What is normal human heart rate?
60 and 100 beats per minute (bpm) = normal resting heart rate for adults. This range is considered normal by the BHS and NHS.
In this article we will discuss normal human heart rate, factors that affect it, and how to take the pulse (and so measure the heart rate).
However, a ‘normal’ heart rate can vary from person to person and change every minute. Factors that can affect your heart rate include:
- Age and health. Age and general health can affect heart rate. Generally the fitter you are, the lower will be your heart rate. There is more about the effect of age on heart rate below
- Emotion. Stress and anxiety can raise heart rate
- Medication. Some medications, such as blood pressure drugs, can affect heart rate. Beta-blockers (e.g. Bisoprolol) will lower it (its how they work) and calcium antagonists (e.g. Amlodipine) will raise it
- Body position. Heart rate increases when you go from sitting to standing, but it should return to normal after a few minutes
- Temperature. Heart rate increases as temperature rises.
What is a bradycardia and tachycardia?
There is no accepted definition of these. But most doctors accept these values:
- Bradycardia – <60 beats/min
- Tachycardia – >100 beats/min.
Effect of exercise and fitness on pulse rate
A bradycardia or tachycardia is not necessarily a disease.
Very fit athletes can have a pulse rate below 40 bpm and are normal.
Whilst doing exercise, a tachycardia of above 150 bpm is normal
Note. A resting pulse rate of 150 bpm is a disease, usually a supra-ventricular tachycardia (SVT).
How to take your pulse
A pulse can be felt anywhere on the body where an artery (taking blood from the heart to somewhere) is near the surface (skin) of the body.
This is how to take the pulse at the wrist, which comes from the radial artery. This is the commonest place people feel their pulse. It is not necessarily the easiest.
Where else can the pulse be felt?
The wrist is not the only place you can feel a pulse. The picture below demonstrate where the main ones can be felt and their medical names.
The easiest ones to feel are the brachial, carotid or temporal (side of head) pulses, shown in this diagram.
Effect of age on heart rate
Age has a significant effect on heart rate.
- Newborns: 100–205 beats per minute
- Infants under 1 year: 100–180 beats per minute
- 1–2 years old: 98–140 beats per minute
- 3–5 years old: 80–120 beats per minute
- 6–7 years old: 75–118 beats per minute
- Older children and teens: 60–100 beats per minute
- Adults: 60–100 beats per minute.
Summary
We have discussed normal human heart rate, factors that affect it, and where to feel the pulse(s). We hope it has been helpful.
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