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Tell us what you think! You can post a comment at the bottom of any article on RWF.
What is a healthy resting heart rate? Is yours healthy?
How many times does a healthy heart beat for women
On paper it would seem that Lance Armstrong has one of the healthiest heart rates in the world. His heart only beats 32 times per minute. That is a really healthy heart.
But what about the rest of us? What is a good resting heart rate?
WARNING - Never use this blog or any blog to diagnose heart problems. This is just fun information. Always consult your doctor if you have a heart problem.
What is a good, healthy resting heart rate
Your resting heart rate is how many times your heart beats per minute. The measurement should be taken when you are laying down and breathing normally and most health professionals say it is best to check it in the morning after a good nights sleep.
The heart rate is often used as a measure of a persons physically fitness and as such it is good to measure it now and again.
A resting heart rate for women is considered “normal” if it is between about 70-80 beats per minute. However, I would advise that those reading Real Women’s Fitness should have a much better resting heart rate than that! After all, we are hardcore athletes!
My resting heart rate is about 47-50 beats per minute.
Discuss fitness & heart rates on our forum!
What affects your resting heart rate?
The resting heart rate is affected by:
- age
- sex (men are lower usually)
- physical fitness
- some drugs/medication
- genetics
- anxiety
Some people simply have a higher/lower resting heart rate that cannot be attributed to any specific cause. Many scientific studies have shown that a resting heart rate really isn’t an effective way of measuring the health of a person although they say anything above about 84 beats per minute is erring on dangerous.
A better measurement of physical fitness
I would like to argue, however, that a much better method of checking your physical fitness is to measure your heart rate after exercise and see how long it takes to get back to resting rate. This is called the recovery rate and is much more important when looking at how fit you are.
Target heart rate
When exercising some people like to know how fast their heart should be beating to maximize their weight loss or fitness potential. I have never really been interested in all that though as it seems like an overly complicated exercise. I know when I’m making progress. Here is some more on target heart rates.
Lowering Blood Pressure
Blood pressure is also an idication of a healthy heart and something older people should pay attention to. A lot of people want to know how to lower their blood pressure and this clinically proven device is one such way. Doctors recommend the Resperate Duo blood pressure lowering device as one of the best methods on the market. Check it out here.
Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease
Finally I would like to suggest some further reading. There are many books about the heart but Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease is the most important. Dr. Esselstyn conducted the biggest research and came up with the most accurate results. If you want to learn about how the heart works and what you can do to lengthen your life by protecting the heart then this book is for you. I suggest anyone who is over 40 reads it.
You can now discuss heart rates and everything else about fitness on our Women's Fitness Forum!
What is your resting heart rate? Who is the fittest person on Real Women’s Fitness?
Comments on this article:
| Chick said: | Hmmm... mine is well over 84. I am a little bit overweight but now I'm kinda worrying. Perhaps I should get back on the treadmill. |
| Andy Well said: | Good read. Boy! Your heart rate is good. Mine is at 60 exactly which is pretty alright I think. |
| angelina said: | Mine is 55 - not the fittest here. :( |
| RT said: | Chick - if you are worried go and see a doctor, not a gym! Always get professional advice first. Andy - not bad! Thanks for the compliments. Angelina - impressive. |
| C.P.GULATI said: | i BELIEVE THE TWO STANDARD PARAMETERS TO CHECK FITNESS LEVELS ARE : 1. RESTING HEART RATE. 2. RECOVERY RATE AFTER A BRSIK WALK OF SAY 30-40 MINUTES AND 3. TARGET HEART RATE WHICH IS 70-80 % OF THE FORMULA 220 MINUS AGE. iF ONE CAN ACHIEVE THIS NUMBER WHILE DOING BRISK WALK WITH OUT BEING BREATHLESS , ONE WOULD BE CONSIDERED FIT. |
| S.R. Forcer said: | 4 years ago I stopped smoking (22 year 1 1/2 pack a day habit) and when I decided to quit and start excercising, my resting heart rate was 89. Now I excercise about 5-6 days a week and my resing heart rate is 56. My endurance has improved 150% and I've managed to go from 5'8 and 190 pounds of fat to 168 lbs of muscle. I kept setting goals and when reached, would set another. I just turned 45 years old and have never felt or looked better. By the way, my cholesteral went from 280 to 215. My good HDL has always been high 60. I'm not good with pills so I didn't want to have to take any cholesteral lowering drugs. So many people don't understand the importance of the heart rate when training. P.S. I love with web site. |
| RT said: | S.R. Forcer that is awesome! Quitting smoking must be hard but to use exercise as a tool is really impressive. I take my hat off to you. I hope you continue to stay this fit and healthy. Glad you like the site. Rt |
| rob said: | am 16 and me hart rate is 65 beats a min any advice |
| CR said: | I have made some major changes in lifestyle over the past 8 months. Lowered my cholesterol from 189 to 138 (but HDL is only 34), and my weight from 257 to about 214 (running 25-30 miles per week, changing foods). Just took a resting heart rate (laying for 30 minute rest), and my average rate was 48. Isn't that kind of low? I'm a 31 year-old, 6'4" male. Any advice? |
| RT said: | CR - The only advice I have for you is see your doctor. Matters of the heart are not to be taken lightly. However, fi you are pumping out 30 miles a week and have been doing it for 8 months chances are you are pretty healthy. You can never be too careful though. Go see the doc. RT |
| kk said: | I'm 17 and mine is at 73... any advice? is that really high? |
| RT said: | It's pretty high for a 17 year old. However, I am not a doctor and I don't know anything about you. The best solution kk is to see your GP. They will tell you straight away what's normal. RT |
| Danielle said: | I"ve been involved in sports my whole life- baseball field in the backyard, and a skating pond across the street.. I've been in the fitness industry for 22 years as a Master Instructor for Spinning, Nordic Walking by Fittrek, and now with CycleOps as a power training specialist. When my fitness is high, I have an anaerobic threshold of 191 with a resting heart rate of 35. When things are just in 'maintenance mode', AT is around 172, and resting is 44. |
| lola said: | im a 16 year old female and mine was 47. i thought it was a little low at first, but after reading these posts, it seems that it is an ok heart rate :) however it is really strong and i can often feel it beating in my chest, hands and wrists without touching them...quite annoying really...iv been looking all over the net for causes of this but i cant find any answers. |
| RT said: | Lola - as always, if it is a matter of the heart see your GP. I am not a doctor. |
| Kim said: | My BP is about 114 over 75 and heart rate is 105 to 108 I am 5 ffeeet 5 inches tall and weight is 130lbs. I am a horse trainer and have been getting quite winded just walking from the barn could it be just the heat? It is hot here. thankyou Kim |
| RT said: | I don't think it is just the heat. You should see a doctor right away. This is not the place to ask questions about your heart Kim. The only place that you can do that is at the doctors. RT |
| jason said: | Hey, i dunno how i'm on a womans fitness forum. Damn google, but thought i may as well ask a q. I play alot of sport, run, cycling, tennis, and with my HRM i can get it as low as 36 if i consciously relax etc. watching tv it sits around 40BPM, and then if i wear my HRM to bed and then wake up and look at it. It can be 70+!! If i go for a 200km ride, it doesn't recover 100% for a day or 2. So how is the correct way to measure Resting heart rate? do i just go by the lowest i can get or....?? Thanks |
| RT said: | Hey Jason. Maybe you have scary dreams and that's why it is up after sleeping. They say the correct way to measure resting heart rate is to take it in the morning before eating or drinking or doing any activity. So perhaps yours is about 70. Hope this helps. RT PS - see a doctor for any questions about the heart if you are concerned. |
| Gloria said: | i usually go into CVS drugstore once a week to check my blood pressure and heart rate. Blood 111 over 70 something The heart rate was 82. Should I be concerned? |
| drew said: | Not sure if this posted already - went to the doc today and BP was 105/60 with reg rate of 45...my resting this morning was 37 just after waking. is that the time to check resting? i do bike 300+ miles a week for training and my wife keeps me from sneaking too many swiss cake rolls. drew |
| Amber said: | my resting heart rate was 95 how bad is that? |
| Amber said: | my heart rate was 95 how is that really bad? should i get that checked out? |
| kim said: | im 16 years old and my normal heart rate is usually around 100 and 110 bpm. im thinking thats bad? and i pole vault and play soccer and did gymnastics all my life so im active. last year we had pool class at my school and we had to check our heart rates before and after swiming a lap. my resting las year was anywhere between 70 and 80. i take it thats bad? |
| RT said: | Amber - if you are worried please see a doctor. I am not a doctor. 95 is quite high though. Kim - that is a very high heart rate. Go and see your doctor to make sure nothing is wrong. It will only take 5 minutes. RT |
| Jo C said: | Im 21 and my resting heart rate is 48 BPM...I have been feeling light headed and sleepy alot lately? is that normal or not :s |
| Jo C said: | Oops, i mean 84 not 40 lol! |
| RT said: | Jo C see a doc. I'm not a doc. |
| Alessandro said: | Hi. I'm an 18year old South African, my weight is 88kg, and am 1.85m tall.. i run the 100m in about 11sec, and play lots of soccer Most importantly my resting heart rate is 45bmp.. i'm trying to find out where about on the scale of -perfect fit to perfect unfit-, i am, i.e: on a scale of 1-10.. thanks very much alessandro |
| heathp said: | alessandro, 45 is very good. my resting heart rate is between 42-45, and i bicycle 20-30 miles a day. using only heart rate as a measure of health and using a scale of 1 to 10, i'd definitely say you are at 1. But there are other factors that constitute good health, such as diet, and psychological stability. and in those instances and measures i am afraid you are the only one who can provide measure. toodles, heathp |
| Maddie said: | I'm really not sure how to say this, but I think I'm in some serious trouble. I'm seventeen years old, and I'm considered a "health nut" among my peers. I will be attending college next year, and my major will be exercise physiology, with a minor in sports nutrition. I do cardio and weight training on opposite days, like I have for the past two years. I watch what I eat, and appear to be in great shape. Needless to say, I know considerably more about health than most girls my age. My question is this. If I'm doing everything right with my lifestyle, then why am I a seventeen-year-old with a resting heart rate of 96 beats per minute? Is this a sign of a serious problem? How worried do I need to be? |
| XC Rider said: | Good write up, I was kinda worried when I checked my heartbeat using a blood pressure checker and it shows that my heartbeat is 43. Im a 17 year old boy and i am a mountain biker. Guess its okay then since Lance heartbeat is only 32 which is less then a elephant (40). |
| heathp said: | Maddie-- there could be several errors in your heart rate measure: When you took the pulse, had you been inactive for 15 minutes or more? it is important to be at rest when taking the pulse. --I suggest two things: taking your pulse right upon waking-- this means prior to breakfast, getting out of bed, everything. even then, you will be slightly more alert than simply laying in bed because you are just waking up and your body is telling you to begin the day. --Or you could sit in bed for 15 minutes reading a book(i reccomend non-fiction as facts are generally stimulate people less than reading edge of your seat fiction thrillers), and then take your pulse. Also, maintain an even breathing pattern when taking the pulse as it is important to get accurate results. Either way, these are both prone to experimental error. The best way is to measure your pulse while you are sleeping, as this is when your body is truly at rest. Of course, the practicality of that operation is limited. As for your currently high resting heart rate-- there could be explanation: overtraining. Many atheletes use resting heart rate as a means of measuring whether or not they are overtraining(there is such a concept, it implies the person has pushed their heart too hard and it cannot recover from the exertion, rest is the second most important element to physical fitness. it is just behind activity). Generally, if your RHR is 10 to 15 beats above normal, this means that you are overtraining. It would seem abnormal since you say you function well day to day, and feel fine. This presents a dilemna: We are not sure if your current RHR measure is accurate. I suggest doing a comprehensive study of your RHR for a week using one of the above listed methods for measure. After this period you will have a more accurate measure of your heart rate and from there we can see if you are having heart troubles, or are simply overtrained. good luck, heathp |
| Nicole said: | I think I may have a problem. I'm only 16 years old but my heart rate is quite high. Just testing it today, it way 97 beats per minute. I did the test again and it was 90 beats per minute (still high). I've always been like this but I have a high fitness level. I took gymnastics for eight years, and tumbling is very demanding and exhausting. I was also in swimming for 6 years, as well as dance, diving, and soccer. My heart rate should be much lower than the average person's at my age - but it's not. Should I have this checked out by my doctor??? |
| tab said: | when i check my blood pressure, my pulse rate usually says anywhere from 110-117, what does this mean? |
| paris said: | Ack... I'm really really worried now :[ My blood pressure was 107/77, but my heart rate was 91. Is that a bad thing? I'm 15 years old 5'5" and about 170... by no means am I obese or anything, but I'm kindof heavy. I ride horses regularly, and I'm always moving around... so I don't know what to think right now. I get winded pretty easily if I'm running, but I recover pretty quickly, and my muscles are strong as well. I'd love to go see a doctor, but my parents insist that I'm a perfectly healthy teenage girl... with a slight paranoya problem. Could it have made any difference that I was standing up when I took the test? |
| matt r said: | my resting heart rate this morning before getting started with the day was 68. I am 33 years old. My concern is that when i go work out the rate never slows below 100. i never get winded or tired even when i work out at my target heart rate of 130-140. when i am done working out my heart rate within minutes returns to around 100. not untill i get home and lay down does it return to around 80. is this normal? |
| pant said: | Hi I'm 23,female,smoker,slim and also i have a historical high blood pressure in my family.my RHB is not able to be counted because it doesn't beat the same.I mean for 10 sec. it beat 15 time and for next 10 sec it is not he same maybe higher or lower it is always changing!I also can feel the heart beat mostly!how will i be able to count my RHB? thanks alot |
| pant said: | oh sorry i mean not a smoker! |
| Freddos said: | 60-100 is considered as a normal resting heart rate.Also heart rate varies from person to person so it is not 100% right that a lower resting heart rate means that somebody is fit cause it might be bradycardia |
| MUSIC LOVA said: | Songs: Johnny B. Goode Artist: Chuck Berry Genre: Rock n’ Roll Description: Walk This Way Artist: Aerosmith Genre: Hard Rock Description: Matchkampf Artist: Arch Enemy Genre: Metal Description: Mannish Boy Artist: Muddy Waters Genre: Blues Description: Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered Artist: Artie Shaw Genre: Jazz Description: The Way We Get By Artist: Spoon Genre: Alternative Description: Billy Jean Artist: Michael Jackson Genre: Pop Description: Doe Boy Fresh Artist: Three Six Mafia Genre: Hip-Hop/Rap Description: Beethoven’s 5th Symphony Artist: Beethoven Genre: Classical Description: Coal Miners Daughter Artist: Loretta Lyn Genre: Country Description: Great songs to work out to! |
| Rafferty said: | I am 35, have had two kids and used to smoke and exercise...I gave up smoking and found it hard to get back into the exercising- not enough energy to start!-but it does give you energy! I got a treadmill I wanted for ages and have trained myself starting off at two minutes run / one walk etc and built up so now I run for 30 to 50 minutes - I was doing it four times a wk but busy and make sure I go at least 3 times pw. After sitting here and reading all the chats, I took my heart rate for a min and it was about 70 bpm - I gather that's not too bad !? I am still indulging(only a little bit) and still losing weight or gaining my old body back as I prefer to say - started off at 61 kilos and now at just over 56 kilos- want to get to 50..I'm only 5 ft 2..and more importantly....I can breathe !- when running I can breathe! I smoked for about 15 years ! What a waste ! Don't do it !! |
| liz said: | paris - I would see a doctor about it. A high RHR is not fun and potentially dangerous. By the who-cdc weight standards, at your age and weight, you are technically obese - but medical obesity is much different than what the general population thinks of when they think of obesity - it\'s a much lower weight, and I'm sure that you look nothing like what is considered obese by the public. The only reason I bring that up is because "obesity" by who and cdc definition is when medical problems due to weight become a serious threat to a person's health. It might be causing your heart issues and it\'s better to be aware of a potential problem now than have it cause you lasting harm years down the road. I would see a doctor. |
| hubert said: | MUSIC LOVA, im not to sure about those songs. Artie Shaw? Im more into the easy listening music when I work out. Peace |
| gurl said: | RWF!!!!! amazing site. thanks |
| Cj said: | My heart rate was 140 a couple of mornings ago. I was light headed- but I smoke and do not get much exercise. My BP was 110/67. Any suggestions? |
| rob said: | When I was in my early 20s I was a world-class long-distance runner with a resting HR of 40. In the 20 years since that time my focus has been on being a dad and advancing my career. I am now 44 yrs old and have made the decision to begin seriously training again. B/c I don't want to put the stress on my knees that running might lead to until I lose another 15 lbs (currently 185) I am riding a stationary bikes. I have always been an extremely intense competitor and am looking for some guidelines with regards to a target HR that make sense for me. My resting HR is 55-58 but when I ride (40-60 min) I maintain it in the mid-160s to upper 170's for most of the time. Based on what's available via standard calculations I am exceeding my 80-85% HR Max target. It just doesn't make any sense to me though because when I get off the bike I feel a little winded but not too tired. According to the standard 220 - 44(age) my Max HR would only be 176. Should I be concerned about this, or is it possible that my max HR is significantly higher than what the standard formulas say it should be? |
| angela said: | im concerned about my heart but im not getting any answers from my doctor im 25 and weigh 108 pounds and 5-1" my resting heart rate is 96 bpm, last week end i had alot of chest pain in the center of my chest it felt like a bad bruise but didnt hurt to touch and for whatever reason my right arm went numb and tingly like it was asleep but it lasted several hours and i wasnt lying on it i was also very dizzy and lightheaded and when i bent over i had a bleeding nose sensation (no blood though)(everytime i bent down) and i was short of breath this lasted several hours i was concerned about a heart attack but because i didnt faint or anything and plus i assumed that my left arm would be the one that would go numb not the right so i didnt seek medical attention i ruled out an anxiety attack and the rest of the symptoms seem bad not to mention a week before that i had an ecg scan in the office my doctor just said that he wanted to see me in two weeks for another test and a chest x-ray so i asked him if the test was normal or not and he avoided answering me so two weeks later as in today i went back but seen a differant doctor he initially said it must be heart burn, but im not retarded this is nothing like heartburn i told him that so he did another ecg scan the nurse looked concerned and the doctor had no other patients in the office but didnt return for awhile and when he did he told me to hold tight he sent my results to a specialist about ten min later he returned and told me the specialist will contact me but in the mean time he wants me to take antacids, so again i asked if the results where normal or what they indicated and again no answer he also avoided the question and advised me not to drink alcohol, coffee and not to smoke or over exert myself. at this moment i feel really tired with mild chest pain my heart rate is 90 bpm and i feel really weak also while in the office i looked in my chart but icouldnt understand any of the writing from the last visit but i noticed a number it was 122/74 i think its my blood pressure but i dont know if its normal, does anyone have any advice? |
| chris said: | a normal resting heart rate is between 60/100 bpm. there are so many contributing factors to it and it is ridiculous to tell someone who has a resting heart rate in the 70's or 80's that it is high. |
| Sammy said: | I'm 19, 123 pounds, and my resting heart rate was 90 today. Ouch... but I just got my cholesterol checked too, and the test came back at 210. I wonder if that's related to my heart? And recently, it feels like my heart beats out of rhythm...kind of like a muscle spasm. Any advice? |
| heart rate said: | i have done no cardiovascular training in the past 4 months and my resting heart rate is 48 / 49 ... is this abnormal? |
| zafar said: | I am 43 years male I have high BP . 110/170 and last day i visited a cardioligist he told me my heart beat is irregullare . what do you advised me what to do ? is it much dangerous ? thank zafar |
| Jake said: | I'm 20 years old. i have a resting heart rate of 105. i sometimes suffer from chest pains but when i go into the docs, they dont know whats wrong. ekgs come out fine. they say it could be from to much caffeine. Would this make my chest hurt? |
| azra said: | hey im 14 and my heart rate is 120.. is that bad? |
| Savannah said: | I am 23 years old with a fluctuating resting heart rate of 90-100. I have perfect blood pressure usually around 117/75, sometimes it gets TOO LOW even. I have always had a resting heart rate in this area, and thought it was normal because my doctor has never said anything about it. My boyfriend came home from an appointment today saying his doctor was impressed with his resting heart rate of "63". I feel like I'm being left in the dark! I used to have a problem with cocaine when I was a teenager, and abused it severly. I've had problems ever since then, so I always feel anything I feel in my heart/chest stems back to that. I am not in the best of shape, but by no means am I fat or overweight. My cholesterol is high, due to genetics. I eat a very healthy diet, I *am* anemic though, and do not eat red meats, but take iron supplements. I have autoimmune thyroiditis and severe TMJ Disorder. With all this said, can ANYONE give me an answer as to why I am like this? Every doctor I go to who ISNT my family practicioner says I'm too stressed and it's starting to reflect physically. My family doctor always thinks I'm depressed, and actually TOLD me he would write me a prescription for an anti-anxiety, but wrote me a prescription for an SSRI instead. I am NOT depressed, but rather Bi-Polar, with more mania than depressive spells, so SSRI's, NI's, and MAOI's, all bring out the explosive side of me. Any advice/comments/criticism would be so very appreciated. |
| gena said: | i am 34 years old and am in average shape. i do not get regular gym type excersise but i do get some chasing kids and cleaning house and running here and there...recently i have noticed that at night when i go yo lay down my heart rate is really high..like i can hear my heart beat in my head. it is very loud. sometimes i cannot sleep because it is so loud. i just took it and it is 108 and all i am doing is laying here in bed typing this. do i need to see a doctor? please help me...i do not drink...smoke...do drugs...or drink caffeine after 5... |
| Ray Marti said: | hello, I have a question. My partner is not feeling well, he has like this chest pain, and he has been feeling sick all day. he is laying and resting but his heart beats were 97 in 1 minute, is that Normal?? His arms hurt and then go away, and then he gets a little dizzy, I dont know if I should take him to a hospital. I need some advice, thank you. |
| lolita said: | you should probably take him to a Dr. |
| Catherine said: | The last 2 nights I slept while wearing my HR monitor (that I use for athletic training). It showed that my max HR while sleeping was 93 bpm, and that my average was 48. Should I be concerned about my HR going up to 93 while sleeping? Is this normal? |
| lynn said: | don't be too worried, remember that you have dreams and enter into REM cycle throughout the night so if at some any point in one of your dreams you were anxious, angry, frightened, excited, etc. than that would increase you pulse. I mean if 93 was your average pulse while asleep than I'd be concerned but it is definitely normal to have peaks and valleys |
| Jennifer said: | I'm am completely worried. I just took mine and it was 107. Resting. Should I be scared? I have a Dr's appointment in four days, can it wait? I just started a new blood pressure pill, could that be it? I'm not overweight. 5'3" and 130 pounds. |
| Bell-said said: | hi my name is bell im 18 years old my weight is about 154-155 my BP was 58 im not so ahtletic but i do normal sports and i used to be a cheerleader for a lot of years and i still dance a lot from time to time. i also have a history of innocent heart murmurs. do you all think that is bad? also what do you think that my resting bp may be? |
| Alex said: | I'm 18, 5'7", 125 lbs, and I generally have a resting heart rate of over 100 bpm. I was in the doctor's office the other day for a prescription refill, and they did the rote tests, like BP and heart rate, and my heart rate was 140. The nurse asked if I was nervous, I said no, but I think I have the flu, and she didn't seem too concerned. But like I said, it is usually above 100. I used to be in the hospital every week, and had my BP and heart rate done there, and it was always about that level, but no one seemed overly concerned. Should I bring this up next time I see my family doctor? |
| Sherrie said: | I am 53 and had my first colonoscopy this week. During the prep my heart rate was 82 and my blood pressure was 150.82. The anethesiologist kept saying all of that was too high and that I should get it checked. I was under tremendous stress due to the procedure and it took three trys to get the IV in my hand. I had to fast for 36 hours and had a terrible headache the day of the procedure. When they were stabbing me with the IV my BP went up to 150/94. While I was asleep for the procedure my BP went down to 125/74 but it was back up by the time I was in recovery. On the occasion that my BP does go a little high it always seems to be due to stress. If I see the DR before work it is usually around 117/68 but if I go after work it is usually 140/82 or so. I've also noticed that when my BP is up, so is my heart rate. I'm very active but a tad over weight at 140lbs. I'm 5'6". I walk on a treadmill daily and sometimes jog. Can stress cause BP and heart rate to bounce around this way? I've started taking Flax Oil and Garlic capsules to help naturally because I do not want to take BP meds. Is there anything else I can do besides lose 20lbs? I'm working on that. |
| Scott said: | My resting heart rate right now is about 72 beats per minute (sometimes 66 or 78 or 72 or 70). I just bought a ellipitcal machine and I want to work on lowering my cardio heart rate down as I want to train harder. I have missed a lot of gym time lately as I am 39 years old but I feel 21. I train time to time, no excuses, it is really my lack of effort, my gym is 3 blocks away and it a private 24hour power lifting gym. I bought the ellipital machine because I always sweat too much, this way I can run 20, 30 minutes or maybe an hour and shower when I'm done. Also I can combine sit ups during my cardio, 20 minutes of cardio, then do 50 to sit ups, then run 5 to 10 minutes cardio and then do another 50 situps and then I'm done. I am about 170 in weight and losing but I have lots of tone (it's easy for me to gain muscle, I joiced 10 years ago and never needed it, just wanted to see the size from steroids but never really completed the cycle, so I ended it early). I keep my heart rate no higher then 160 beats per minute when I run on the ellipitcal but I am out of shape or sort of but high energy. I train hard, I love to train but not lately, so I am doing the cardio 4 days a week and love it (things will get better in the next cuple of months as I continue to train on the ellipitcal machine). I feel great but my goal is to bring down my resting heart rate to 60 beat per minute even though 72 is fine. I don't drink much (some beer but not much) or nor do I smoke and I don't drink coffee (maybe once a week) but I drink tea with honey daily. I don't eat any transfats nor do I eat anything with high fructose corn syrup or corn syrup in it, I learned that is just bad for ya and read all my labels when I shop. Anyway, I appreciate this new post. This is a good topic. |
| Joy said: | My resting heart rate is usually around 90. I am a 50 year old woman going thru menopause. All other heart tests have been normal. Should I worry about this high heart rate: |
| amy said: | hey every one my name is amy im 18 years old and my reasting heart rate can go from 60 to 150 easy and i have a very healthy heart i just have bad panic attack! and most of the time it feels very much like a real heart attack tingles in my left arm sharp pain in my chest the whole bit but i have been to many doctors including er doctors and every time im healthy i also get high blood preasure because of panic its really scary just thought if anyone out there might think its not there heart its really panic |
| P said: | Some of the posts i have read on here are ridiculous. The average RHR is 70-100. A lower RHR is potentially more dangerous than i high RHR. |
| Matt said: | I just had my blood pressure and heart rate taken for the first time that I can remember! My standing heart rate (at 15:30pm) was measured at 51. My blood pressure was 124 / 62 (don't have a clue what this means, but apparently nothing to worry about!) So all in all was a nice feel good appointment for myself! ...Apparently any heart rate below 60 is atheletic! ...So my swimming a mile every day for the last 4 months is paying off!!! ...would have been really interesting to see what it was before I started swimming! ...probably around 75ish I would imagine! |
| Angela L said: | Like P said, some of these comments are silly and misleading. An professional athlete under 35 and in his or her prime may expect to have a RHR around 50-60, but this is not a range that most people should consider fit. Unless you are very engaged in althlete training, including a proper diet, I would strongly advise anyone for striving to get their RHR that low. An very low RHR in an average yet healthy adult may also indicate poor heart valve function, dangerously low blood pressure, seriously low potassium levels or an electrolyte imbalance. Moreover, your RHR will naturally speed up a little with age. So an older person can expect to have a faster RHR. I do agree that over 85 in a young to middle aged adult, especially if you're overweight, smoke or have other precursors to heart disease, you should consider making healthy changes to improve your heart health. But do not use your RHR as a sole measure of cardiovascular fitness. Blood pressure, lipid levels, blood sugar and general stamina should also be considered, as these can all be independent of RHR and indicate health problems that RHR alone simply cannot. |
| Kamen said: | I am male, 25 years old. My resting heart rate is somewhere between 80 and 90, usually around 85. Is that bad? Doctors said my heart is OK, my thyroid is OK, my blood is OK, so what's wrong? The only thing is that I have social anxiety and in social situations it might go above 100. Also, my physical condition is bad, I've never done any sport. |
| Mark said: | Im 19 and slim build, but my resting heart is 84. Whats wrong? |
| Bri said: | Really intersting stuff. I've played soccer all my life and my resting heart rate is 40bpm. When I exercise it takes a long time to really feel like I'm working though usually 1/2 an hour to get to 180. The best way to find your resting heart rate is to ask for an EKG at your next physical, especially if you are an athlete. |
| Gill Krummeck said: | I am a woman of 50 with a BP of 134 /83 and a pulse rate of 77 bpm. Sometimes however my BP drops and I get dizzy spells and also had a vaso vagal attack I weigh 53 kg . What can I do to become fitter ? I sometimes also feel a wooshing sensation in my head and neck!! |
| lisa said: | my resting heart rate is 97 and after exercise it's 120 - i'm 5'6 and 112 lbs, is that unhealthy? |
| Martin ross said: | Hi, Im 26 years old and my heart rest is 64 when I have good sleep. but during the day is about 78. is it normal? cause I have been feeling a kind of pain in my chest... thanks. Martin Ross. |
| Lisa said: | hi im only 14 and my resting heat beat is 102 im not sure what is wrong? im very fit i drink normaly i sleep good. I have been getting these head aches also it feels like pressure is being put on my brain. Any advice? |
| Kate said: | Im 16 and mine is 92, is that normal for my age I am about 5 foot 7 inches, and weigh just a little under 135. |
| Guinevere said: | Listen, if you are in anyway unsure or worried about your heart rate, go to a doctor. You have nothing to worry about if your BPM is 76 or lower. But no one on this site is a doctor and the only conclusion you will reach when asking for help or advice is that you should check with a doctor. Great site, though. Thanks |
| Greg said: | I am 18 and had open heart surgery 3 years ago. A year before that I had had an accident which ruptured a valve muscle (tricuspid if anyone cared to know) anyways they fixed it and said it still leaks a little but it should work.. In the year that it was broke, I never saw my heart rate drop into the double digits... Today I had to be put to sleep to get all my wisdom teeth pulled and it was right around the 50's when they hooked me up.. I have been reading up on how you are supposed to breath completely and how most people are lucky to fill half there lung capacity, so I have been very conscious about breathing deep every time and I am wondering if that has anything to do with the great recovery I seem to have been making.. I do some exercise every now and then but I am just very curious about how I could be down in the 50's with all that I have been through, what are all the ways that effect heart rate and what makes it go down? |
| samiigrl said: | hey, I am 15 years and a female my resting heart rate was 65. I am 5 2 and weigh 103.4 pounds. I exercise almose daily for around an hour and am constantly moving during the day. I teach swimming lessons for about 5 hours during the week and teach karate on sat. so basically what I am trying to get at is... I exercise lol. I was wondering is my pulse was around average and how I find out pulse averages, if there is some formula or something... thx!!! -samiigrl |
| K schultz said: | While in the hospital on a heart monitor overnight (went in for weakness), my heart rate dropped to 30 in the middle of the night. The nurse came in and asked me if I was ok. I woke up a bit started but I felt fine and said I was dreaming. The cardiologist and the cardiologist resident said this was not that abnormal and that my heart rythmn was normal while this was occurring. I had numerous heart and brain tests to find out what the weakness was from. They all came back with nothing. Advice? I am not lance Armstrong. Though I live on a cliff basically and spend endless hours lugging heavy weeds up this hill and carrying 80 pound buckets up 40 steps (this is not lie). I am 42 and slightly overweight. I am also female. |
| Bob Mcallister said: | You can't base your health on a resting HRH. After excercise to regular heart rate is a better measure. Still there are so many factors. When things are serious, go to the doctor. Heart rate monitors arent always exact (esp the cheap ones). and Ambient (sitting/idle) and Resting heart rate (after resting/relaxing fully) are different . Mine is 58 now, but when I wake up it'll be just under 50. Heart rate also varies by diet, previous exercise, random a bit, stress, excitement... Health is no exact science. |
| Scott said: | My resting rate at night is 44. I do 4 hour hardcore endurance bike races on Saturdays up 4,000 feet of mountain, where my heart rate is 180-190 the whole time, and otherwise ride about 5 hours a week with a local racing club. The stronger your heart is, the more blood it moves with each beat. Elite athlete resting rates can be as low as 28 (think Lance Armstrong), and couch potatoes can be as high as 100. A study found that heart related illness increases as resting heart rate increases, so get out there and get fit! |
| JR said: | I'm 23 and my resting heart rate is 40... My grandfather had a heart attack at 38bpm |
| Kristi said: | I am 43, female and my resting heart beat is 58. |
| Kara said: | Im 20 and i just woke up and went to work its 6:00 in the morning and my resting heart rate is 121... i doubled checked it on our blood pressure machines. i woke in the medical feild. |
| Regina Sayers said: | My resting heart rate is 94 every time I check it lately and I have been having a lot of headaches, any advice? |
| sarah said: | You guys know that a lower heart rate is better? the only thing that is bad is if you can not maintain a stable body temperature (this generally means annorexia) otherwise shoot for going low- get on a treadmill and run or take a walk. lower heartrate= faster metabolism! |
| caitlin said: | uhoh. mine is 70 and im 13 and i eat so healthy and i weigh 53 kg and im 163 cm tall. that isnt overweight is it.................? may b i was doin it wrong |
| SHAN said: | WHEN I WAKE UP FROM SLEEPING (WITHOUT ALARM CLOCK) AND CHECK MY RESTING HEART RATE ITS ABOUT 111 PBM, DURING THEY DAY JUST FEELING NORMAL ITS 135PBM I KNOW THATS BAD |
| Mandi said: | My resting heart rate is 90 bpm. I am 23, 5 feet tall, 105 lbs. Not a totally unhealthy person. I eat my fruits and veggies, drink lots of water, steer away from soda and sweets, and excercise when I can. Normally live in a big city where I am always on the move. Right now I am on vacation and have not been very active. Should not my heart rate be lower? Should I be worried? |
| susan said: | my resting heart rate is right around 100bpm. i HAVE seen 2 cardiologists and they have said that nothing is wrong with my heart and that my hr is not uncommon. and many things i have seen online have said that a normal hear rate is 60-101. i had to have a cardiologist because i did get tachycardia during pregnancy. but the way he exlained it to me after i had the baby is that hr vary by many different factors. ie - weight, age, physical ability, pregnancy. so i wouldn't go by what someone on a forum says who has clearly stated many times "i am not a doctor". which makes me wonder if you ar not a doctor why are you telling people "what is normal" on something as important as your heart? |
| Eren said: | I would just like to add a medical point of view (I am a final year medical student from the UK)... The 17 year old with a heart rate of less than 80 is completely healthy! This website seems to be creating some unnecessary anxiety (which incidentally increases heart rate!) Just to be clear on this, as the article said heart rate is NOT a good indicator of health UNLESS it is consistently above 100 or less than 60 and causing symptoms such as lightheadedness or shortness of breath. A heart rate of less than 60 in a well conditioned athlete is desirable but not essential to be fit. |
| Jordan said: | My resting heartrate is 110-115 beats per minute. This is is bad but my doctor said nothing is severly wrong. Im not a smoker or anything like that. I played football, baseball, and basketball in highschool. What could be the problem here? |
| Sharon said: | Jordan, My resting (lying still) heart rate is typically 101-108. I have supraventricular tachycardia, the Dr. does a yearly EKG with my physical to make sure its not things dont get worse but all in all I feel good. I went to a cardiologist for years and was advised to keep working out but dont let me heart rate go over 170, I invested in a heart rate monitor watch (best investment I ever made) now I can run and slow down the pace when my heart rate gets to high. The thing about a fast heart rate is that it tends to skip or stop completly when it gets to high. Age has alot to do with it to, I am young and otherwise healthy but Dr. said in 10 years I may need a pacemaker in place just in case. |
| Kelly said: | I am a 42 yr old woman , 5'10", 148 pounds, BP 104/80 the other day and several times I have measured my resting heart rate at 56 BPM, just laying down not on waking yet (just learnt that from this page thanks guys). I am not a smoker and eat very healthily. My total cholesterol was slightly eevated, though my good cholesterol was the high one so the doc told me not to worry. As high cholesterol runs in my family I decided to see which foods would help and found out that grapeseed oil and buckwheat (whole groats or flour) are cholesterol lowering foods. (I do not eat meat or dairy products). I am just putting up my stats because I am utterly not healthy and most of the time can barely get out of bed, though I do work out some. I want people to know that low blood pressure and low resting heart rate do not means you are well or fit. But the bonus point is my doctor says I wuill neverd ie of a heart attack ( I am living too slowly!) |
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