Correct heart rate – norms, how to measure? Fast and slow heart rate

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Heart rate is one of the important indicators of the health of our body. It is nothing more than the pulsating movement of the walls of the arteries that occurs as a result of the ejection of blood during the contraction of the heart chambers. The speed of the heartbeat changes as a result of physical activity, your state of health, and your emotional responses. While a normal heart rate does not guarantee a person is free from health problems, it is a useful benchmark for identifying a range of health problems.

What is heart rate?

Heart rate is the number of times your heart beats per minute. The heart is a muscular organ in the center of the chest. When it beats, the heart pumps blood containing oxygen and nutrients throughout the body and restores waste products.

A healthy heart supplies the body with the right amount of blood at the right pace, no matter what our body is doing at the time. For example, fear or surprise automatically releases adrenaline, a hormone that makes your heart rate faster. This is to prepare the body to use more oxygen and energy to escape or face any potential danger.

Blood pressure and heart rate

Our heart rate is independent of blood pressure, which determines the force with which blood presses against the walls of blood vessels. Faster heart rate does not necessarily mean higher blood pressure. When our heart speeds up, for example during exercise, our blood vessels should dilate to allow more blood to flow.

See also: Hypertension – Causes, Symptoms and Treatment. How to take a measurement?

When can we talk about the correct heart rate?

Our heart rate is the number of heart beats per minute. Normal heart rate for children over the age of 10 and adults is 60 to 100 beats per minute (bpm). It should be added that the heart rate (the frequency of heartbeats per minute) depends primarily on the age of the person and the level of training of his body and usually falls within the above-mentioned range.

At this point, it should also be added that when it comes to heart rate in children, its assessment is based on age-dependent norms. During the first three months of a baby’s life, heart rate is at its highest, ranging from 80 to 205 beats per minute. In the following months it drops to 75-190, and from 2 to 10 years old it is 60-140 beats per minute. The norms established for adults are adopted over the age of 10.

Heart rate may fluctuate within this normal range. It will increase in response to various changes including exercise performance, body temperature, emotions, and body position, such as for a brief moment after standing up quickly. Interestingly, the heart rate changes depending on the circadian rhythm – it is lower during sleep and higher during wakefulness.

See also: Fast or slow heart rate

Correct heart rate – how to measure it?

There are several places on our body where it is easier to measure your heart rate:

1. the inside of our wrists;
2. the inside of our elbows;
3. the sides of our neck;
4. the tops of our feet.

Let’s put the tips of the index and middle fingers against the skin. Press them lightly until you feel the pulsation of blood under your fingers. We may have to wiggle our fingers until we feel it. Now we have to count the strokes that we feel for 10 seconds. Multiply that number by six to get the heart rate per minute.

You can also check the heart rate with the Vitammy o2 connect pulse oximeter with Bluetooth, which additionally measures the pulse and saturation of the heart.

Normal heart rate versus fast heart rate

If our heart rate is over 100 beats per minute, when we do not put too much effort on our body, it is considered fast.

In such a situation, we can talk about tachycardia, which can be associated with many different health conditions. It is normal for your heart rate to increase during exercise or when your body is fighting an infection. If you have noticed a sudden increase in heart rate, as well as dizziness, fainting or palpitations (feeling aware of your heartbeat or your heart beating irregularly), you should speak to your GP.

See also: How to lower your heart rate? Causes and ways to lower your heart rate

Normal heart rate versus slow heart rate

A heart rate of less than 60 beats per minute while resting is considered slow (bradycardia).

A slower heart rate may be normal for some people, including athletes, healthy and fit young adults, or people taking medications such as beta blockers. For example, it’s not uncommon for someone who exercises a lot to have a resting heart rate of 60 beats per minute or less.

However, if a slow heart rate is not normal for us, especially if we feel unwell, it may indicate a heart problem. If you find your heart rate is slower than usual and you feel weak, tired or dizzy, talk to your doctor.

See also: Low heart rate – what does it mean? How to raise a low heart rate?

Normal heart rate and heart rate during exercise

Heart rate increases with exercise. During fitness training, it is important not to put too much strain on your heart. However, when we exercise, we need the heart rate to increase in order to provide more oxygen and energy for the rest of the body.

While your heart rate increases with exercise, it is possible that your normal heart rate may drop in general over time. This means the heart works less to deliver essential nutrients and oxygen to different parts of the body, making it more efficient.

Aerobic training is designed to reduce the normal heart rate, which decreases with age. It is also worth paying attention to the maximum heart rate. This shows the full capacity of the heart and is usually achieved through high-intensity exercise.

The American Heart Association (AHA) says that your maximum heart rate during exercise should be approximately 220 beats per minute minus the age of the person exercising.

See also: How to motivate yourself to run or fitness?

What can change the correct heart rate?

Besides exercise, there are many other reasons why your normal heart rate may suddenly change. Some common causes of this are illness or fever, dehydration, medications, and other medical conditions.

Normal heart rate and dehydration

When we are dehydrated, the blood volume is reduced and the heart has to work harder to pump blood throughout the body. We may notice faster heart rate and palpitations (feeling aware that our heart is beating or that our heart beats irregularly). Staying hydrated is an important way to regulate your heart rate and has many other health benefits. Women should aim to drink 6 to 8 glasses of water a day (or 1,6 liters), and men, 8 to 10 glasses (or 2 liters).

See also: Proper hydration of the body – why is it crucial?

Normal heart rate and infection or fever

Heart rate often increases in response to an infection or a fever. This happens when your heart pumps more harder to deliver oxygen and immune cells to your body, helping it fight infection. Viral infections, such as the flu or Covid-19, can cause your heart rate to increase.

Normal heart rate and medications

Certain medications can also cause changes in your heart rate. For example, some asthma medications can cause your heart rate to get faster, while heart medications (such as beta blockers) can slow your heart rate. If you notice sudden changes in your heart rate after starting a new medication and you are unwell it is best to check with your GP.

See also: Drugs to strengthen the heart

Normal heart rate and heart disease

In some cases, an abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia) may be caused by a problem with the heart’s electrical conductive system. This can cause your heart to beat slower, faster or irregularly. Some arrhythmias are more serious than others and some may be associated with more serious heart conditions.

Normal heart rate and other health conditions

There are many other conditions that are not heart or circulatory diseases that can cause changes in heart rate – including infections, anemia, or thyroid disease.

See also: Hypothyroidism – what is it like and how to treat it? [WE EXPLAIN]

Normal heart rate and heart rhythm

Proper heart rate is not the only factor to keep in mind when considering heart health. The rhythm of the heartbeat is also important. The heart should beat in a steady rhythm and there should be a regular break between beats.

The heart has an electrical system that tells it when to beat and push the blood over the body. A defective electrical system can lead to an abnormal heart rhythm. It is normal for your heart rate to change throughout the day in response to exercise, anxiety, excitement, and fear. Usually, however, we should not be aware of our heartbeat while we are resting.

If we feel our heart is beating out of rhythm, too fast or too slow, we’d better talk to a doctor about your symptoms.

Occasionally, some may also feel as though they have missed a heartbeat, or it may feel that there is an extra heartbeat. The additional rhythm is called the ectopic rhythm. Ectopic blows are very common, usually harmless, and often don’t require treatment.

People concerned about palpitations or ectopic beats should speak to a doctor who will be able to perform an electrocardiogram (EKG) to assess heart rate and rhythm.

There are many different types of abnormal heart rhythms. The type depends on where the abnormal heart rhythm begins in the heart and whether it causes the heart to beat too fast or too slowly. The most common abnormal rhythm is atrial fibrillation. This replaces the normal heartbeat with an irregular pattern.

A fast heart rate is also called tachycardia and can include:

1. supraventricular tachycardia (SVT);
2. abnormal sinus tachycardia;
3. atrial flutter;
4. atrial fibrillation (AF);
5. ventricular tachycardia (VT);
6. ventricular fibrillation (VF).

Slow heart rhythms such as atrioventricular (AV) block, bundle branch block, and tachy-brady syndrome are called bradycardia.

Maintaining the correct heart rate

A healthy heartbeat is crucial to protecting the health of your heart.

While exercise is important for promoting a low and healthy heart rate, there are several other steps you can take to protect your heart health, including:

Stress reduction: stress can increase heart rate and blood pressure. Ways to stop stress include deep breathing, yoga, concentration training, and meditation.

Avoiding tobacco: smoking makes your heart beat faster and quitting smoking can bring it down to a normal level.

Avoiding Alcohol: drinking more than four drinks a day for women and five for men can overload the heart and make it beat faster.

Weight loss: more weight means the heart has to work harder to provide all areas of the body with oxygen and nutrients.

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