Contents
In line with its mission, the Editorial Board of MedTvoiLokony makes every effort to provide reliable medical content supported by the latest scientific knowledge. The additional flag “Checked Content” indicates that the article has been reviewed by or written directly by a physician. This two-step verification: a medical journalist and a doctor allows us to provide the highest quality content in line with current medical knowledge.
Our commitment in this area has been appreciated, among others, by by the Association of Journalists for Health, which awarded the Editorial Board of MedTvoiLokony with the honorary title of the Great Educator.
Are you training or are you going to start actively spending your free time? Most people don’t know exactly what is the key to good training. Maybe you’ve heard from a trainer or athlete: “Give me your resting heart rate and I’ll tell you what shape you are in.” There is much truth in this sentence as your resting heart rate is important in the process of burning fat.
What is your resting heart rate?
The heart rate, also known as the pulse, is the rhythmic movement of the vessels, which involves stretching and contracting of the walls of the arteries due to the mechanical action of blood being pumped through the left ventricle of the heart. From the point of view of the trainee, the resting heart rate is important. This heart rate should be checked in the morning, preferably right after waking up, before getting out of bed. Resting heart rate (HRsp) is the lowest heart rate we achieve during the day, which occurs when we remain at rest, lying or sitting, and is about 20 beats lower than the daily heart rate. The average value of resting heart rate in people leading a sedentary lifestyle ranges between 60-80 beats per minute. The more trained the body, the resting heart rate should be lower, ranging from 40 to 60 beats per minute, and even dropping below 30 beats. However, the above parameters should be approached with caution and always take into account other factors such as health or genetic conditions. If, on the other hand, our resting heart rate exceeds 80 beats per minute, it may indicate a risk of cardiovascular disease.
How do I calculate my resting heart rate?
It is best to monitor your resting heart rate at night, when your body is calm and at rest. Therefore, a very effective way to measure your resting heart rate is a heart monitoring device, e.g. a watch with a heart rate monitor, which you wear at night.
However, we do not have to invest in new equipment, because we can also measure resting heart rate without the use of special devices. You should measure your resting heart rate in the morning, as soon as you wake up and before getting out of bed. The best place to measure your heart rate is the radial artery on the wrist or the carotid artery. You should put two fingers to these places, measure the time 15 s on the watch or mobile phone and then count the number of beats, and then multiply the value by 4. The result is the number of beats per minute, that is our resting heart rate. The lower the value received, the more efficient our heart is.
Measure your heart rate using the Vitammy o2 connect Pulse Oximeter with Bluetooth, which you can buy at Medonet Market.
Why measure your resting heart rate?
Regularly checking your resting heart rate is not only useful for people who play sports, but it is also recommended for anyone who needs to pay attention to their pulse due to health problems or physical activity for a specific purpose. Checking the resting heart rate allows us to observe changes in the cardiac and circulatory systems, we can accurately estimate our own energy zones, determine the level of training and overtraining, and prematurely detect an infection or disease. The lower your resting heart rate is, the better your heart performance is. However, if your resting heart rate is high, above 80 beats per minute, it may mean health problems that may be caused by, among others, problems with high blood pressure, smoking, drinking alcohol, high cholesterol, or excessive sugar.