What Is a Good Resting Heart Rate by Age and Gender?

Normal resting heart rate values range from 60 to 100 beats per minute.

Normal resting heart rate (RHR) values can range between 60-100 beats per minute (bpm). As cardiovascular fitness increases, the resting heart rate value decreases.

Resting heart rate is the number of beats per minute the heart takes while a person is fully rested. It is an indicator of both fitness and good general health. However, what is considered a normal or a good resting heart rate can vary greatly from person to person depending on their fitness level, the medications they are on, and their medical history.

Read on to learn what a healthy resting heart rate is, and how it varies with age and gender.

A resting heart rate is an indicator of fitness and general health.

• In adults, a lower heart rate is correlated with a higher degree of fitness and a lower incidence of cardiac events, such as heart attacks.
• Highly trained athletes can have an RHR as low as 40. This may be because the lower rate translates to a heart muscle that is stronger and can pump blood more efficiently. Another explanation is that with vigorous exercise, there is the release of nitrous oxide in the heart's blood vessels, which increases the blood supply to the heart.
• However, a consistently higher heart rate has been associated with cardiovascular issues and premature death.
• A 2013 research that studied 3000 men for 16 years found that men with RHR greater than 90 were associated with triple the risk of death when compared to men with RHR below 80.
• An observational study conducted in Norway that looked at 20,000 participants found similar results, even when controlled for factors, such as body mass index (BMI) and life.

The following tables provide the resting heart rate (RHR) charts by age and gender.

Children typically have a higher resting heart rate than adults, which can be seen in the table below.

Resting heart rate (RHR) is a quick way to determine how efficiently your heart is working. What is considered normal or a good resting heart rate can vary greatly from person to person. Your RHR is the amount of blood your heart pumps when you're not exercising. If you're an adult sitting or lying down, calm and relaxed, and not sick, your resting heart rate should be between 60 and 100 beats per minute (bpm). A lower than 60 heart rate is not necessarily a medical problem, but a consistent upper normal or higher than normal heart rate usually indicates there is an underlying medical issue.

Although 60 to 100 bpm is the official normal resting heart rate for an adult, a good resting heart rate for most healthy adults falls between 55 and 85 bpm, and the lower the better. The resting heart rate of a well-trained athlete may even be in the 40s, however, this may be excessively low for others, especially if accompanied by symptoms such as dizziness or chest discomfort, and that person will likely need a checkup. If you have a resting heart rate that is consistently 90 or above, although it is within the normal range, it might be a good idea to have it checked by your doctor.

Bradycardia (may or may not be typical)

• If your RHR is consistently lower than 60 bpm (even 55 bpm), you have bradycardia (a slow heart rate). This may be a sign of excellent physical fitness (often seen in well-trained athletes and swimmers) or maybe a sign of illness, in which case it is typically accompanied by lightheadedness, dizziness, or chest discomfort.
• If your RHR is significantly lower than 60 bpm (even 52 bpm) and you don't feel well, see a doctor and get an electrocardiography.

Tachycardia (may not be typical)

• If your RHR is consistently above 100 bpm, you have tachycardia (fast heart rate) and should see a doctor, especially if you have other symptoms such as chest tightness, fatigue, irregular or erratic pulse, or shortness of breath.
• Fast RHR (greater than 100 bpm) can indicate various conditions. You could be dehydrated or have poor physical fitness, or it could be a sign of something more serious going on with your heart or lungs.

Checking your RHR is a noninvasive way to assess your health. Take your RHR first thing in the morning after waking up, but before getting out of bed, for three consecutive mornings.

• Keep your palm facing up and use two fingers to feel for the pulse at the thumb side of your wrist. Another way to feel the pulse is to place your fingers on the side of your neck, next to your windpipe. You can also look for your pulse on the inside of your elbow or the top of your foot.
• To calculate the number of times your heart beats per minute, you can count your pulse rate for 30 seconds and double it or, count for 10 seconds and multiply the result by six.
• Take the sum of your three different days' heartbeat numbers. Add them up and divide them by three. This will give you your average resting heart rate.
• If you can't find your pulse, a digital blood pressure monitor will usually report heartbeats per minute.
• Most activity trackers and smartwatches can also measure your resting heart rate.

The best results will be obtained immediately upon waking; however, if this is not possible, ensure that you rest quietly and de-stress for at least 15 minutes before determining your beats per minute.

Having a resting heart rate of 80 or lower is not bad because it falls within the normal range, although, the lower it is within the range, the better. A resting heart rate that is consistently higher than 90 may be an indication of an underlying medical condition that will need addressing.

• Research says that having a lower resting heart is much better than having one on the higher side of the normal heart rate range.
• A study conducted on a large group of people in China found that those who had a high-normal resting heart rate of 80 beats per minute to 90 beats per minute had a 40 percent shorter lifespan than those with a resting heart rate of 60 beats per minute to 69 beats per minute.
• According to research, having a lower heart rate of 40 to 60 per minute is, in fact, beneficial for your heart unless you feel dizzy or suffer from shortness of breath.
• Athletes may have a heart rate as low as 40 beats per minute.

Several factors may affect resting heart rate, such as:

• Age: RHR can change with age, according to some studies.
• Gender: On average, women's RHR tends to be 2-7 bpm higher than men's.
• Air temperature: RHR can increase during hot weather, but usually not more than 10 bpm.
• Emotions: Strong feelings of stress, anxiety, or even happiness can raise the RHR.
• Body position: RHR can be 3 bpm higher when sitting versus lying down. Similarly, RHR tends to increase a bit upon standing.
• Medication: Prescription drugs, such as antidepressants and beta-blockers, can cause the RHR to be lower than it would be without the medication.
• Meditation: Breathing and other exercises such as yoga, meditation, and pranayama, if done regularly, can reduce RHR.

The following are conditions that may affect your heart rate:

• If you are stressed, scared, excited, or suffer from anxiety, your heart rate might increase.
• If the climate is hot and humid, your heart rate increases slightly.
• If you are obese, your heart rate may be on the higher side.
• If you are on medications like beta-blockers you may have a lower heart rate.
• Your resting heart rate may be high if you suffer from high thyroid hormone levels (hyperthyroidism) and low if you have low thyroid hormone levels (hypothyroidism).
• Infections, which cause fever, can increase your heart rate.
• Low hemoglobin levels (anemia) might increase your heart rate.
• Abrupt changes in altitude, such as travel to a mountainous area.
• If you have smoked or consumed coffee, your heart rate may be increased.
• Electrical conduction issues in the heart may also alter your heart rate and cause your heart to beat slowly or fast, and/or with an irregular rhythm. This condition is called arrhythmia and needs medical attention. A fast (faster than 100 bpm) and irregular or erratic heart rate may be a sign of Atrial fibrillation, a type of arrhythmia. If you have a fast and irregular heart rate you should seek medical care right away.

Can anxiety or stress affect a resting heart rate?

Yes, anxiety or stress can affect a resting heart rate because it can trigger the release of the stress hormone cortisol, which increases the heart rate and blood pressure. Stress and anxiety can increase the heart rate even if you are not engaged in any activity and your body is at rest.

How does age impact what is considered a healthy resting heart rate?

Young children have a higher resting heart rate, but by the teenage years, the resting heart rate becomes more or less similar to adult heart rates. With age, the resting heart rate goes down a little, although not significantly, however, heart rate cannot increase as much with exercise as it does when you are younger. This means, that as you age, the heart has less ability to pump out the additional oxygen-rich blood that you require during exercise. Regular exercise can help maintain a healthy heart rate well into old age.

Is there a difference between a normal pulse and resting heart rate?

Both normal pulse and resting heart rate refer to the heart's ability to pump blood, although, strictly speaking, heart rate measures the heart contractions per minute, and pulse rate measures the contraction and dilation of the arteries per minute. A normal adult pulse rate and resting heart rate both fall within the range of 60 to 100 beats per minute.

Heart rate is the number of times your heart beats in a minute. With each beat the heart contracts and pumps out blood. The pressure with which the heart pumps blood makes the arteries dilate and contract and this pressure is felt as a pulse in the arteries. The number of times an artery contracts and dilates is the pulse rate. Counting the pulse beats per minute is one of the ways of determining the heart rate. Heat rate can also be measured by a heart rate monitor or an electrocardiogram (ECG).

Should I be concerned if my pulse rate falls below or above the normal range?

Although the official normal range of pulse rate is 60 to 100 bpm, a lower rate than 60 is not necessarily a cause for concern. People with excellent fitness levels can have resting heart rates in the 50-60 range, and highly trained athletes may have resting heart rates as low as 40. However, you should see a doctor if your low pulse rate is accompanied by symptoms such as dizziness, lightheadedness, chest discomfort, or fainting spells.

Most healthy adults have a resting heart rate that ranges between 55 and 85 bpm. If your pulse rate is consistently higher than 90 bpm, it might be a good idea to see your doctor even though it falls within the normal range, because higher heartbeats per minute regularly can put a greater strain on your heart in the long run. If your pulse rate is regularly above 100 bpm, definitely see your doctor, you will need a diagnosis of the underlying cause and treatment.

It is normal for your pulse rate to go up when you are exercising, of course, as it should. Your heart rate measured when working out at your maximum capacity is known as the maximum heart rate. It is not possible or safe to maintain the maximum heart rate for longer than a few minutes, so usually you are advised to maintain a percentage of the maximum heart rate during exercise, which is known as the target heart rate.

Set a lower target heart rate of say, 50% of the maximum heart rate to begin with, and gradually increase the intensity of exercise to reach target rates of 70% to 80% of the maximum rate. Maximum heart rate tends to fall with age and can be affected by various other factors as well. Maximum heart rate and target rate can be improved with regular exercise, heart-healthy foods, and lifestyle.