Understanding Cardiac Rhythm: Normal Heart Beats Per Minute
Jumpstart Your Health Journey with Resting Heart Rate (RHR) Tracking
Getting fit doesn't always involve rushing through intense workouts. By monitoring your Resting Heart Rate (RHR), you're taking a sneak peek at your body's health even in the quiet moments. Here's a lowdown on what RHR means and how to interpret it.
What's the Deal with a Normal RHR?
Medical practitioners consider heart rates between 60 and 100 beats per minute (bpm) as typical. However, note that these readings are usually taken in a healthcare setting during quiet or slightly anxious moments.
Fitness enthusiasts often have lower RHRs, thanks to their active lifestyles. For instance, Oura users might find their RHR as low as 50-60 bpm, while Whoop users average about 59 bpm for women and 55 bpm for men. This low RHR is not unusual since these platforms usually cater to athletes and health-conscious individuals.
Never stress if your RHR is not as low as those figures. The 60-100 bpm range is intended for the broader population a healthcare provider might encounter.
Lower RHR: A Good Sign?
If you're athletic or keeping a stellar cardiovascular health, expect a lower RHR. Improvements in cardio fitness often lead to a decrease in RHR, which is often seen as a positive sign that your training is working.
Short-term RHR increases can signal several factors, including:
- Stress (mental or physical, like post-workout exhaustion)
- Your menstrual cycle's follicular phase (if you have one)
- Onset of illness
- New medication affecting RHR (including stimulants or decongestants)
- Disrupted sleep (if RHR is measured during sleep, e.g., due to drinking or late nights)
Tracking RHR feels like a handy gauge for me to understand my body's stress and recovery levels. A temporary increase is fine as long as it bounces back within a few days. Persistently high RHR for extended periods may indicate underlying health issues and require medical attention.
Why Avoid Comparing Your RHR with Others'?
Though it may be tempting to compare RHR with friends or fitness peers, it's essential not to treat it as a competition. body physiques vary significantly, just like height — and so does RHR. Even before we account for fitness or health factors, individuals may display naturally higher or lower RHR.
For instance, smaller individuals tend to have slightly higher RHRs, while women tend to have slightly higher RHRs on average. RHR may also change with age, with increases observed in early adulthood before leveling off. Keep in mind that RHR does not necessarily reflect your maximum heart rate or exercise heart rate, which I discuss here in more detail.
If you use a smart device to track your RHR, remember that variance can occur from device to device. In my experiment involving five different devices, Fitbit's RHR reading was often 10 bpm higher than Oura's, while other devices like Garmin, Whoop, and Apple Watch delivered intermediate readings.
Rather than making comparisons, the smartest way to use RHR data is to focus on long- and short-term trends. If your RHR decreases gradually over time due to increased exercise, that's a great sign. Day-to-day changes can serve as a reminder to evaluate your health, stress, fatigue, and sleep quality. And, as always, consult a medical professional if you ever question your heart rate's unusual behavior.
- In the realm of health and wellness, monitoring your Resting Heart Rate (RHR) can provide insights into your body's quiet moments, offering a glimpse of your overall health and fitness-and-exercise level.
- While medical practitioners consider heart rates between 60 and 100 beats per minute (bpm) as typical, fitness enthusiasts often have lower RHRs, with some athletes and health-conscious individuals even displaying RHRs as low as 50-60 bpm.
- It's important not to compare your RHR with others or treat it as a competition, as personal factors and medical-conditions can cause significant variations in resting heart rates, making them unique to each individual.
