{"id":15222,"date":"2020-09-08T13:00:47","date_gmt":"2020-09-08T17:00:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=15222"},"modified":"2024-11-15T10:18:15","modified_gmt":"2024-11-15T15:18:15","slug":"normal-heart-rate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/normal-heart-rate\/","title":{"rendered":"What\u2019s a normal heart rate?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Normal heart rate<\/a> | Measuring heart rate<\/a> | Heart rate factors<\/a> | Max heart rate<\/a> | Lowering heart rate<\/a> | When to see a doctor<\/a><\/p>\n

Most people don\u2019t think twice about what their heart rate is unless they\u2019re experiencing distress or symptoms of a heart problem. However, it\u2019s important to know what a normal heart rate should be, even if you don\u2019t have heart problems. For adults older than 18 years of age, a normal resting heart rate should be between 60 and 100 beats per minute (bpm). Children ages 6 through 15 years should have a heart rate between 70 and 100 bpm. Let\u2019s take a look at what these numbers mean, how to measure your heart rate, and what factors might cause your heart rate to go up or down.<\/span><\/p>\n

What\u2019s a normal heart rate?<\/span><\/h2>\n

A heart rate is a measurement of the number of times the heart muscle beats per minute. Healthy kids and adults will have hearts that beat at different speeds because of their age and body size. If the heart is beating too fast or too slow, this could mean you have an underlying health problem. Your resting heart rate will also allow you to gauge your current heart health.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In general, a lower resting heart rate means the heart is beating less per minute, which likely means that it\u2019s more efficient. Your resting heart rate tells you how fast your heart is beating when you\u2019re in a relaxed state, like sitting or laying down. If your resting heart rate is too high, this might mean you have lower physical fitness, or that you’re at risk of developing a heart condition.<\/span><\/p>\n

Knowing what your target heart rate should be for your age can help you recognize if and when your heart rate is abnormal, which may be an indication that it\u2019s time to go to the doctor. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Normal heart rate by age<\/span><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Age<\/b><\/td>\nHeart rate<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1-5 years old\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n80-130 bpm<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
6-15 years old<\/span><\/td>\n70-100 bpm<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
18 and older<\/span><\/td>\n60-100 bpm<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

As we get older, the range of what\u2019s considered to be a healthy normal resting heart rate will change.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The average healthy adult will have a resting heart rate of 60 bpm or higher. Although the resting heart rate between 60 and 100 bpm is considered to be normal in clinical practice, those with a resting heart rate higher than 80 bpm could have an increased risk of developing<\/span> cardiovascular disease<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

While it\u2019s possible to push the heart rate to 130 bpm or even 200 bpm by exercising, a heart that\u2019s beating this high on a regular basis requires medical attention. The same is true for a heart that’s beating consistently below 60 bpm. Athletes are an exception to this because their high fitness levels naturally lower their resting heart rate.<\/span><\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/b> Heart disease statistics<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

How to measure heart rate<\/span><\/h2>\n

Measuring your heart rate is easy to do if you follow some simple steps. The easiest place to measure your heart rate is on your<\/span> wrist<\/span><\/a>, just below the base of the thumb. Place your index and middle fingers between the bone and tendon at the base of your thumb. Once you feel your pulse, count the number of beats you feel in 15 seconds. Once you\u2019ve counted how many pulses, you\u2019ll multiply that number by four. This gives you the total amount of times your heart beats in one minute. For example, if your heart beats 18 times in 15 seconds, your heart rate is 72 bpm (18 bpm x 4). If you want to avoid math, you can set a timer for 60 seconds and count how many beats you feel in that time to find your heart rate. To get the most accurate reading, measure your heart rate a few times and then calculate the average of the results by adding the numbers together and dividing them by the amount of measurements you took.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s important to measure your heart rate when you\u2019re in a relaxed state. If you take your pulse after any strenuous activity, you won’t get an accurate reading. You should wait to take your resting heart rate for one to two hours after exercising and an hour after consuming caffeine, according to<\/span> Harvard Health<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

While you can always measure your heart rate on your own, it can be beneficial to measure it with a heart rate monitor. There are many different types of heart rate monitors available, but the most common are worn on the wrist or as a chest strap. Wrist heart rate monitors often come as watches with multiple purposes. It can be helpful to continuously measure your heart rate because it can show you trends, such as highs and lows while resting and exercising. Over time, it can give you insight into how healthy your heart is.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Is pulse the same as heart rate?\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Although used often interchangeably with heart rate, a <\/span>pulse<\/span><\/a> is the pressure in the arteries that increases briefly as the heart pushes out more blood. A heart rate is how fast the heart beats. Measuring your heart rate requires feeling for your pulse, the pressure you feel every time your heart beats.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What are the different ways to feel your pulse?\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

There are multiple places where you can <\/span>effectively feel your pulse<\/span><\/a>. These include the wrist, inside of the elbow, side of the neck, top or inner side of the foot, groin, temple, and behind the knee. As long as you can feel your pulse, it does not matter which place you choose.<\/span><\/p>\n

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