How Can I Tell if My Heart Rate Is Normal?

Your heartbeat doesn’t just indicate that you’re alive. The rate at which your heart beats can inform you and your doctor about your heart’s health and function. For adults, a normal resting heart rate ranges from 60-100 beats per minute. 

If your heart rate is slower than the average, don’t fret. A slower heart rate typically suggests efficient heart function. Highly trained athletes generally have slower heart rates than the general population. But a fast resting heart rate, or tachycardia, might be a cause for concern. 

When tachycardia isn’t caused by something harmless like exercise or stress, it could indicate:

• Atrial fibrillation
• Atrial flutter
• Supraventricular tachycardia
• Ventricular tachycardia

A rapid heart rate is especially concerning if it’s accompanied by other heart-related symptoms such as chest pain or shortness of breath, which require immediate medical attention. 

At Westmed Family Healthcare in Westminster, Colorado, board-certified physicians Clifton Etienne, MD, Michael Cavanagh, MD, and Flora Brewington, MD, use an electrocardiogram (EKG) to investigate the electrical signals from your heart that compose your heartbeat. EKGs and other tests can tell a lot about your heart’s health and function. 

Are you concerned about your heart rate? Here’s how you can tell if it’s normal. 

Measuring your heart rate at home

You can easily measure your heart rate at home using only your fingers. Simply place your index and middle finger on the side of your neck where you can feel your pulse. Count the number of beats you feel in 15 seconds (you can use a timer to make this easier). 

Once you count the number of beats in 15 seconds, simply multiply that number by four to calculate your heart’s beats per minute (BPM). 

What’s a normal heart rate?

Now that you have your BPM, it’s time to assess if it’s within a normal range. If the number you calculated is anything over 100, your resting heartbeat is abnormally high. Still, this alone doesn’t indicate whether or not you have anything to worry about. Many factors can influence your heart rate, including: 

• Age
• Physical fitness
• Smoking
• Anxiety, stress, or emotions
• Medications 

If you exercised before measuring your heart rate, you can assume it’s high because you were exercising. However, if your heart rate is consistently high, you should consult our team at Westmed Family Healthcare for further testing. 

We ask about your family history, smoking, and other risk factors for heart conditions. We may also use an EKG as a diagnostic tool to learn more about your fast heart rate. 

Get in touch

If you have any questions or concerns about your heart health, get in touch with your primary care provider. Call Westmed Family Healthcare today to book an appointment or schedule one online anytime.