What is a normal resting heart rate? The short answer: about 50 to 100 beats per minute. Unless you fall dramatically above or below these numbers, then you're probably "normal."
If you're worried that your resting heart rate and/or blood pressure is too high, check out this great report on how to lower both.
But, to understand more about heart rate and what factors can affect your beats per minute, let's look at how the heart works.
Whether you're Lance Armstrong or Larry Buttbig or simply a Wii Fitness game expert, your heart is constantly pumping blood, oxygen, and nutrients throughout your entire body.
Theoretically, the higher your resting heart rate, or the more times it beats per minute, the harder and more often your heart has to work to do its job.
Conversely, a lower heart rate implies that it's more efficient and doesn't need to pump as often. Lance Armstrong's is said to be about 30-35 beats per minute!
There are several other variables that affect your heart rate, so don't feel bad if you're ticker is working two or more times harder than Lance's. Physical fitness, exercise intensity, training frequency, and of course — the uncontrollable — genetics.
How to Measure Your Heart Rate
You may have no point of reference for the above BPM numbers, so to give you an idea, try measuring your own resting heart rate now.
For an optimal measurement, you should check it first thing in the morning while still lying in bed. This will provide you with the truest "resting" rate, but as long as you haven't been overly active in the last hour or so, the number shouldn't vary by more than 5 or 10 beats.
- Find a pulse point, either on the inside of your wrist or your neck.
- Stand in front of a clock with a second hand, or use a stopwatch.
- Count your pulses for 60 seconds (this number is your BPM, or normal resting heart rate).
- Repeat 2-3 more times, and take the average for more accurate results.
So, what's your normal resting heart rate? Leave your BPM numbers below in the comments!
Normal Resting Heart Rate Report
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Some good points made.
I tend to use my index finger and middle finger to sense the pulse. Some people try it with their thumb which causing them to believe they have found a pulse when actually it's just the pulse of the thumb.
I don't look at a clock but set a stop watch. If i look at the clock i tend to self analyse, which leads to me to become anxious and increase my heart rate. By setting a stop watch i can relax and concentrate on counting the beats.
I agree with you that an average of 4 attempts is the best policy for a valid measurement.
It might be an idea to note down the strength of the pulse be it weak or strong so that over a few weeks you can learn more about your heart. This will help you to identify any problems, that may occur, early on.
Thanks for posting the article, I'm closet physiology nerd. lol
I walk 40 minutes a day and do weight training almost 5 times a week and my heart rate always been between 90-100. I live a healthy lifestyle, i dont smoke, dont drink etc. I am 1.70m tall and 61kg. Is this normal to have such a high heart rate? My pressure is 120 with 70 which i beleive is normal. Pleaase advise…
Hey Chrys,
Chances are that yes, it's absolutely normal, especially if all your other health factors are in order like you said.
Some people just have naturally higher heart rates than others.
Of course, to be absolutely sure, you should mention it at your next checkup.
I was recently in the hospital with my Crohns. The nurses would keep asking me if I was an athlete. I am 55 yrs old and live in a 3 story five level house. So am I an athlete? No. I rarely sit tough and am always going up and down stairs, but even though I am in decent shape, as well as my weight, I don't really look the part of an athlete. My heart rate always read between 35 and 45. The doctor ordered a echo heart test thing. They told me after the echo that my heart was in good shape so they didn't know why my rate was always so low, but that I must be in good shape. They even had a problem with the machine constantly beeping to inform them that my heart rate was low. They even changed machines to re-test several times. Does this really mean that I have a healthy heart beat of an athlete, or are they just being too careless and not checking further? Could it also be a sign of something bad? Thanks
Hey Shirley,
Heart rates can certainly vary greatly from person to person, but that is quite low given your physical activity level. That's Lance Armstrong numbers!
Hopefully it's just a sign of a very strong and efficient heart, but I would definitely get a second opinion just to be sure.
56 bpm rhr
i'm 6'1" 280. i bike almost on a regular basis. i'm definitely not "in shape" but i'm pretty healthy for a big guy. I smoke occasionally, drink socially.
ive just got my self a treadmill which has heart rate sensors on it, ive been on it for a month i always go on it for half an hour a day when i first go on the treadmill my heart rate is 60 which i think is good as i feal really relaxed after walking for 10 mins i run for 5 mins then i check my heart rate its norm in the 80's.
but i can get up to 140 when i walk faster and use the incline button. i am a life member at a gym but havent been for a year so got out of condition.
at one time my heart rate was always high as i suffered for years with anxity but now im exercising i feel great again.
Eh. I just took mine, it's at 54 I'm 17, and female. I do lots of exercises, and a matter of fact, have lost over 125lbs. It's not as low as I want it though. I want it around Shirely's. Heh. that'd be nice. I'm still 5'2 and 163-ish lbs. So. I mean I still have a great amount left to lose, I guess for being on the border of being considered obese. I've got a healthy heartrate. I'm going to take it in the morning before i get out of bed. See if it differs.
@Jason: Great number, still gotta drop those cigs though :)
@Samantha: Congrats on getting back into such great shape, keep it up — not your heart rate though, keep that down, haha.
@Olivia: WOW! Did you type that right, 125 pounds?! Absolutely amazing, and keep that momentum going to get those last few off. I know it gets harder the more you lose, but just stick with it, and congrats again on such unbelievable progress so far!
Hm, I just counted it at 95. I have been trying to keep it over 180 in the last two minutes of my intensity workouts (Body for Life), but it seems harder to do than before. When I was in high school, I used to stay a minute at 210 when doing my intensity training. I took some time off of working out when college got too busy and now I am 25 years old and already reminiscing about those days when I was in such great shape! :D Hey – maybe it's not too late to get it back.
@Courtney: It's never too late, and certainly not at 25!
I was sitting at the computer, in a total full-body lull after eating some sushi, and my heart felt over-exerted. Hmm, strange, so I tested, and it's at 100 bpm resting.
What are the signs of overtraining, and it's effect on the heart? I read that athletes keep close track of their resting h.r. to make sure they're not overtraining. Could it be that I have not been resting enough? I work out every day, 35-50 mins moderate to hard cardio, weight training also. I am 27, 5'11, and weight flux on a daily basis from 137-142. Normal? I have heart disease history in all sides of my family.
Any time you can literally feel your heart working too hard, especially in a total full-body lull like you described, you should get it checked out.
The fact that you were thinking about it and may have been slightly nervous could have elevated your bpm when you tested it, but with such widespread heart disease in the family, I would recommend making an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible to ease the mental stress of not knowing, if nothing else.
I'm 5'6" and about 160lbs. I run quite a lot but I haven't been properly for a couple of weeks so I can have a rest period. My rhr, first thing in the morning is only 46 and always quite weak – I struggle finding it. Is it a sign of fitness or something else?
It's tough to tell, Piff. Due to different body shapes, inside and out, some can feel and monitor their heart rate easier than others, but, as always, it's a good idea to check with your doctor to put your mind at ease.
I am a 49 year old female-140 pounds at 5' tall. I have been going to the gym for over 2 years three times per week for an hour each time. I had a ECG done this week and all was normal on it except my doctor said my heart rate was unusually slow at 50. Is this cause for concern?
What was the dialogue after he told you it was unusually slow?
Hopefully, he would have followed that up with some sort of explanation or comment, instead of just leaving you hanging.
While 50 is low, it wouldn't shock me, given your amount of exercise, but again, your doctor knows you better than I do.
If he didn't offer any additional advice and just left it at "unusual," it may be time to change doctors, because communication is absolutely critical between patient and doctor.
had a stree test blood work everything came back normal going through meneapause but sometime my heart rate goes up to 105 to 110 but i have panicks a ttacks also, is that normal
Hi,
I dont really excercise much but my R.H.R is 68 Bpm sitting down, I smoke and also drink ocassionally? Is this okay?
Should I check my Resting Heart Rate first thing in the morning?
:)
Im 35 with a resting heart rate of 54 – 57 bpm. i smoke regularly, I don't drink, use to panic with a fast heart beat, now i panic with a slow heart beat. Im active, but considered obese 5'7 195lbs. Doctors did all the heart test, and I show a valve that doesnt shut completely with every beat, but says this is nothing to worry to much about, except to get it checked every 2 years. My panic attacks have gone away for the most part now that my heart rate slowed down, but did i learn to slow it down too much? Should I get a second opinion?
@Linda: It is normal for heart rate to increase during panic attacks, but you may want to dig deeper and find the cause and solution to the panic attacks in the first place.
Ensuring you get plenty of sleep and taking up meditation and/or yoga could help, before turning to medications.
@Aaron: 68 bpm is in a nice healthy range, although that clearly isn't a green light for your nasty smoking habit :)
And yes, the best time to measure is first thing in the morning before you even get out of bed, so it's not elevated as a result of getting up and moving around.
@Joanne: That range certainly isn't alarmingly low, but, when in doubt, ALWAYS get a second opinion, especially when it's something as serious as your heart. You can never be too careful there.
Also, you and Aaron need to team up to put down the cigs! :)
I am an athlete, and currently stuck in hospital with chicken pox, until i am non infectious, nurses come and take my heart rate and blood pressure with a machine every 4 hours, my rhr has been between 44 and 50 before i get out of bed, and then between 57-62 when i am sitting around in the hospital room using the computer. I generally train 6 days a week for 4-5.5 hours a day in 2 sessions, weights, cardio, and technical sessions.
Mine is around 45 bpm. My activity level/intensity would probably qualify me as an athlete.
My RHR is about 94. I am 40 yrs old, I run three times a week and the other days I do a light workout. I have no problems running and usually do a 8 minute mile (I run at least 4 miles) with no problems. I do not have any history of heart disease in my family. I just get a little worried when my RHR is so fast when I am not doing anything to make it do so. I am 5'10" weighing 148lbs. Is this normal?
@Kelley, has it always been this high? A 8 minute mile for a 40yr old female is really outstanding and it sounds like you are consistent with your workouts..BMI is really great maybe almost on the low side. I'm wondering though do you drink any type of caffiene, soda, coffee or even tea? This might have an effect. However if it has always been that high then it just might be hereditary. I know you don't have heart disease in your family but maybe their pulses are at the higher end too. My family has a history of low blood pressure and my RHR is 55. I workout for an hour a day, but no way could I run an 8 min mile. I hate running, I use strength training and I walk it out as fast as I can. I will run but only at a slow pace for about 10 min at a time, or a fast pace for 2 and then walk it out again. I am 5'6 and weight about 140. However my neighbor who also has low blood pressure is on the obese side (200lbs) and doesn't work out and her RHR is 68. So who knows?
@Linda: Have you had your Thyroid levels checked with a TSH test? A problem with your thyroid can cause panic attacks besides other symptoms like weight gain and depression. Hyper is less TSH than .3, Normal is .3 to 3.0, subclinical Hypo but still treatable is 3.0 to 10, >10 must be treated. Hypothyroid can cause elevated cholesteral even with TSH at sublinical levels. Worth a look into.
I'm a 17 y/o competitive cyclist and have a resting rate of 50.
Hi everyone, I am new to this type of forum, if someone can help me regarding my concern, it will be much appreciated, I cycle fifteen miles per day three times a week, play football(soccer) twice a week for one hour each session, i am by the guide lines at 5ft8 and fifteen stone, classed as obese. I have suffered for the last ten years with acute chest pain, that my GP referred me to a cardiologist, I had every heart test that is available, treadmill, echo, 24 hr tape, blood tests, more treadmill tests, eventually having an angiogram, that showed perfectly normal arteries, all other tests are great, doctors assure me that I am extremely fit if over weight with a resting heart rate at it's lowest 45 beats per minute, I am always dizzy, always having chest pain, weakness, yet everytime i have any meeting with a heart consultant they dismiss my symptoms. has anyone else or is experiencing these symptoms. I am sat writing this in chest pain and fuzzy headache pain, also weak, but later on I will play football and feel okay, with the odd ectopic beat which I ignore.
my heart rate is at 52 after averaging. i had the gastric by pass 9 months ago, but i started walking 6 months before the surgery, and i quit smoking 1 year before the operation. i work out at least 3 times a week at the gym and i continue to walk 3-4 times a week. i also park further away from the entrance of where ever i am going into. i think my rate is a little high. when i work out my rate is about 120-122. not sure if this is normal.
To Dave B. I am no doctor, but what I have found is when I eat hot oatmeal of all things I get the symptoms that you are getting. When I have had others tell me that they have had the same symptoms, I ask them if they had oatmeal or any other hot cereal for breakfast, oddly enough, they all said yes. What this means, I don't know, but curious if that is what you are having. Couldn't tell you why it happens, but it seems to work that way most of the time. Especially the dizziness, the chest pains are almost like panic attacks, like my heart is beating fast. Good luck.
I am 6'1, and about 175-185 lbs, and my hb is a little over 170 times a minuted but I don't do anything, and occasionally popping pills.
Hey Joe, this is either a joke, a miscalculation, or a reason for an immediate trip to the cardiologist!
hi the doctor is concerned about my daughter's heart rate. She weighs 108.8 is about 5' 2 1/2 inches. The difference between her laying down heart rate and standing up heart rate can be up to 20 -24 points difference. Example standing 85 laying down 65 , or 55 laying down vs. 75 standing up. She thinks 108 is too thin and this is the cause for the difference. She won't let her exercise anymore or bowl. She was hopitalized because her laying down rate had dropped to 40 but it has been a long time now. I wonder how much we should be concerned about the difference btwn the standing and laying down rates as long as they are acceptable rates on their own.
Oh my daughter is 18 and loks great
I'm 44 and as of Nov 2008 I was in the worst shape of my life. Since then I started eating better/less and in the last month have started working out on a treadmill. I'm down from 280 to 256 and my resting heart rate has gone from 80 to 70.
When I work out I try to keep it in the 150 range which feels about right for me for now. I'm hoping to get down to 200 so my blood sugar doesn't need so many pills and insulin to stay down. Being able to fit regular store clothing and fit in airplane seats is another reason I'm doing it plus the great feeling it provides!
Thanks for the great site.
I am 32, 5'2" and 207.4lbs. I have just started weight watchers and a excercise regimine. I also bought a monitor and calculated my morning resting rate at 74.
I have lost 8.4lbs. so, It may have been higher not long ago. It should start moving lower soon.
My dad had way too low of a RHR. His was clocked at 29bpm while having a check-up
and the doctors said he needed a pacemaker.
I'm 48 and mine is 70
i weigh about 70kg (not too sure what that is in pounds) and im about 180 cm or just under 6 foot and i have a resting heart rate of 44. doctors tell me that it is nothing to worry about and that chances are it just means im going to live to be 110 or soemthing crazy like that. i dont do that much excersise but i do occasionally. its also affects me when i stand up to fast and i get dizzy for a few seconds. i guess i cant really explain but yeah, im totally normal and have a really low blood pressure. bring normal normal is over rated anyway
Hi
I am 52 years old and had a stent 2 years ago, I am doing ,but every now and then sitting down my pulse will jump from 65 to 120 just sitting ther
BP 110/65 run 3 times a week,could this be just a panic attack?
No one answered my queston about my daughter. What is up with that???// Still waiting. Francoise
Thank you
I am 18, 5ft4 and around 90lbs (i keep trying to put on weight but have never been able to get more than about 103lbs. it is summer and i have lost weight due to the heat combined with stress). I usually have a low heartrate, low enough for the doctors to comment on it being uncommon, but at times of stress i find it stays around the 100-120 mark, for anywhere up to around 48 hours, making it almost impossible to sleep or rest. Is it normal for stress to cause it to deviate from the normal that much? I am pretty healthy, drink socially, never smoked or done drugs. i also have asthma.
@Francoise – If the doctor is concerned enough to recommend she stop exercising or bowling, then it's definitely something that needs to be addressed. If your doctor didn't offer any other steps to take, then I would recommend getting a second opinion, at the very least, to see if there's another underlying problem or specific steps she needs to take.
@Larry – How long does it stay that elevated? That's quite a jump, so, as with any heart-related matter, it's best to discuss it with your doctor as soon as possible.
@Alex – Even if it's only stress that is causing it, 120 bpm for 48 hours still seems outside the range of "normal." Again, I can't recommend enough the need to discuss any and all heart-related issues with your doctor as soon as possible. The heart is the last thing you want to ignore, if it's trying to tell you something.
Hi Francoise –
I have also noticed a big difference with my bpm between sitting(80) and standing(100) using a blood pressure monitor…so it must be more common then thought…
Hi fItbuff-
I have been given beta-blocker to reduce my pvc's, but find that after a caffeine dose my heart beat goes into high gear once the beta-blocker starts to wear off. I never experienced this before I started taking beta-blocker…would this be common?
28 years old
6' 1"
190 lbs
Resting HBM – 75-90
Blood pressure 115/70
I've always been fit. Played tennis for a long time. Run ~3 miles 5 x week.
Smoke weed every day, no cigarettes. Drink 2-3 times per week… nothing heavy.
My concern: I take 45-60mg of amphetamines almost every day for the past 5 years or so.
Just bought a POLAR heart monitor to keep track of my heart beats. Wish I could get it down to the low 60's.
Any comments regarding the amphetamines? My shrink prescribed them when I started law school, but now I take them because I'm more productive and kind of hooked.
Thanks for your time.
Hi Ric,
How large is the "caffiene dose" and the "high gear" bpm afterward?
Hello Mr. Pryor (haha, joke or real name?),
Amphetamines can definitely be addictive, and it sounds like you're headed that way, if not already, but at least you realize, so you should talk to your doctor and/or shrink about it immediately, before it becomes a bigger, more irreversible problem.
hi fitbuff;
Thank you for your quick response…
The first time I had only 2 strong cups of coffee after dinner, which made me feel dizzy and raised my bpm from the normal mid 60's (with beta-blocker) to the high 90's while laying down… the second time when I had dark chocolate fondue for dessert, which also raised my bpm to the high 90's that lasted throughout the night keeping me awake from the constant pounding. Of course if I sat up or stood up, I could feel it speed up even more. I have been avoiding caffeine ever since.
I am 23 yes old. I am 6ft, 205 lbs., although I look nothing like I wiegh, I look smaller. I have been in the army 6 years. My resting heart rate is 95-100 bpm. I have always had a fast heart rate, but when I was 18-19 i remember it was around 85-90. I do not do physical training as often as I did, I was also 170 lbs then. All in all, why is it so high, is it dangerous? I have other factors such as anxiety, but ive been wound up like that my whole life, I always have energy. What can i do to slow it down? I tired laying in bed, and breathing slowly, when i checked it, it was at 99 bpm. Any other suggestions, shoudl I worry?
My resting heart rate is anywhere from 110 to 140 and I am 25 if I try really hard and think about lower numbers I can get it down to 95 but I guess that's what happens when you have tachycardia
It was the fish oil…. Well, part of it I discovered. I suffered from anxiety for a while, but the most horrible things was these "falling elevator" feelings I'd get. It was like a dull, dreamlike sensation that would hit me about once a month, then once a week. I went to the Dr and they sent me to get a stress test echo because I weighed 285lbs (5'6", not fast food or meat, but I was a bread lover/nuts/milk – sit most of day). I now weight about 265. .Everything was normal. My blood test were total cholesterol: 143, HDL: 45, BP: 118/80, Glucose: 70, HR: 78, Trig: 75 No drugs, no meds, no smoke, no drink, no family hist of heart or diabetes.
I was in the ER and they tested everything from toxics to x-rays, etc…. nothing. When I would get these symptoms, my HR would jump to 140 for no reason and stay there for hours maybe dropping to 110. Other symptons included upon standing, HR jumped 20+. If I squated down to pick something up, upon standing I got light-headed and felt like the blood was draining out of my chest. Even my breathing would get hard. I fel tlike I was going to pass-out. Also, if I sat for a while such as driving then started walking, about 10 seconds later, a pressure-like pulse at the bottom of my neck that felt like someone was pumping air into my head and ears. Scared the crap out of me, it would come and go in 10 seconds. Well, one day I got so scared that my heart was failing, I popped 3 fish oil pills since it's good for the heart. That day was the worst. Those electric shocks on my chest started coming every few minutes. I realized about what I had done that day and started to drunk a lot of water, I stopped the fish oil and the next day, the shocks were only a few, the next day, there was only 3, then they went away. Only when I get very stressed maybe feel it once every 2 months now, like a sudden interrupt of my breath (like one strong heartbeat while I inhale). My observations are also Lack of sleep is the worst. It screwed me up so bad. If I don't sleep well, I go up the stairs one floor and my heart jumps 30+ beats. When i climb 5 floors, It would go as high as 160 and gasping (my weight has a lot to do with this….), but heart returns to 100 within 1.5 minutes. But when I sleep well, it only goes up to 140. My RHR is about 61, but my ambient HR while at work in 95, walking after sitting all day is 118, stress triggers sudden rises to 130. My sister weighs 110 and her ambient HR is always about 103, my Bros also so it could family. now, I drink gynostemma tea and it's a stress reducer like crazy, organic foods, no soda, little milk, exercise is my next challenge……
I could go on, but you get the idea.