Good Resting Heart Rate by Age

The normal resting heart rate varies by age. In adults, any number between 60 and 100 beats per minute (bpm) is considered a good resting heart rate. Babies and young children have higher resting heart rates than older kids, teens, and adults.

Your heart rate at rest is an indication of your general fitness. A lower resting heart rate generally indicates a higher degree of fitness. Even so, certain medical conditions, medications, or activities can cause an abnormally low or high resting heart rate.

Normal Resting Heart Rate by Age

The resting heart rate range, measured in bpm, is the expected range of values seen in 95% of people in that age group. It varies with age, decreasing from the rapid rates seen in infants and children to slower rates in healthy adults.

The normal resting heart rate for people over 10 years of age, including older adults, is between 60 and 100 beats bpm. If the rate is significantly higher or lower, it usually indicates that your functional status (ability to remain mobile and independent in everyday life) is poor. This is often due to underlying health conditions.

How to Measure Your Heart Rate

Smartwatches and heart rate monitors are able to measure your heart rate automatically. But to do it by hand, place your index and middle fingers over your radial artery (thumb side at your wrist) or carotid artery, on the neck to the side of the windpipe, just under the jaw.

Time yourself as you count the number of pulses you feel in one minute, or count them over 15 seconds and multiply by four. First thing in the morning is a good time to do so.

Causes of Low Resting Heart Rate

Having a low heart rate is not necessarily a bad thing. Performance athletes like long-distance runners, for example, can have a resting heart rate in the low 40s and still be considered healthy.

However, for most people, a low heart rate may be a sign of a problem, especially when accompanied by:

• Lightheadedness, dizziness, or fainting
• Weakness
• Fatigue
• Shortness of breath
• Confusion

There are many different causes of bradycardia, including:

• Heart conditions, including arrhythmia due to heart block, myocarditis inflammation, damage from heart attack or heart disease, or a congenital heart defect
• Electrolyte disruptions including hypercalcemia (abnormally high blood calcium) and hyperkalemia (abnormally high blood potassium), or hyponatremia (low blood sodium)
• Hyperparathyroidism (overactive parathyroid gland) or hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid)
  
• Hypothermia (low body temperature due to exposure to cold)
• Intracranial pressure (increased pressure under the skull)
• Lupus (an inflammatory autoimmune disease)
• Obstructive sleep apnea (gaps in breathing during sleep)
• Certain medications like sedatives, opioid drugs, beta-blockers, and calcium channel blockers
  

Causes of High Resting Heart Rate

People with heart rates that are too fast may experience similar symptoms, such as shortness of breath, as those with bradycardia do. Aside from recent exercise, many medical conditions are associated with tachycardia (fast rates), including:

• Anemia (low red blood cells)
  
• Being overweight or having obesity
• Dehydration
• Fever
• Heavy alcohol use or alcohol withdrawal
• Heart failure (where the heart is less able to pump blood)
• High levels of anxiety
• Hypocalcemia (abnormally low blood calcium) or hypokalemia (abnormally low blood potassium)
• Hypoparathyroidism (underactive parathyroid gland) or hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid)
• Hypotension (low blood pressure) or hypertension (high blood pressure)
  
• Smoking tobacco
  
• Stimulations like caffeine, nicotine, cocaine, and crystal methamphetamine
  

Exercise and Target Heart Zone

You can lower your resting heart rate by improving your physical fitness and making some lifestyle changes, such as quitting cigarettes and losing weight. Regular cardio exercise (like running, swimming, or biking) trains the heart to become more efficient over time.

The aim is to improve what is known as your target heart rate zone. This is your heart rate during moderate-intensity activities (defined as 50% to 85% of your maximum heart rate).

The target heart rate zone and maximum heart rate vary by a person's age.

When to See Your Healthcare Provider

See your healthcare provider if you have a resting heart rate that is consistently higher than 100 beats per minute. You should also see a healthcare provider if your heart rate is consistently lower than 60 beats per minute and you are not an athlete.

Other symptoms can occur along with a heart rate that is too high or low. These symptoms are also an indication that you should see your healthcare provider:

• Shortness of breath
• Dizziness or fainting
  
• Chest pain

Summary

Your resting heart rate is an indicator of your general fitness, with lower values associated with better health outcomes. For most adults, the normal resting heart rate is 60–100 bpm. It can be even lower in athletes or people who regularly engage in strenuous physical activity. Too low a rate, though, can be a health concern as much as too high can be.

People can improve their resting heart rate by routinely exercising, quitting smoking, reducing alcohol and caffeine intake, and managing stress. Talk with your healthcare provider about options.