What Is A Normal Heart Rate?

What Is A Normal Heart Rate?

Having a normal heart rate is a sign of your heart functioning regularly. For this reason, it is important to know how many beats per minute are normal for an adult and what happens when our heart rate is not in normal levels.

In general, a lower heart rate, within normal ranges, is an indication of a healthy and strong heart. On the contrary, a rapid heart rate indicates a weaker, less efficient heart, that must pump the blood at a faster rate to accomplish what a strong heart can at a lower rate. In OneHowTo.com we explain what is the normal heart rate of an adult and what diseases that can affect this.

The normal heart rate

An adults normal heart rate should be between 60 and 100 beats per minute at rest. Our heart rate may vary according to sex, age and physical fitness, however it is considered appropriate when you are in the levels mentioned above. It is not uncommon for a well trained athlete to have a resting heart rate that is below 60. This is because his heart is very strong, pumping blood efficiently at a lower rate. To lower your heartrate, you must increase your level of physical activity.

How to measure heart rate

Measuring your heart rate is a very simple operation that anyone can perform. You must be at rest, then place your index finger and middle finger in an area where you can feel the pulsations easily, for example in the artery of the neck or those on the inside of the wrist, then count the beats for 15 seconds preferably using a timer to be exact.

The result should be multiplied by 4 to get your heart beat rate for 1 minute. Remember to never measure your heart rate when you're doing physical activity or you are in a situation that creates stress, because the result will be higher than a normal heart rate.

Diseases that affect the heart's rhythm

But what happens when our heart rate is not normal? There are different conditions that can influence heart rate, among them are:

  • Tachycardia occurs when your heart rate is over 100 beats per minute.
  • Bradycardia occurs when the heart rate is less than 60.
  • Other types of arrhythmia: when your heart rate is not regular.

If your heart beats per minute are not within the normal range, it is important to visit a cardiologist for a complete check up.

Normal heart rate during exercise

Your heart rate will inevitably increase with exercise, to make up for the increased demand for energy and oxygen in the muscles. While exercising, it is important to monitor your heart rate to make sure that you are not straining your heart.

As a general rule, your target heart rate during exercise should be 50-85% your maximum heart rate. Your maximum heart rate can be calculated with the following formula:

220 - your age

For example, if you are 30 years old, your maximum heart rate is 220 - 30 = 190 beats per minute. Thus, during exercise, you should aim at reaching 50-85% of this number. For a 30-year old, that means reaching a heart rate of 95-162 beats per minute.

This article is merely informative, oneHOWTO does not have the authority to prescribe any medical treatments or create a diagnosis. We invite you to visit your doctor if you have any type of condition or pain.

If you want to read similar articles to What Is A Normal Heart Rate?, we recommend you visit our Diseases & secondary effects category.