Resting Heart Rate
Did you know? A resting HeaRt rate is an indication of your overall health
When it comes to measuring fitness and monitoring potential health issues, there are few numbers more helpful than your resting heart rate (RHR). While a normal RHR or pulse differs from one individual to another, if you keep track of it over time, it can elicit some important data regarding your health. Resting heart rate is measured by beats per minute (BPM). For active individuals, RHR tends to be lower because a healthy heart is able to pump more blood with a greater efficiency, thus requiring fewer BPM to pump blood throughout the body. Conversely, an elevated heart rate can be a sign of health issues.
What the Numbers Should Say
According to the National Institute of Health, the average resting heart rate for adults is between 60-100 beats per minute. A resting heart rate of 100 beats-per-minute or higher is a warning sign – this means it is probably time to see a doctor and start making some diet and lifestyle changes.
Well-trained athletes tend to fall somewhere between 40-60 beats per minute. Regardless of what your RHR is, that first baseline measurement will be an important number by which you’ll be able to spot trends over time. This is why it is important to regularly check your RHR.
Slow heart rate
Among healthy people, a slow heart rate may be due to:
Being physically fit
A medication, such as propranolol or metoprolol
Sleep
On the other hand, a slow heart rate can be a sign of disease, such as:
Heart attack or other heart disease
Certain infections (including Lyme disease or typhoid fever)
High levels of potassium in the blood (hyperkalemia)
An under active thyroid gland.
Fast heart rate
Healthy people can have a fast heart rate because they are
Exercising, especially if it's rigorous or associated with dehydration
Nervous or excited
Using a stimulant: such as caffeine or cocaine
Pregnant
Diseases associated with a fast heart rate include:
Most infections or fever
Heart conditions; cardiomyopathy (in which the pumping function of the heart is reduced), atrial fibrillation, or ventricular tachycardia
Certain medications (such as an EpiPen)
Low levels of potassium in the blood (hypokalemia)
An overactive thyroid gland or too much thyroid medication
Anemia
Asthma or other breathing trouble