reliable oxygen saturation, perfusion index and heartbeats per minute metrics every time.
On Oxiline's Website