Normal Resting Heart Rate: Averages by Age and Sex, Causes of a High or Low Pulse, and How to Measure It Correctly
Your smartwatch or a checkup says "resting heart rate 72", but is that normal, high or low? The normal adult range is usually given as 60–100 beats per minute, yet 60 and 95 say quite different things about your body, and children and endurance athletes have different ranges altogether. This guide sorts the average and normal resting heart rate by age (infants, toddlers, school-age children, adults), by sex and by fitness level, then covers how to measure it properly first thing in the morning and the error built into a 15-second count, how a wrist count, a phone camera and a smartwatch differ, what can make it high or low and when to see a doctor, how to lower it, and how to use it to set Karvonen target heart rates. The age ranges and heart rate zone figures use the same reference values and formulas as the Heart Rate Monitor tool.
The short answer: 60–100 bpm is normal for adults, and the average is about 65–70 bpm
Your resting heart rate is the number of times your heart beats per minute while you are still and relaxed. The pulse you count at your wrist normally matches your heart rate. For healthy adults the usual normal range is 60–100 beats per minute (bpm); below 60 is called bradycardia and above 100 is called tachycardia. In practice most adults sit somewhere around 60–75, and a study of wearable data from about 92,000 people found an average of roughly 65 bpm.
| Resting heart rate (adults) | Term | How to read it |
|---|---|---|
| Under 50 | Bradycardia (clearly low) | Not unusual in people who do regular endurance training. If you don't exercise and have dizziness, breathlessness or fainting, see a doctor |
| 50–59 | Slightly low (bradycardia) | Common in fit people and on mornings after good sleep. Usually nothing to worry about if you have no symptoms |
| 60–79 | Typical | Most adults are here. Differences within this band reflect build and fitness |
| 80–100 | Normal but on the high side | Lack of sleep, stress, caffeine and inactivity all push it up. If you see this every morning, review your habits |
| Over 100 | Tachycardia | Fever, dehydration and nerves can raise it temporarily. If it stays high at rest, see a doctor |
Keep in mind that "normal" and "ideal" are not the same thing. The 60–100 range is an old line for separating illness from health. A meta-analysis of many studies found that every 10 bpm higher resting heart rate was associated with roughly a 10% higher risk of heart disease and of death from any cause (an association, not proof that the high rate is the cause). If you are regularly at 80 or above, even though that is "normal", there is probably room to bring it down through lifestyle.
By age: the younger the child, the faster the heart, and adult ranges apply from about 13
A smaller body has a smaller heart, which pumps less blood with each beat (stroke volume), so it makes up for it with more beats. That is why children's heart rates are much higher than adults'. They fall gradually as children grow, and by about age 13 they are in roughly the adult range.
| Age | Typical resting heart rate (bpm) | Commonly seen values |
|---|---|---|
| Infants (under 1) | 100–160 | Around 120–140; higher while crying or feeding |
| Toddlers (1–5) | 80–140 | Around 100–110 |
| School-age children (6–12) | 70–120 | Around 85 |
| Ages 13 and over / adults | 60–100 | Around 65–75 |
A child's heart rate can jump by dozens of beats with a little movement or excitement, so measure while they are asleep or sitting calmly. The ranges are wide because children of the same age differ a lot in size and fitness; small ups and downs within the range are nothing to worry about.
Once you are an adult, the average resting heart rate barely changes between your 20s and your 70s. What clearly falls with age is your maximum heart rate, the ceiling your heart reaches during hard exercise. Here is what changes with age and what does not.
| Value | Change with age | Example at 40 | Example at 60 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resting heart rate | Hardly changes in adulthood | 65 | 65 |
| Maximum heart rate (220 − age) | Falls 1 beat per year | 180 | 160 |
| Maximum heart rate (208 − 0.7 × age) | Falls 0.7 beats per year | 180 | 166 |
| Heart rate reserve (max − resting) | Shrinks along with the maximum | 115 | 95–101 |
In older age more people take blood pressure or heart rhythm medicines such as beta blockers, which can bring resting heart rate into the 50s. Irregular rhythms such as atrial fibrillation also become more common with age, so pay attention not only to the number but also to whether the rhythm feels regular.
Sex and fitness: women run a few beats higher, and endurance athletes can sit in the 40s or 50s
On average, women's resting heart rates are a few beats higher than men's, mainly because women tend to have smaller hearts with a lower stroke volume. It also varies across the menstrual cycle: in the luteal phase after ovulation it can rise by a few beats along with basal body temperature. During pregnancy blood volume increases, and it is common for resting heart rate to be 10–20 beats higher than before pregnancy by the third trimester.
| Activity level (adults) | Typical resting heart rate (bpm) |
|---|---|
| Almost no exercise | Around 70–85 |
| Light exercise 2–3 times a week | Around 60–70 |
| Regular aerobic exercise such as jogging | 50s to 60s |
| Endurance athletes (marathon, cycling, swimming) | 40s to 50s (some in the 30s) |
Regular aerobic exercise lowers resting heart rate because the heart muscle gets stronger and pumps more blood per beat, so fewer beats are needed. Stronger activity of the parasympathetic (vagal) nervous system, which calms the body, also plays a part. This adaptation is known as "athlete's heart" and is not a disease.
How to measure it correctly: first thing in the morning, same conditions, averaged over several days
Resting heart rate can easily shift by 10 beats or more depending on the time of day, your posture and what you were just doing. Rather than reacting to a single reading, keep the conditions the same and average several days to get close to your true value.
- 1
Measure in the morning before you get out of bed
Just after waking is when your heart rate is lowest and most stable. If you need the bathroom first, sit down and rest for about 5 minutes when you get back. Jumping up to an alarm pushes it up, so lie still for a moment first.
- 2
During the day, sit and rest for at least 5 minutes
Avoid the 30–60 minutes after exercise, a bath or shower, a meal, coffee or tea, or a cigarette. Talking or scrolling the news raises it, so just sit quietly.
- 3
Count for 30 or 60 seconds
To record a resting value, counting for 30 seconds or more is more accurate than counting briefly and multiplying (see the table below).
- 4
Average 3–7 days
Measure every morning under the same conditions, write it down, and treat the weekly average as your resting heart rate. Keep readings from mornings after drinking or poor sleep separate.
| Counting time | Convert to per minute | Error if you miscount by one beat |
|---|---|---|
| 10 seconds | × 6 | 6 bpm |
| 15 seconds | × 4 | 4 bpm |
| 30 seconds | × 2 | 2 bpm |
| 60 seconds | As is | 1 bpm |
Clinics and checkups often count for 15 seconds and multiply by 4 because it is quick when measuring many people. But whether you start counting at "1" or "0" alone shifts the result by one beat, which becomes 4 bpm with a 15-second count and 6 bpm with a 10-second count. If your pulse seems to skip or feels irregular, always count for a full 60 seconds.
Wrist count vs phone camera vs smartwatch vs blood pressure monitor
You can measure resting heart rate with many devices, but because they work differently, readings taken at the same time can differ by a few beats. Knowing how each works helps you avoid being confused by the differences.
| Method | How it works | Accuracy at rest | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Counting at the wrist or neck | Feeling the pulse with your fingers | Accurate if you don't miscount | Short counts carry a large error |
| Finger on a phone camera | Reads changes in fingertip blood volume with light (photoplethysmography, PPG) | Usually within a few beats of a manual count if your finger stays still | Pressing too hard, cold fingers and movement disturb it |
| Smartwatch | Also PPG, using green light on the underside of the wrist | Good at rest; calculates a resting value automatically from calm periods of the day | Each brand calculates resting heart rate differently; a loose strap disturbs it |
| Home blood pressure monitor | Counts the pulse from pressure ripples in the cuff | Good as a guide | Tends to read high if you are tense or just moved |
Many smartwatches estimate "resting heart rate" from calm periods while you are awake, and your heart rate during sleep is usually a few to about 10 beats lower than that. Treat your lowest sleeping heart rate, a manual count in the morning, and your watch's resting heart rate as three different numbers. If you keep a log, keep using the same device under the same conditions.
None of these methods is an electrocardiogram (ECG), so none can tell what kind of irregular rhythm you have. If an irregular pulse worries you, get an ECG at a clinic.
Causes of a high resting heart rate: rule out temporary reasons first
When you get a higher reading than usual, first check whether something is pushing it up temporarily. Most of the time it returns to normal within a few days once you rest or remove the cause.
| Cause | Typical increase | How to check / what to do |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of sleep, fatigue | A few to 10 beats | Sleep well for a few days, then measure again |
| Fever, the start of a cold | About 8–10 beats per 1 °C rise in body temperature | Take your temperature too. It can rise before you feel ill |
| Dehydration, heat | A few to over 10 beats | Drink fluids and rest somewhere cool before measuring |
| Alcohol (especially before bed) | A few to over 10 beats the next morning | Log the mornings after drinking separately |
| Caffeine, smoking | A few beats afterwards | Wait 30–60 minutes before measuring |
| Stress, nerves, anxiety | Can rise sharply in the moment | Sit for at least 5 minutes and breathe slowly before measuring |
| Overtraining | Several days at 5+ beats above your usual | Cut training volume and intensity and add rest days |
| Inactivity, weight gain | Creeps up gradually over time | Keep up regular aerobic exercise |
| Pregnancy | 10–20 beats by the third trimester | Discuss it at prenatal checkups |
| Anemia, thyroid disease (such as Graves' disease), heart disease, medication | Stays high even after rest | See a doctor for blood tests and an ECG |
If there is no obvious temporary cause and you see 80–100 every morning, it is a sign to review your sleep, alcohol and exercise habits. If it stays above 100 at rest, comes with palpitations or breathlessness, or suddenly rises and does not come back down, see a doctor.
Causes of a low resting heart rate: fitness, or a problem with the heart's electrical system
A resting heart rate in the 50s or even the 40s is usually nothing to worry about if you exercise regularly and have no symptoms such as dizziness, breathlessness or fatigue. But if it has dropped suddenly without any training, or you have symptoms, other causes need to be considered.
- Regular endurance exercise (athlete's heart): stroke volume increases, so fewer beats are needed
- During sleep and just after waking: the lowest point of the day; some people reach the 40s
- Medication: beta blockers and other blood pressure or heart rhythm drugs, and even some eye drops, can lower it
- Hypothyroidism or being cold: the body's processes slow down
- Sick sinus syndrome or heart block: conditions in which the heart's beat signal is not generated or conducted properly
When to see a doctor: look at symptoms and sudden changes, not just the number
With heart rate, whether you have symptoms and whether it has suddenly changed from your usual value matter more than the number itself. Use the table below as a guide.
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| Chest pain, fainting, severe breathlessness or cold sweats | Call emergency services right away (911, 999, 112 or your local number) |
| Stays above 100 at rest, or palpitations won't settle | See a doctor or cardiologist soon |
| Under 50 without regular exercise, with dizziness or fatigue | See a doctor soon |
| Pulse skips or the rhythm feels irregular | Could be atrial fibrillation or similar. Get an ECG |
| 10+ beats above your usual for several days | Check for fever, infection or other changes in health; see a doctor if it persists |
| No symptoms, moving a few beats up and down within 60–100 | Nothing to worry about. Keep logging under the same conditions |
Atrial fibrillation is an irregular rhythm that becomes more common after 60 and can lead to stroke. It often causes no symptoms, and noticing an irregular rhythm while taking your pulse is often how it is first found. When you measure, notice not just the count but whether the beats come at even intervals.
How to lower your resting heart rate: aerobic exercise, sleep and less alcohol
You can lower your resting heart rate through lifestyle. Aerobic exercise has the clearest effect, but sleep and alcohol matter more than many people expect, and their effects show up within days.
- 1
Aim for 150 minutes a week of aerobic exercise at a conversational pace
Brisk walking, jogging, cycling or swimming at an effort where you breathe harder but can still talk (around zone 2, explained below). Resting heart rate often drops a few beats over weeks to months, and the change tends to be larger for people who are just starting.
- 2
Get around 7 hours of sleep
Your heart rate is higher the morning after a short night. Going to bed at a consistent time also makes your morning readings steadier.
- 3
Cut back on alcohol, especially before bed
Alcohol raises your heart rate during sleep and the effect lingers into the next morning. Drinking less, or finishing at least 3 hours before bed, makes the difference easy to see.
- 4
Keep caffeine to the early afternoon
Caffeine itself adds only a few beats, but if it is still in your system at night it makes sleep lighter and shows up in your next morning's heart rate. You can check how long it stays in your body with the caffeine half-life calculation.
- 5
Stay hydrated and quit smoking
Dehydration reduces blood volume and raises your heart rate. Nicotine raises heart rate too, so quitting smoking lowers your resting value.
- 6
Use slow, long exhales to settle your heart rate in the moment
Breathing with long exhales nudges your heart rate down in the moment. It does not lower your baseline, but it helps you settle before measuring. See breathing techniques for how to do it.
To check whether it is working, compare weekly averages of readings taken under the same conditions each morning. Daily values normally wobble by 2–3 beats, so don't judge from a single day.
Putting it to use: Karvonen target heart rates and a morning check on how you're doing
Once you know your resting heart rate, you can set exercise target heart rates that fit your own fitness. The most common method is the Karvonen formula: take the difference between your maximum and resting heart rates (your heart rate reserve), multiply it by the exercise intensity, and add your resting heart rate back. Maximum heart rate is estimated with 220 − age or 208 − 0.7 × age (the Tanaka formula).
| Zone (age 40, resting 65) | Intensity | Heart rate (bpm) | In a 10-second count | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 (very light) | 50–60% | 123–134 | 20–22 beats | Warm-up, recovery, walking |
| Zone 2 (light) | 60–70% | 134–146 | 22–24 beats | Fat burning, conversational jogging, aerobic base |
| Zone 3 (moderate) | 70–80% | 146–157 | 24–26 beats | Building aerobic capacity, marathon pace |
| Zone 4 (hard) | 80–90% | 157–169 | 26–28 beats | Half-marathon to 10 km pace |
| Zone 5 (maximum) | 90–100% | 169–180 | 28–30 beats | Short sprints, intervals |
Because resting heart rate goes into the formula, zone 2 for a 40-year-old with a resting rate of 55 is 130–143, while for one with a resting rate of 75 it is 138–149. If you skip resting heart rate and use 60–70% of maximum heart rate instead, you get 108–126, which is very easy exercise for most people. At 60, 220 − age gives a maximum of 160 (zone 2: 122–132) and the Tanaka formula gives 166 (zone 2: 126–136), so the formula you choose also shifts things by a few beats.
Measure and log your resting heart rate with your phone
The Heart Rate Monitor is a free tool that measures your heart rate when you simply cover your phone's rear camera and flash with a fingertip. No app installation is needed. You can log readings by situation and feed your resting average straight into the heart rate zone calculation.
- 1
In the morning, before getting up, open the Camera tab
Gently cover the rear camera lens and the flash with the pad of your index finger. Pressing hard stops the blood flow and weakens the signal, so just rest your finger on it.
- 2
Set the measuring time to 30 or 60 seconds and tap Start measuring
A pulse wave graph and the signal quality are shown. "Signal: good" means the reading is stable. If your finger slips off, it starts measuring again automatically.
- 3
Tap Save this result and choose Just woke up
If you'd rather not use the camera, use the By hand tab to count your wrist pulse for 30 or 60 seconds along with the cues, and log that instead.
- 4
Keep it up for a week and check the average in the log
The Log shows the average of your 7 most recent "Just woke up" and "Sitting at rest" readings. In Heart rate zones, enter your age and tap the button to use the resting average from your log, and your zones are calculated from your own resting heart rate.
You can also copy the log as CSV and chart it in a spreadsheet. Measuring with a phone camera is not a medical device, so if worrying readings continue or you have symptoms, talk to a doctor.
FAQ
- What is the average resting heart rate?
- For adults it is around 65–70 bpm. A wearable study of about 92,000 people found an average of about 65 bpm, and readings taken sitting at a checkup are often a little higher. The normal range is 60–100 bpm.
- Is a resting heart rate of 80 high?
- It is within the normal range (60–100), so it does not mean you are ill. But it is above average, so it is worth checking for lack of sleep, stress, alcohol, caffeine or inactivity. Measure again first thing in the morning for a few days; if your average is still 80 or more, aerobic exercise and better sleep can often bring it down.
- Is a resting heart rate in the 50s too low?
- If you exercise regularly and have no symptoms such as dizziness, breathlessness or fatigue, it is a common value for fit people and usually nothing to worry about. If it has dropped suddenly without exercise or you have symptoms, see a doctor soon.
- Is the normal resting heart rate different for women?
- The normal range is 60–100 bpm for both sexes, but women average a few beats higher. It can rise by a few beats in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, and during pregnancy it commonly rises by 10–20 beats by the third trimester.
- What is a normal heart rate for children?
- As a guide: 100–160 bpm for infants under 1, 80–140 for toddlers aged 1–5, 70–120 for children aged 6–12, and the adult range of 60–100 from about age 13. Children's heart rates jump with a little activity, so measure while they are asleep or sitting calmly.
- What should I do if my resting heart rate is over 100?
- First sit and rest for at least 5 minutes, check for temporary causes such as fever, dehydration, nerves, caffeine or alcohol, and measure again. If it still stays above 100, or you have palpitations or breathlessness, see a doctor or cardiologist. If it comes with chest pain or fainting, call emergency services right away.
- When is the right time to measure resting heart rate?
- In the morning after waking, before you get out of bed, is the most stable time. During the day, sit and rest for at least 5 minutes and wait 30–60 minutes after exercise, meals, bathing or caffeine. Count for 30 seconds or more and average 3–7 days to get close to your true value.
- Why is my smartwatch's resting heart rate different from my manual count?
- A smartwatch estimates resting heart rate from calm periods across the day, so the conditions differ from a single manual count. A 15-second count multiplied by 4 also carries a 4 bpm error. Rather than one being wrong, think of them as different numbers and keep logging with the same method.
- How long does it take to lower your resting heart rate?
- Changes to sleep and alcohol can show up within a few days. The drop from aerobic exercise comes gradually over weeks to months, and tends to be larger for people who have just started exercising. Measure under the same conditions each morning and compare weekly averages to see the change.
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