Normal resting heart rate for men by age

Half of the men in the United States have high blood pressure. Men are two times more likely than women to suffer heart attacks. One out of every four deaths among men in the United States is from heart disease. It’s clear: Men shouldn’t take heart health lightly. And resting heart rate (RHR) is one of the best ways to monitor it. 

A healthy heart rate—not too fast or too slow—is one telltale sign of a well-functioning heart. Of course, you need to know how to measure it, the factors that can affect it, and how to maintain a healthy number. We’ve got all that info, plus a little more, right here. 

A normal resting heart rate for men is 60–100 beats per minute

Resting heart rate, or pulse, is the number of times the heart beats per minute (bpm) when a person is kicked back on the couch or sitting at a desk. This number decreases, and your pulse slows as you go from childhood to adulthood. Newborn babies’ hearts may beat from 100–205 bpm. That slows to 60–100 bpm once they reach adulthood. Although 60–100 bpm is normal for adults, it varies by sex. Most adult men have a resting heart rate between 70–72 beats per minute, according to Cleveland Clinic. For people assigned female at birth, it is typically 78–82 beats per minute since their hearts are slightly smaller than men’s and must beat faster to pump the same amount of blood. 

During adulthood, age doesn’t affect your resting heart rate as much as your activity levels, stress levels, and medications you may be taking. This is in contrast to your maximum heart rate and your target heart rate. Your maximum heart rate is the upper limit of what your heart can handle during physical activity. Subtract your age from 220 to get your maximum heart rate. Your target heart rate reflects how fast your heart should beat during physical activity. Your target heart rate is typically between 50%–85% of your maximum safe heart rate, but you should consult your doctor for an accurate percentage.

During physical activity, the muscles consume more oxygen, and the heart beats faster to deliver it, which is why the heart rate typically increases during exercise. But during rest, the body doesn’t need oxygen delivered quickly, so a high pulse might denote other heart issues instead. A low resting heart rate can be healthy—athletes often have fairly low pulses—but it can also indicate health problems, especially in older adults and non-athletes. 

How to measure resting heart rate

Measuring resting heart rate is easy. It requires no doctors or special equipment—just a minute of spare time. “Measuring your heart rate can be as simple as palpating your radial pulse on your wrist and counting how many pulsations you feel over 1 minute,” says Paul Drury, MD, cardiologist and associate medical director of electrophysiology at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in Laguna Hills, California. However, measuring it on the neck can work just as well.

Step-by-step instructions for measuring your resting heart rate

Here’s how to measure your resting heart rate, or pulse, on your wrist and your neck:

1. For the wrist, place the tips of the index and middle fingers just below the base of the thumb. For the neck, take the same two fingers and place them on the soft part of the neck, between the jawline and windpipe. 
2. You should feel a gentle pulse. If not, press slightly harder until you feel it well enough to count.
3. Use a clock or watch to count the number of pulses in 30 seconds. 
4. Multiply that number by two—that’s the resting heart rate. 

But not everyone prefers to take their pulse manually. Fortunately, “newer wearable devices such as FitBits, Apple Watches, and Kardia Monitors are very accurate ways to measure your heart rate at home,” Dr. Drury says. Research shows that these heart rate monitors often work well—plus, they give users plenty of data to track heart rate trends over days, weeks, and months. 

Factors that affect resting heart rate in men

Of course, heart rates aren’t the same all the time. They fluctuate almost constantly, and several factors can influence them in men, including:

• Age: Hearts are muscles, and, like it or not, muscles usually get weaker with age. The heart muscle may also slow down. 
• Stress: Stressful situations can send the body into “fight or flight” mode, where it releases hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, which make the heart beat faster. 
• Weight: For some people, weight doesn’t drastically alter the pulse, but studies have linked obesity to higher resting heart rates. 
• Heart disease: Men are more likely than women to have high cholesterol and high blood pressure, which are both associated with a high heart rate. 
• Weather: When it’s hot and humid, the body brings more blood to the skin to help cool it down. That means the heart has to work harder to pump it through the body. 
• Physical activity: Physical activity also requires your heart to work harder since your muscles need more oxygen. Regular exercise leads to a stronger heart and a lower resting heart rate. 
• Caffeine: Some research has found that coffee or other caffeinated beverages can increase heart rate, although they affect different people in different ways.
• Medications: Certain medications can affect the heart’s electrical signals, raising or lowering the heart rate. 

Men might have to monitor their heart rate more closely than women do as they age. “Studies have shown that while both men’s and women’s heart rates decline with age, the decline is more gradual in women,” says Karishma Patwa, MD, a cardiologist at Manhattan Cardiology and contributor to LabFinder.com. “Younger men also have lower resting heart rates and higher peak heart rates than women, likely due to higher levels of testosterone.”

Since age can be one of the most significant pulse-influencing factors, different age groups have different averages. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shares the methods of calculating average target and maximum heart rates for different ages during exercise.

Causes of a high resting heart rate

A consistent pulse of above 100 beats per minute constitutes a high resting heart rate, called tachycardia. Yet this condition can take a few different forms: supraventricular, ventricular, and sinus tachycardia.

Supraventricular tachycardia

Also called atrial tachycardia, this type comes from abnormal electrical signals that occur in the heart’s upper chambers, above the ventricles. It often manifests as brief bouts of a racing heartbeat, which may start and stop abruptly, according to Cedars Sinai. The causes and triggers for a supraventricular tachycardia episode include:

• Cardiovascular disease
• Heart failure
• Chronic lung disease
• Thyroid disease
• Excessive caffeine intake
• Excessive alcohol intake
• Smoking
• Stress
• Pregnancy
• Drugs like amphetamines or cocaine
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Obstructive sleep apnea 
• Certain medications, like antihistamines and asthma medicines

Ventricular tachycardia

As the name suggests, this type begins in the ventricles—the heart’s lower chambers—where rapidly firing electrical signals cause the heart to beat faster. Bouts might only last a few seconds, in which case they’re harmless. But they might go longer, causing serious symptoms like chest pain, palpitations, dizziness, fainting, and difficulty breathing. Most of the time, ventricular tachycardia comes from:

• Cardiomyopathy (heart muscle disease)
• Heart failure
• Heart surgery
• Genetic conditions like long QT syndrome
• Myocarditis (heart muscle inflammation)
• Lack of oxygen
• Electrolyte imbalances
• Changes in pH
• Heavy alcohol, caffeine, or drug use

Sinus tachycardia

The heart’s sinoatrial node (or sinus node) serves as its pacemaker. It receives signals from the nerves and then prompts the heart to beat, setting the heart rate. When something kicks this heart rhythm into high gear, it’s considered inappropriate sinus tachycardia. The American Heart Association says this may occur briefly as a response to stress or exercise, but it might also be a sign of an underlying medical condition.

Ultimately, the cause for sinus tachycardia may remain unknown, but it might stem from various stimuli, including:

• Anxiety or stress
• Pain
• Caffeine
• Alcohol
• Recreational drugs
• Fever
• Hyperthyroidism
• Anemia
• Lung disease
• Heart disease

For men experiencing fast heart rate, the next steps depend on the specific type and circumstances of the condition. “In general, high resting heart rates or feeling a very fast heart rate with minimal exertion should be a cause for concern,” Dr. Patwa says. “The most important thing is to visit a doctor to have your pulse examined and possibly an electrocardiogram (EKG) performed to evaluate the rate and rhythm of the heart.”

Dr. Drury seconds that advice. “If someone has a persistently elevated heart rate above 100 bpm, they should see their doctor for an evaluation. This may be a normal variant, or this may be due to an underlying medical or cardiac condition,” he says. “A simple test such as an EKG will help determine the cause of the elevated heart rate and if a cardiology evaluation is necessary. Symptoms such as a racing heart, shortness of breath, or chest pain would prompt a more urgent evaluation.” 

Causes of a low resting heart rate

Among marathon runners and triathletes, a slow heart rate is a badge of honor, proof of one’s athletic prowess. But for many others, it might be cause for concern. A low pulse rate below 60 bpm is called bradycardia. For some people, it’s asymptomatic and just something to monitor. But for others, it might stem from a serious issue. Here are some of the most common causes.

Sick sinus syndrome

One frequent cause of low heart rate is sick sinus syndrome—also called sinus node dysfunction—in which the sinoatrial node doesn’t always fire on cue. This condition might also lead to periods of tachycardia, or alternating fast and slow heart rhythms, called tachy-brady syndrome. 

Heart block

When the sinus node sends out an electrical signal, it moves into the atria and then down into the ventricles. But sometimes, those signals get disrupted, which leads to a conduction disorder or heart block. Per the American Heart Association, heart block has multiple degrees, from the very mild first degree to the serious third one, which requires immediate medical help.

Other possible causes of a low resting heart rate

Additional bradycardia causes and risk factors include:

• Elevated intracranial pressure
• Congenital heart conditions
• Cardiac inflammation
• Myocardial infarction (heart attack)
• Hypothyroidism
• Infections like Lyme disease or rheumatic fever
• Obstructive sleep apnea
• Medications like beta-blockers and calcium channel blockers
• Old age
• Hypothermia

A low heart rate doesn’t always require immediate treatment. “Many people who are active will have a resting heart rate in the 40s–50s, and if they do not have symptoms of dizziness, fatigue, shortness of breath or syncope, they do not require further evaluation,” Dr. Drury says. However, “If someone has a resting heart rate below 40 beats per minute, or below 50 bpm with symptoms of dizziness, passing out, decreased exercise tolerance or fatigue, they should talk to their doctor.”

A doctor will likely need to perform tests to determine the cause and severity of a person’s bradycardia. These tests may include an EKG, a Holter monitor, an echocardiogram, or an exercise stress test. 

How men can maintain a healthy heart rate

The pulse can change in a matter of seconds, but maintaining a healthy resting heart rate is an all-day affair. Most of the methods for men to protect their heart health are lifestyle changes sustained over weeks and months, starting with regular exercise.

Regular exercise

“The best way to maintain great cardiovascular fitness is to perform vigorous exercise to lower your resting heart rate,” Dr. Patwa says. Sitting all day doesn’t require the heart to work very hard. Exercise does. All that work strengthens it so it can pump more blood with each beat, lowering the pulse. According to a recent study, yoga and endurance training can be especially effective at lowering the resting heart rate. The best results typically come from 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week. Your specific exercise plan and goals should be discussed with your healthcare team. 

A healthy body weight

The more a person weighs, the harder their heart has to work to circulate blood, and obesity correlates with a higher heart rate. Regular exercise and a healthy diet go a long way in helping maintain a healthy body weight and a healthy heart. Diet is especially important, as some foods may cause or worsen heart palpitations.

Staying hydrated

Dehydration decreases the amount of blood circulating in the body, so the heart has to work harder to pump it. Not only that, but hypohydration—the state of being dehydrated—has demonstrated an influence on blood vessel function and blood pressure in some research. For men, the appropriate daily intake is usually around 3 liters of fluids per day, but it could be more if environmental temperatures or exercise levels are high. 

Reducing stress

Decreasing stress can be easier said than done. But it doesn’t change the fact that stress has a significant influence on heart rate variability. Practicing mindfulness meditation or breathing techniques or visiting a mental health professional may be a good idea to keep the body calm in stressful situations. 

Getting enough sleep

The CDC estimates that one-third of U.S. adults don’t get enough sleep, and a lack of quality shut-eye can affect resting heart rate. According to a recent study, going to sleep even 30 minutes later than one’s normal bedtime increased subjects’ heart rate overnight and into the next day. Consider that while debating whether to watch one more episode before bed. 

Bottom line

A normal resting heart rate for men is 60–100 bpm. Age doesn’t have as much of an effect on resting heart rate as it does on target heart rate and maximum heart rate. Hormones and lifestyle factors that include how active you are, how stressed you are, and any medications you’re taking are more likely than age to affect your resting heart rate.