Your resting heart rate (RHR) is a vital sign that measures the number of times your heart beats per minute (BPM) while you are at complete rest. Understanding your RHR can provide significant insights into your cardiovascular health and overall fitness levels.
The Correct Way to Measure RHR
To get an accurate reading, you should measure your RHR first thing in the morning, before getting out of bed and before consuming any caffeine. Follow these steps:
Find your pulse on your wrist (radial artery) or neck (carotid artery).
Use your index and middle fingers, not your thumb (as your thumb has its own pulse).
Press lightly until you feel the beat.
Count the number of beats for a specific duration (15, 30, or 60 seconds).
Use our calculator above to normalize this to Beats Per Minute (BPM).
Interpretation Table: What do the numbers mean?
Category
BPM Range
Interpretation
Athlete
40 – 60 BPM
High level of cardiovascular efficiency.
Normal Adult
60 – 100 BPM
The standard range for most healthy adults.
High/Tachycardia
100+ BPM
Should be monitored; may indicate stress or illness.
Factors That Influence Your Heart Rate
Several factors can cause your RHR to fluctuate daily:
Fitness Level: Generally, the more fit you are, the lower your resting heart rate.
Stress and Anxiety: High stress levels trigger the nervous system, increasing BPM.
Medication: Beta-blockers can lower RHR, while some thyroid medications can raise it.
Hydration: Dehydration forces the heart to work harder to circulate blood.
Temperature: Heart rate often rises slightly in high heat and humidity.
Resting Heart Rate Calculation Example
If you count 18 beats in 15 seconds, how do you calculate the RHR? The math is simple: 18 (beats) multiplied by 4 (since 15 seconds goes into 60 seconds four times). This results in 72 BPM, which is considered a healthy normal range for an adult.
function calculateRHR() {
var beats = document.getElementById("heartBeats").value;
var duration = document.getElementById("countDuration").value;
var age = document.getElementById("userAge").value;
var resultBox = document.getElementById("resultBox");
var bpmOutput = document.getElementById("bpmOutput");
var categoryOutput = document.getElementById("categoryOutput");
if (beats === "" || beats <= 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid number of heart beats.");
return;
}
var bpm = Math.round(parseFloat(beats) * (60 / parseFloat(duration)));
bpmOutput.innerHTML = bpm + " BPM";
resultBox.style.display = "block";
var category = "";
if (bpm = 40 && bpm = 60 && bpm 100) {
category = "High (Tachycardia Range)";
}
categoryOutput.innerHTML = "Category: " + category;
// Optional age-based check
if (age !== "" && age > 0) {
if (bpm > (220 – age)) {
categoryOutput.innerHTML += "Warning: Your resting heart rate is extremely high for your age.";
}
}
}