Adults should have a resting heart rate of 60 to 100 beats per minute.

In general, a lower resting heart rate indicates greater cardiac function and cardiovascular fitness. A well-trained athlete, for example, would have a resting heart rate closer to 40 beats per minute.

How Fast Is Your Heart?

The amount of times your heart beats in a minute is known as your heart rate or pulse. Everyone's is unique, and it evolves as they get older. Understanding your heart rate and what constitutes a healthy one for you is an essential element of self-care.

Your Heart Rate at Rest

When you're not active and your heart isn't working hard to pump blood through your body, this is the number of times your heart beats in a minute. Beta-blockers, for example, can reduce your resting heart rate and slow your heartbeat.

Resting Heart Rate That Isn't Too High

A resting heart rate of 60 to 100 beats per minute is recommended for most healthy persons. Your heart rate will generally be lower the more physically fit you are. Athletes' resting heart rates might range from the 40s to the 50s. A normal one indicates that your heart isn't working too hard to pump blood.

How to Examine It

Put your first two fingers on the inside of your wrist, the inside of your elbow, the side of your neck, or the top of your foot to feel your heart rate. Once you've found it, double the number of beats you experience in 15 seconds by four.

How to Reduce It

This might be as simple as sitting down, drinking a glass of water, or taking a few deep breaths. A healthy lifestyle can also assist, such as doing at least 30 minutes of exercise every day, eating better, keeping track of your weight, and avoiding alcohol, caffeine, and smoking. If that isn't enough, you may try tai chi, meditation, or mindfulness to help you cope with stress.

Arrhythmia is a heart rate irregularity.

Arrhythmia is a condition in which your heart's beating rhythm is abnormal. There are four main categories:

• Tachycardia is a condition in which your heart beats excessively quickly, generally more than 100 times per minute.

• Bradycardia: When your heart beats too slowly, below 60 beats per minute (unless you're pregnant), it's called bradycardia.

Supraventricular arrhythmia is an arrhythmia that begins in the upper chambers of your heart.

• Ventricular arrhythmia: An arrhythmia that begins in the lower chambers of your heart.

When Should You Consult Your Doctor?

Your doctor may advise you to monitor and document your heart rate if you're using a beta blocker to lower your heart rate (and hence lower your blood pressure) or to regulate an aberrant rhythm (arrhythmia). Keeping track of your heart rate might help your doctor decide whether to adjust your medication dosage or switch to a new one.

Tell your doctor if your pulse is very low or if you have regular episodes of unexplained high heart rates, especially if they make you feel weak, dizzy, or faint. He or she can determine whether it's an emergency. One way to gain a picture of your health is to check your pulse.