Resting heart rate (RHR) is the number of times your heart beats per minute when you're at rest — not exercising, not stressed, not in the middle of eating. It's one of the simplest and most informative vitals you can track at home.
What's normal
A normal adult RHR is 60–100 bpm. However, 'normal' is wide — and direction matters more than a single reading. Endurance athletes routinely have RHRs of 40–60 bpm because their hearts are conditioned to pump more blood per beat. A fit 35-year-old with an RHR of 55 bpm is not cause for concern.
What's more clinically significant is a sudden or sustained change. If your RHR has been 65 for years and rises to 85 without an obvious cause (new stress, illness, new medication), that's worth noting and discussing.
"Resting heart rate is a sensitive indicator of recovery, cardiovascular health and sometimes early illness — but the trend matters far more than any single reading."
Omar Khalil, Health Educator
When to see a doctor
- Sustained RHR above 100 bpm (tachycardia) at rest without obvious cause
- Sustained RHR below 50 bpm with dizziness, fatigue or fainting — even if you're not an athlete
- Sudden increase of more than 10–15 bpm from your baseline without clear explanation
- Irregular or very variable readings that don't match a consistent pattern
How to measure accurately
Measure in the morning before getting out of bed, after 5 minutes of lying still. Count beats for a full minute (or 30 seconds and double). Avoid caffeine, exercise and emotional stress beforehand. Consistent measurement conditions are what make tracking meaningful.