Resting Heart Rate

Whenever a doctor examines a patient, he checks the heart rate first. The number of times your heart beats per minute (bpm) when you are resting (when you are breathing normally) is known as resting heart rate (RHR). Heart health can be assessed by measuring heart rate. You can also measure your own RHR by calculating the pulse. The pulse can be measured by pressing your fingers at the inner side of the wrist or at the neck.

RHR and Health

The normal resting heart rate for adults lies between 50 - 80 bpm. As the heart pumps the blood, all the body organs receive the oxygenated blood. The demand for the oxygenated blood in the body varies according to the activity level and your overall health. As the demand increases, the heart starts working faster and the rate of pumping or beating increases. You must have noticed high heart rate while running, climbing stairs and working out. On the contrary, low heart rate is observed while resting or sleeping.

If consistently high RHR is noticed, the person is said to have 'tachycardia'. Having RHR that is below the normal value is referred to as bradycardia. People with tachycardia and bradycardia need to consult their doctors to detect the causes and determine the treatment. Irregular heart rate, very firm or bounding pulse, lasting for more than a few minutes, indicate a condition which needs prompt medical attention. If there are blockages in the arteries, you may find it difficult to feel and count the pulse. People with diabetes, atherosclerosis or high cholesterol are at a risk of developing blockages. Higher than normal RHR indicates an infection or dehydration. High RHR suggests that the heart has to work harder to supply sufficient blood to all parts of the body.

Fitness trainers monitor your heart rate during exercise and immediately after exercise. The figures help determine your fitness level and health. Do you know that the racing cyclist Lance Armstrong regularly records an astonishing '30 to 35 bpm RHR'? The average RHR of athletes is less than 55 bpm. Thus your RHR range provides information on the efficiency of your heart and lungs. Here is the required information regarding what is considered as the healthy RHR for children and adults.

Healthy RHR

• RHR for newborn infants: 100 - 160 beats per minute
• RHR for children 1 to 10 years: 70 - 120 beats per minute
• RHR for children over 10 and adults (including seniors): 60 - 100 beats per minute
• RHR for well-trained athletes: 40 - 60 beats per minute

The RHR charts for men and women may help understand the concept more easily.

Resting Heart Rate Chart

For Men

Age	RHR for Athletes	Excellent	Good	Above Average	Average	Below Average	Poor
18-25	49-55	56-61	62-65	66-69	70-73	74-81	82+
26-35	49-54	55-61	62-65	66-70	71-74	75-81	82+
36-45	50-56	57-62	63-66	67-70	71-75	76-82	83+
46-55	50-57	58-63	64-67	68-71	72-76	77-83	84+
56-65	51-56	57-61	62-67	68-71	72-75	76-81	82+
65+	50-55	56-61	62-65	66-69	70-73	74-79	80+

For Women

Age	RHR for Athletes	Excellent	Good	Above Average	Average	Below Average	Poor
18-25	54-60	61-65	66-69	70-73	74-78	79-84	85+
26-35	54-59	60-64	65-68	69-72	73-76	77-82	83+
36-45	54-59	60-64	65-69	70-73	74-78	79-84	85+
46-55	54-60	61-65	66-69	70-73	74-77	78-83	84+
56-65	54-59	60-64	65-68	69-73	74-77	78-83	84+
65+	54-59	60-64	65-68	69-72	73-76

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, following a balanced diet and performing exercises help maintain normal RHR. All these play an important role in improving the efficiency of your heart, blood vessels and lungs.