Heart rate is one of the important indicators of the health of the human body. It measures how many times the heart contracts or beats in one minute. Your heart rate varies depending on physical activity, safety risks, or emotional responses. Resting heart rate refers to the heart rate measured while the person is relaxed.
A normal heart rate is not a guarantee of health, but it is a useful reference point for identifying various fluctuations.
It is important to determine if your heart rate is within the normal range. When the heart weakens due to illness or injury, organs may not receive enough blood to function properly.
Heart rate changes with age
The heart rate gradually slows down as a person matures.
Normal resting heart rate in adults is between 60 and 100 beats per minute.
A highly trained athlete can have a resting heart rate below 60 beats per minute and can go down to 40.
What should your resting heart rate be
Below is a table with an indication of the correct values of resting heart rate.
| AGE | NORMAL RESTING HEART RATE |
|---|---|
| <1 months | 70-190 |
| 1-11 months | 80-160 |
| 1-2 years | 80-130 |
| 3-4 years | 80-120 |
| 5-6 years | 75-115 |
| 7-9 years | 70-110 |
| 10+ years | 60-100 |
Resting heart rate fluctuates. It increases in response to various changes, including exercise, body temperature, emotional triggers, body position.
What is the role of a normal heart rate
The heart is a muscular organ in the middle of the chest. When the heart beats, it pumps oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood throughout the body and returns waste products. A healthy heart supplies the body with the right amount of blood at the right rate for physical activity. For example, when we get scared, we automatically release adrenaline – a hormone that speeds up the heart rate. This makes the body ready to use more oxygen and energy to escape or face potential danger.
Heart rate fluctuations
The heart rate is equal to the heartbeat. This is because the contraction of the heart raises the blood pressure, resulting in a clearly palpable pulse. Your heart rate increases during exercise to provide more oxygen and energy to the rest of your body. The heart works as efficiently as possible to deliver the nutrients and oxygen it needs to different parts of the body. Cardio training is designed to lower your target heart rate. The ideal target heart rate decreases with age.
You should also know your maximum heart rate. It indicates the full capacity of the heart and is usually achieved through high-intensity exercise. Because each body responds differently to exercise, target heart rate is expressed as ranges called target heart rate zones.
Heart rate zones
The table below shows the target heart rate zones suitable for different age groups.
| AGE | HEART RATE 50-85% (fat burning) | MAXIMUM HEART RATE |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | 100-170 | 200 |
| 30 | 95-162 | 190 |
| 35 | 93-157 | 185 |
| 40 | 90-153 | 180 |
| 45 | 88-149 | 175 |
| 50 | 85-145 | 170 |
| 55 | 83-140 | 165 |
| 60 | 80-136 | 160 |
| 65 | 78-132 | 155 |
| 70 | 75-128 | 150 |
How to take care of the correct heart rate
People who are concerned about palpitations or ectopic strokes should see a doctor who may perform an electrocardiogram (ECG) to assess the work and rhythm of the heart.
Activity is important for maintaining a proper heart rate. In addition to physical exercise, you should also take care of reducing stress. Stress can speed up heart rate and blood pressure. To reduce the impact of stress, deep breathing, yoga, mindfulness practice and meditation are helpful. For the proper functioning of the heart, it is advisable to avoid tobacco, since smoking increases the heart rate. The third most common cause of improper heart rate is being overweight. Being more weight means the heart has to work harder to deliver oxygen and nutrients to all areas of the body. It is therefore good to take care of the correct body weight, adequate to age, height and gender.