Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: Resting Heart Rate
• Method 2 of 3: How to tell if your heart rate is normal
• Method 3 of 3: Improving your heart rate
• Tips
• Warnings

The human heart is one of the most important organs in the body, which beats incessantly to circulate oxygenated blood. Heart rate or pulse is the number of times the heart beats per minute. On the basis of the pulse in a calm state, one can judge the state of human health. Men and women whose resting heart rate is above normal have an increased risk of dying from coronary heart disease. Therefore, it is very important to know if your heart rate is healthy.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Resting Heart Rate

1. 1 Sit back and relax for a couple of minutes. Your heart rate fluctuates depending on your activity. Even standing can raise your heart rate. Therefore, before taking your pulse, you must completely relax.
   • Measure your resting heart rate in the morning, right after you wake up.
   • Do not measure your heart rate immediately after exercise, as it will remain elevated and you will not get an accurate reading.
   • Do not measure your heart rate after drinking caffeinated beverages or in hot or humid weather, as these can speed up your heart rate.
2. 2 Find the pulse with your fingers. Use the tips of your index and middle fingers to press (or feel) the pulsation of the radial artery in your neck or on the inside of your wrist.
3. 3 Press down on the artery with your fingers until you feel a strong throbbing. After a moment, you should feel a distinct pulse, if not, then move your fingers to find it.
4. 4 Count each beat or pulse to find out your heart rate. To find out your heart rate, count the number of beats in 30 seconds and multiply this figure by 2, or count the number of beats in 10 seconds and multiply them by 6.
   • For example, you counted 10 beats in 10 seconds. Multiply this by 6 and your heart rate is 60 beats per minute.
   • If you have an irregular heart rhythm, then count all 60 seconds. When starting to count, take the first heartbeat as 0, the second as 1, and so on.
   • Count your heart rate several times to get a more accurate reading.

Method 2 of 3: How to tell if your heart rate is normal

1. 1 Determine if your heart rate is normal. The normal resting heart rate of an adult is 60-100 beats per minute (for children, this figure is 70-100 beats). However, recent studies have shown that a heart rate above 80 beats per minute is one of the risk factors for obesity and diabetes.
   • If your heart rate at rest is 60-80 beats per minute, know that this heart rate is normal.
2. 2 Determine if your heart rate is over 80 beats per minute. If so, you may be at an increased risk of developing heart disease and should see your doctor right away.
   • A high resting heart rate means your heart must work harder to maintain a stable heartbeat.An accelerated resting heart rate is a risk factor for coronary heart disease, obesity, and diabetes.
   • A ten-year clinical study showed that adults whose heart rate increased from 70 to 85 beats per minute was 90% more likely to die during the study period than those whose heart rate remained below 70 beats.
   • If your resting heart rate is fast, take steps to slow it down (see next section).
   • Certain medications (for example, those used to treat the thyroid gland and stimulants such as Adderall and Ritalin) can speed up the heartbeat. See your doctor if you are concerned that the drugs you are taking are raising your heart rate.
   • Ambient temperature and humidity can also temporarily speed up your heart rate. This is because your heart has to work harder under these conditions. This does not mean that your heart rate is accelerated in a normal state.
   • Other causes of tachycardia (rapid heartbeat) include fever, hypotension (low blood pressure), anemia, smoking, drinking too much alcohol or caffeine, electrolyte imbalances, hypothyroidism (lack of thyroid hormones), and more.
3. 3 Determine if your heart rate is less than 60 beats per minute. A heart rate of less than 60 beats per minute does not always mean a health problem. In people who play sports or are simply in good shape, the heart rate at rest can slow down to 40 beats per minute.
   • Some people have a naturally slow heart rate, and there is nothing abnormal or unhealthy about it.
   • Certain medications (such as beta blockers) can slow your heart rate.
   • Talk to your doctor and ask him if you need to do anything about your slow heart rate.

Method 3 of 3: Improving your heart rate

1. 1 Exercise regularly. Regular exercise helps to gradually lower your resting heart rate. By strengthening your cardiovascular system, you also strengthen your heart, which means it has to work less to maintain blood circulation.
   • During the week, you should spend at least 150 minutes on moderate aerobic exercise or 75 minutes on high-intensity aerobic exercise.
   • Also, be sure to include strength training in your weekly workout regimen to strengthen your muscles.
   • Check with your doctor before starting a new training program.
2. 2 Lose weight. Obesity is one of the risk factors for heart disease. The larger your body, the harder your heart has to work to transport oxygenated blood through your veins. For this reason, weight loss can lead to a normal heart rate.
   • To lose weight, you must eat fewer calories than your body needs without going fast (you must consume at least 1050-1200 calories per day). When you reach this negative balance, your body will have to burn fat stores to replenish energy.
   • Burning 500 calories a day (or having a negative balance of 500 calories), you will lose 3500 calories per week, which corresponds to 0.5 kg of fat. Maintaining this balance for 10 weeks will result in a loss of 5 kg of fat.
   • Include aerobic and strength training in your schedule to burn calories faster. The amount of calories you burn during exercise depends on your age, gender, and weight. Use the calorie counter to see how many calories you burn after each exercise.
   • Eat a healthy, low-fat diet of vegetables, fruits, lean meats, seafood, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products.
   • Use the Calorie Calculator and Nutrition Metrics to analyze how many calories you need to eat per day and to calculate the number of calories in your diet.
3. 3 Reduce stress scores. Relaxation techniques such as meditation, yoga, tai chi, and other stress-relieving techniques can help reduce your heart rate. Put them in your routine to help normalize your heart rate.
   • Try different relaxation techniques, such as autogenic relaxation, progressive muscle relaxation, visualization and / or deep breathing techniques, and choose the one that best suits your lifestyle and schedule.
   • Start going to the gym, sign up for yoga or tai chi classes, or do them at home from DVDs, books, or free Youtube videos.
   • Hypnosis, meditation and massage will clear your mind and help your body relax.
4. 4 Don't smoke cigarettes and other tobacco products. Smoking can speed up your heart rate and lead to health problems like cancer.
   • Talk to your doctor about quitting smoking. In order to quit smoking gradually, you can use nicotine replacement therapy.
   • Make a plan and tell your family and friends about it. This will help you stay on track and get the support you need.
   • Consider joining an online or local support group.

Tips

• Regular exercise strengthens the cardiovascular system. Before starting a new training regimen, be sure to consult your doctor. Take your time, and when your heart and skeletal muscles get stronger, gradually increase the load.
• For an easier and more accurate heart rate measurement, buy a heart rate monitor.

Warnings

• Call your doctor right away if your resting heart rate is more than 80 beats per minute or if you suffer from symptoms of cardiac arrest.