Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Measuring Heart Rate
Causes of Low Rates
Causes of High Rates
Target Heart Zones
When to See a Provider
Your heart rate at rest is an indication of your general fitness. A lower resting heart rate generally indicates a higher degree of fitness. Even so, certain medical conditions, medications, or activities can cause an abnormally low or high resting heart rate.
The Good Brigade / Getty Images
Theresting heart rate range, measured in bpm, is the expected range of values seen in 95% of people in that age group.It varies with age, decreasing from the rapid rates seen in infants and children to slower rates in healthy adults.
The normal resting heart rate for people over 10 years of age, including older adults, is between 60 and 100 beats bpm. If the rate is significantly higher or lower, it usually indicates that yourfunctional status(ability to remain mobile and independent in everyday life) is poor.This is often due to underlying health conditions.
How to Measure Your Heart Rate
Common Heart Rate MistakesThere are certain things that can increase your resting heart rate and throw off your reading, including:Having just exercisedWalking or doing physical activitySmoking a cigaretteEating a big mealDrinking a lot of caffeineFeelingstressedIf you’re doing or feeling any of these things, it is best to wait an hour or two before measuring your heart rate to get the most accurate reading.
Common Heart Rate Mistakes
There are certain things that can increase your resting heart rate and throw off your reading, including:Having just exercisedWalking or doing physical activitySmoking a cigaretteEating a big mealDrinking a lot of caffeineFeelingstressedIf you’re doing or feeling any of these things, it is best to wait an hour or two before measuring your heart rate to get the most accurate reading.
There are certain things that can increase your resting heart rate and throw off your reading, including:
If you’re doing or feeling any of these things, it is best to wait an hour or two before measuring your heart rate to get the most accurate reading.
Causes of Low Resting Heart Rate
Having a low heart rate is not necessarily a bad thing. Performance athletes like long-distance runners, for example, can have a resting heart rate in the low 40s and still be considered healthy.
There are many different causes ofbradycardia, including:
Causes of High Resting Heart Rate
People with heart rates that are too fast may experience similar symptoms, such as shortness of breath, as those with bradycardia do. Aside from recent exercise, many medical conditions are associated withtachycardia(fast rates), including:
Serious Causes of Tachycardia
Some potentially life-threatening conditions can also cause a high resting heart rate, including:
Exercise and Target Heart Zone
The aim is to improve what is known as yourtarget heart rate zone. This is your heart rate during moderate-intensity activities (defined as 50% to 85% of your maximum heart rate).
How to Lower Your Heart Rate
When to See Your Healthcare Provider
See your healthcare provider if you have a resting heart rate that is consistently higher than 100 beats per minute. You should also see a healthcare provider if your heart rate is consistently lower than 60 beats per minute and you are not an athlete.
Other symptoms can occur along with a heart rate that is too high or low. These symptoms are also an indication that you should see your healthcare provider:
Summary
Your resting heart rate is an indicator of your general fitness, with lower values associated with better health outcomes. For most adults, the normal resting heart rate is 60–100 bpm. It can be even lower in athletes or people who regularly engage in strenuous physical activity. Too low a rate, though, can be a health concern as much as too high can be.
6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Heart Association.Target heart rate charts.UCSF Benioff Children Hospitals.Pulse.Kelly CM, Shahrokni A.Moving beyond Karnofsky and ECOG Performance Status assessments with new technologies.J Oncol. 2016;2016:6186543. doi:10.1155/2016/6186543American Heart Association.Bradycardia.American Heart Association.Tachycardia: fast heart rate.American Heart Association.All About Heart Rate.
6 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Heart Association.Target heart rate charts.UCSF Benioff Children Hospitals.Pulse.Kelly CM, Shahrokni A.Moving beyond Karnofsky and ECOG Performance Status assessments with new technologies.J Oncol. 2016;2016:6186543. doi:10.1155/2016/6186543American Heart Association.Bradycardia.American Heart Association.Tachycardia: fast heart rate.American Heart Association.All About Heart Rate.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Heart Association.Target heart rate charts.UCSF Benioff Children Hospitals.Pulse.Kelly CM, Shahrokni A.Moving beyond Karnofsky and ECOG Performance Status assessments with new technologies.J Oncol. 2016;2016:6186543. doi:10.1155/2016/6186543American Heart Association.Bradycardia.American Heart Association.Tachycardia: fast heart rate.American Heart Association.All About Heart Rate.
American Heart Association.Target heart rate charts.
UCSF Benioff Children Hospitals.Pulse.
Kelly CM, Shahrokni A.Moving beyond Karnofsky and ECOG Performance Status assessments with new technologies.J Oncol. 2016;2016:6186543. doi:10.1155/2016/6186543
American Heart Association.Bradycardia.
American Heart Association.Tachycardia: fast heart rate.
American Heart Association.All About Heart Rate.
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.Cookies SettingsAccept All Cookies
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies SettingsAccept All Cookies
