Content
Heart rate indicates the number of times the heart beats per minute and its normal value, in adults, varies between 60 and 100 beats per minute at rest. However, the frequency considered normal tends to vary according to some factors, such as age, level of physical activity or the presence of heart disease.
The ideal heart rate, at rest, according to age is:
- Up to 2 years old: 120 to 140 bpm,
- Between 8 years and 17 years: 80 to 100 bpm,
- Sedentary adult: 70 to 80 bpm,
- Adult doing physical activity and elderly: 50 to 60 bpm.
The heartbeat is an important indicator of health status, but here are other parameters that can indicate how well you are doing: How to know if I am in good health.
If you want to know if your heart rate is normal, enter the data in our calculator:
Heart rate tables in adults
The following table shows the normal heart rate for men at rest:
Age | 18-25 years | 26-35 years | 36-45 years | 46-55 years | 56-65 years | +65 years |
Great | 56-61 | 55-61 | 57-62 | 58-63 | 57-61 | 56-61 |
Good | 62-65 | 62-65 | 63-66 | 64-67 | 62-67 | 62-65 |
Normal | 70-73 | 71-74 | 71-75 | 72-76 | 72-75 | 70-73 |
Less good | 74-81 | 75-81 | 76-82 | 77-83 | 76-81 | 74-79 |
Bad | +82 | +82 | +83 | +84 | +82 | +80 |
This table already shows the normal heart rate for women at rest:
Age | 18-25 years | 26-35 years | 36-45 years | 46-55 years | 56-65 years | +65 years |
Great | 61-65 | 60-64 | 60-64 | 61-65 | 60-64 | 60-64 |
Good | 66-69 | 65-68 | 65-69 | 66-69 | 65-68 | 65-68 |
Normal | 74-78 | 73-76 | 74-78 | 74-77 | 74-77 | 73-76 |
Less good | 79-84 | 77-82 | 79-84 | 78-83 | 78-83 | 77-84 |
Bad | +85 | +83 | +85 | +84 | +84 | +84 |
If the frequency is above the values shown in the table, you should exercise regularly because this improves the cardiac capacity and thus the heart can pump the same amount of blood, with less effort, which naturally decreases the resting heart rate.
How to measure heart rate
To measure, you can place the index and middle finger on the side of the neck, where the heartbeat is felt and count how many pulsations are perceived during 1 minute. The calculation can also be done by counting the beats up to 15 seconds and multiplying the result by 4. Another more reliable way is to use a small device called a frequency meter that is placed on the finger, or to use special watches that measure HR. These products can be purchased at medical or sports medicine stores.
What changes heart rate
The main factors that change heart rate are listed below:
The increase in heart rate is not always caused by a worrying situation. The heart may be beating faster or faster in everyday situations such as:
- Faced with strong emotions;
- Panic or anxiety attack;
- During sexual intercourse;
- When there is a fever;
- During exercise;
- By making some effort;
- Due to the use of medicines;
- When the pressure is high, see what to do if the pressure is high;
- Due to the ingestion of large amounts of alcohol or caffeine;
- When there is a heart disease, such as heart failure or heart valve disease, as well as other diseases such as atherosclerosis or hypertension.
When the pressure is high, above 140 x 90 mmHg, there is tachycardia and if the pressure continues to rise, there is a risk of heart attack. Symptoms that may indicate that the person is having or may have a heart attack include pain in the chest or arm, feeling of poor digestion, dizziness and cold sweat. If the person has these symptoms, go to the emergency room or call an ambulance. See what are the first symptoms of a heart attack.
If the person presents this increase in heart rate more than 3 times a week, even when he is at rest, without making any effort, and without any of the situations above, he should go to the cardiologist to do heart examinations, identify the cause and start treatment if necessary.
A heartbeat of less than 60 beats per minute may be due to aging or just a side effect of certain medications for the heart, for example. However, low HR can also indicate heart problems such as heart block or sinus node dysfunction, especially if it is accompanied by dizziness, tiredness or shortness of breath. So, if the person has a weak heartbeat, he should consult a cardiologist to do heart examinations, identify the cause and start treatment, if necessary.
How to decrease heart rate
If your heart rate is too high, and your heart is racing, what you can do to try to normalize your heart beat is:
- Stand and squat a little while supporting your hands on your legs and cough hard 5 times in a row;
- Take a deep breath and let it out slowly through your mouth, as if you were gently blowing out a candle;
- Count down from 20 to zero, trying to calm down.
Thus, the heartbeat should decrease a little, but if you notice that this tachycardia, as it is called, happens frequently, it is necessary to go to the doctor to check what may be causing this increase and if it is necessary to do any treatment.
But when a person measures their heart rate at rest and thinks it could be lower, the best way to normalize it is to do physical activity regularly. They can be hiking, running, water aerobics classes or any other activity that leads to physical conditioning.
What is the maximum heart rate to train
The maximum heart rate varies according to the age and type of activity that the person does daily, but can be verified by performing the following mathematical calculation: 220 minus age (for men) and 226 minus age (for women).
A young adult can have a maximum heart rate of 90 and an athlete can have a maximum heart rate of 55, and this is also related to fitness. The important thing is to know that a person's maximum heart rate may be different from another and this may not represent any health problem, but physical fitness.
To lose weight and, at the same time, burn fat you must train in a range of 60-75% of the maximum heart rate, which varies according to sex and age. See your ideal heart rate to burn fat and lose weight.