ideal heart rate
A person should have regular checkups to determine their heart rate at rest and during exercise. This can help them understand if there are any potentially dangerous changes in heart rate.
resting
According to the American Heart Association (AHATrusted Source), the normal resting heart rate for most adults is 60-100 beats per minute (bpm).
However, some people have heart rates outside of these ranges and are still perfectly healthy. For example, an elite athlete may have a very low resting heart rate of only 40 bpm.
while exercising
When a person is very active or exercising, the heart rate increases significantly.
The highest heart rate a person's heart can safely reach is their maximum heart rate. This decreases with age. The ideal or target heart rate for exercise also decreases with age.
Generally speaking, for most adults, target and maximum heart rates are as follows:
| age) | Target heart rate (bpm) | Average maximum heart rate (bpm) |
|---|---|---|
| 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 much a person's heart rate increases during exercise depends on many factors, including the intensity of the exercise and level of fitness.
People who live sedentary lifestyles may find that their heart rate increases when walking from room to room.
People who exercise regularly may need very intense exercise to get their heart rate up.
If a person's heart rate temporarily exceeds these numbers during exercise, it's usually not a medical emergency. According to the American Heart Association, a person can push themselves more or less based on their heart rate goals.
while sleeping
For most people, their sleep heart rate drops to the lower end of the normal resting heart rate range of 60-100 bpm.
During deep sleep, the heart rate may be lower than 60 bpmTrusted Source, especially in people whose waking heart rates are very low.
Upon waking, a person's heart rate will begin to increase toward their usual resting heart rate.
in children
Children, especially young children, tend to have higher heart rates than adults.
Like adults, factors such as anxiety, fever, and high temperatures may affect their heart rate.
The following table shows the ideal heart rate range for children during waking and sleeping periods:
| age | Waking heart rate (bpm) | Heart rate while sleeping (bpm) |
|---|---|---|
| Under 28 days | 100–205 | 90–160 |
| 1-12 months | 100–190 | 90–160 |
| 1-2 years | 98–140 | 80–120 |
| 3-5 years | 80–120 | 65–100 |
| 6-11 years old | 75–118 | 58-90 |
| 12-15 years old | 60–100 | 50–90 |
What affects heart rate?
Many different factors can affect a person's heart rate.
In most cases, a very high or low heart rate is dangerous only if there is no obvious explanation.
high heart rate
Some factors that may cause a high heart rate includeTrusted Source:
- Anxiety: People who are experiencing intense anxiety may have a heart rate above 100 bpm, especially during a panic attack.
- Pain: Pain can cause your heart rate to spike significantly.
- Pregnancy: If pregnant, a person's heart rate will increase. Normal activities also require more cardiovascular effort, so a person may find that relatively easy activities such as climbing stairs or taking a short walk cause the heart rate to be much higher than usual. Pregnancy may also cause heart palpitations or irregular heartbeats.
- Fever: Fever can sometimes cause your heart rate to increase. A person may also have a higher heart rate during extreme heat.
- Caffeine: Caffeine increases heart rate and blood pressure. If a person has recently consumed caffeine and notices a higher heart rate, this may be the cause.
- Medications: Some medications, such as serotonin or ADHD medications, may also change your heart rate. If your heart rate changes suddenly after taking a new medication, call your doctor.
It's important to remember that panicking about a high heart rate may cause it to get even higher. Taking a few deep breaths and trying calming exercises may help a person assess whether their heart rate is actually dangerous.
If there is an obvious cause of the heart rate change, such as pain or fever, try to resolve the problem first and see if the heart rate returns to normal.
postural tachycardia syndrome
People with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) may experience an increase in heart rate when standing. They may also experience dizziness and a drop in blood pressure.
POTS is a condition of the autonomic nervous system. This happens because the system is unable to properly regulate body functions such as blood pressure, heart rate, or breathing.
low heart rate
Generally speaking, the lower a person's resting heart rate, the healthier Trusted Source their heart muscle is. However, a very low heart rate in an inactive or unhealthy person may be a sign of a disease affecting the heart's electrical system.
A sudden drop in heart rate that is well below a person's usual resting heart rate may indicate Trusted Source sepsis (a systemic infection that can be life-threatening), brain hemorrhage, or heart failure of the electrical system.
A low heart rate is an emergency for anyone with symptoms of any illness, excessive bleeding, recent serious injury, fainting, or dizziness.
According to a 2020 articleTrusted Source, the following factors may cause a person to experience a low heart rate:
- chest trauma
- heart disease
- heart attack
- Treatment of congenital heart disease
- sick sinus syndrome
- Radiation Therapy
- amyloidosis
- pericarditis
- Lyme disease
- rheumatic fever
- collagen vascular disease
- myocarditis
- muscular dystrophy
The following medications may also cause a low heart rate:
- beta blockers
- calcium channel blockers
- Digoxin
- Ivabradine
- clonidine
- reserpine
- Adenosine
- Cimetidine
- lithium
- Amitriptyline
- poison
- cannabinoids
Determining the cause of a low heart rate means doctors can treat it accordingly. This may involve treating the underlying condition or changing the patient's medications.
risk
low heart rate
Without proper treatment, a low heart rate can cause:
- Dizziness
- fatigue
- Puzzled
- faint
Over time, both high and low heart rates can damage the heart.
A very low heart rate can also damage the heart and other organsTrusted Source. This is more common with low blood pressure or other signs of shock.
high heart rate
Without proper treatment, a very high heart rate can lead toTrusted Source:
- Stroke
- heart damage
- organ failure
- cardiac arrest
- Feeling dizzy or faint
- chest pain
Basic conditions
For most people, a heart rate that is consistently too high or too low may indicate an underlying condition, such as:
- Damage to heart valves or electrical system
- heart disease
- chronic or systemic infection
- thyroid problems
- anxiety
- congestive heart failure
- anemia
When to contact your doctor
However, a person should contact a doctor if:
- Watch for sudden changes in their resting heart rate
- Heart rate changes cause anxiety
- Heart rate changes after taking new medications
- often have an irregular heart rate
A person should go to the emergency room if they:
- Shortness of breath and changes in heart rate
- Feeling very dizzy, dizzy, dizzy, or confused
- Have chest pain and a high or low heart rate
- Have infection and low heart rate
- Bleeding and a low heart rate, which may be the case if someone who has recently given birth has experienced a change in heart rate
How to raise your heart rate
If a medication is causing a low heart rate, a person can talk to their doctor about changing medications.
In some cases, having a pacemaker may also help your body regulate your heart rate.
Learn about some ways to treat and manage stress here.
If the high heart rate is caused by an underlying cause such as sepsis or hypoxia, treatment can also help regulate the heart rate.
To reduce a high heart rate at home, a person can:
- Sit down and breathe slowly and deeply.
- Try relaxation techniques such as progressive muscle relaxation or calm thinking. People suffering from panic attacks can remind themselves that panic causes an increase in heart rate.
- Drink a glass of water.
- Lie down.
- Take medicine to reduce pain or fever.
A person can also try the Valsalva maneuver, which increases chest pressure and lowers a person's heart rate. The Valsalva maneuver involves holding your breath and pressing down.
If these measures don't work and a person's heart rate remains high, they should contact their doctor.
