Precisely What Is Normal Heart Rate?

A lot of people say that their hearts beat a lot faster when they are deeply in love. Well of course, that’s because the heart is associated with love. That’s the tender, amorous aspect of the heart. Although medically speaking, has anyone ever thought to ask, “What is the normal heart rate?”


Heart rate is referred to as the number of heart beats for each minute. The simplest way to determine your heart rate is by locating your pulse. The pulse reveals the rate of a person’s heart beat. Therefore, a regular pulse rate means a regular heart rate. The two most common areas to check for your pulse rate are one, on the wrist area, the part just below the thumb and two, on the side of the neck where you can feel the carotid artery. To obtain the heart rate, count the number of beats for one whole minute as soon as you feel your pulse.


The normal resting heart rate for adults is 60 to 100 beats per minute (bpm). Well, that’s what old school teaching says. But then the question, “What is normal heart rate?” is in actual fact a quite challenging matter to answer considering that heart rate is influenced by an array of conditions and variables. Nearly all reference books would tell you that the normal heart rate is 60-100 bpm. On the other hand, this heart rate may not be the normal heart rate for some, just as with the well-conditioned marathon runners who can have as low as 40 bpm and babies who can have up to 180 bpm. Furthermore, it is not unusual for any snoozing adult to have a heart rate close to 50-90 bpm. When an adult is doing some exercise, it is not surprising to have a heart rate that is higher than 100 bpm at such time. That being said, exactly what is normal heart rate?


Heart rate is in no way like a lab value which definitely has a “set value”. As described early on, heart rate is affected by a myriad of factors including age, weight, physical activity, caffeine, alcohol, medications and the list is endless. An adult who is 25 years old is regarded as normal if his heart rate goes within 60-100 bpm. But then you cannot expect to see an 85-year old elderly to have similar rates because as a result of the normal aging process, seniors are expected to have a much slower rate, usually 50-70 bpm. Directly back to the main question: “What is normal heart rate?” You better consult the doctor about this.