Medically reviewed by Abid Fakhri, MD.
When you visit a medical provider, having your vital signs checked is usually one of the first parts of the appointment. A provider will check your blood pressure, your blood oxygen level and your heart rate.
All these numbers offer insight into your heart health and how well your body is functioning, which is why they’re routinely part of medical visits. What exactly is your provider looking for when it comes to your heart rate, though?
Your Heart at Rest
When your provider checks your heart rate, they’re usually looking at your “resting” heart rate. This is the number of times your heart beats per minute when you’re at rest.
A normal resting heart rate for adults varies from 60 to 100 beats per minute. That’s a wide range because the number of times your heart beats each minute can vary based on how physically active you are, whether you’re feeling stressed and other factors.
Still, the lower the better. A lower heart rate can indicate better physical condition — your heart isn’t having to work as hard to do its job.
According to the American Heart Association, having a higher resting heart rate is associated with being less physically fit, having higher blood pressure and being at a higher weight, all of which increase the risk of heart disease and other serious health issues.
A Heart Rate That’s Too Low
A resting heart rate lower than 60 can sometimes be normal. People taking medications called beta blockers often have a lower resting heart rate. Athletes and others who have a high level of physical fitness also often have a resting heart rate below 60.
Sometimes, however, a low resting heart rate can be caused by a heart condition called bradycardia, which can cause weakness, dizziness and fatigue, especially during exercise. Bradycardia that comes and goes may not require treatment, but in some cases, people with the condition need to take medications or have surgery to implant a pacemaker.
A Heart Rate That’s Too Fast
When the heart beats more than 100 times per minute while at rest, it’s called tachycardia. This heart condition can cause shortness of breath, sweating, fainting and, in some cases, even cardiac arrest.
There are several types of tachycardia, and treatment for the condition may include medications, implanted devices and a procedure called ablation to destroy the heart tissue causing abnormal rhythms.
An elevated resting heart rate isn’t always the result of tachycardia. Many different factors can bump up your heart rate, including exposure to heat, the use of caffeine and your emotions.
How to Check Your Heart Rate
If it feels like your heart is beating faster or slower than normal, pause to check it. To check your heart rate, find the artery on your inner wrist. Place your index and middle fingers on the artery so that you can feel your heartbeat. You can also check using two fingers on your carotid artery in your neck or using a smart watch with a heart rate counter. Count the number of beats in 60 seconds. That’s your resting heart rate.
Your body position also affects heart rate, so be sure you’re sitting for a minute or two before checking your pulse. Even moving from sitting to standing can cause your heart to beat faster temporarily.
The Facts about Target Heart Rate
Your heart is a muscle, and just like with any other muscle, you want to strengthen it. You do that by challenging your heart and increasing the number of times it beats per minute as you exercise.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Heart Association recommend getting at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity each week. Your “target” heart rate can help you achieve that goal.
To determine your target heart rate, first calculate your maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from 220. Your target heart rate is between 50 and 85 percent of your maximum heart rate.
Make Your Heart Rate Work for You
Knowing your target heart rate helps you know how hard you’re exercising. “Moderate” and “vigorous” are defined by how fast your heart beats in comparison with your maximum heart rate.
When you’re participating in moderate physical activity, such as a brisk walk, your heart rate should be between 50 and 70 percent of your maximum heart rate. When you’re participating in vigorous physical activity, such as playing tennis, your heart rate should be about 70 to 85 percent of the maximum heart rate.
For someone who’s 45 years old, as an example, that means aiming for a heart rate between 88 and 123 while on a walk or a heart rate between 123 and 149 while playing tennis.
These general guidelines can help you calculate a target heart rate to guide your workouts, but talk with a medical provider to get personalized guidance. That’s especially important if you have any medical conditions, such as high blood pressure, or take certain medications designed to moderate your heart rate.
How Can You Reduce Your Heart Rate?
If your heart rate is high, you can lower it through lifestyle changes. Regular exercise, for example, may cause a temporary increase, but over time, physical activity can help you get it in a healthy range. Other steps you can take include:
- Kicking the habit. Smoking can increase your heart rate.
- Managing stress. Meditation, mindfulness, and relaxation techniques can help you mentally, and they may also help keep your heart rate at a lower resting rate.
- Reaching and maintaining a healthy weight. Excess weight strains your heart and may increase your heart rate.
More to Read
- Exercise and Aging: How to Stay Fit and Safe
- Keeping Exercise Safe: Warm Up to Win, Cool Down to Conquer
- Take a Stroll Through the Heart Health Benefits of Walking
- Exercise Snacks & Other Ways to Counteract Too Much Sitting
- Why Exercise Impacts So Much More Than Your Waistline
Resources from the American Heart Association
- Target Heart Rates Chart
- How the Healthy Heart Works
- What Exercise Is Right For Me?
- Why Is Walking the Most Popular Form of Exercise?
University of Maryland Medical System is a local Live Fierce. Stand for All. sponsor of the American Heart Association.