Overview Heart rate is a measurement of how many times your heart beats in one minute. Resting heart rate is how many heart beats you have per minute when you aren’t exercising or otherwise under stress. Resting heart rate can be an important measure of the health of your heart muscle. It’s helpful to be able to check your own heart rate for your general health, when exercising, or if you experience symptoms such as dizziness. You may also need to check your child’s pulse or check someone’s pulse in an emergency situation after you’ve called 911 in order to determine if CPR is needed. Your age and fitness level have a big impact on your resting heart rate. All of the following can also affect your heart rate: There are a number of ways to check your pulse. Here are some of the most common methods: To check your pulse using this method, you’ll be finding the radial artery.
To check your pulse using this method, you’ll be finding the carotid artery.
You can also find your pulse on the top of your foot. This is called the pedal pulse.
Another location for checking your pulse is the brachial artery. This method is used most commonly in young children.
There are a number of devices that can tell you your heart rate, such as: The most accurate device for checking your heart rate is a wireless monitor that’s strapped around your chest. It reads out to a fitness tracker worn on your wrist. Digital fitness trackers worn on the wrist, at-home blood pressure machines, and smartphone apps are less accurate than checking your heart rate manually. However, these devices are fairly accurate and very useful when exercising. Exercise machines may have metal hand grips to read your heart rate, but these are often very inaccurate. To check your heart rate while exercising, it’s most effective to check manually or to use a digital fitness tracker. Heart rate norms are based primarily on age rather than gender, although men tend to have slightly lower heart rates than women. The ideal resting heart rate for adults is 60 to 100 bpm. Very fit individuals such as athletes may have resting heart rates below 60 bpm. Target heart rates can be used to maximize the efficiency of your workouts, as well as to keep you safe. Typically, exercising at 60 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate is most beneficial. Exercising at the lower end of this percentage or doing interval training (where your heart rate goes up and down) is ideal for fat burning. Exercising at the higher end is ideal for building cardiovascular strength. To calculate your estimated maximum heart rate, you can use the equation of subtracting your age from 220. For example, if you’re 45, then your approximate maximum heart rate is 175 bpm (220 – 45 = 175). You can then use your maximum heart rate to determine what your target heart rate is while exercising. The chart below shows estimated maximum and target heart rates for various age groups: A consistently low heart rate is called bradycardia. In healthy young adults or trained athletes, a low heart rate with no other symptoms is usually the sign of a very healthy heart muscle. However, a low heart rate can be a sign of a serious underlying problem. If your heart rate is lower than 60 bpm and you’re experiencing chest pain, call 911. If you’re experiencing dizziness, weakness, fainting, or other concerning symptoms, call a doctor. A consistently high heart rate (over 100 bpm when resting) is known as tachycardia. It’s normal to have an elevated heart rate when you’re exercising, stressed, anxious, sick, or have consumed caffeine. It’s not normal to have a heart rate over 100 bpm when you’re resting, especially if you’re also experiencing:
If you’re having these symptoms, call a doctor. There are simple methods for checking your heart rate that you can perform at home. It may be useful to know your resting heart rate as an indicator of your heart health. You can also maximize your workout routine by knowing your target heart rates and checking your heart rate when exercising. There are times when a high or low heart rate accompanied by other symptoms is a sign of a serious underlying issue. Call your doctor immediately if you experience this.
A person's pulse, or heart rate, is the number of times the heart beats per minute. It will change depending on things like activity, stress, body temperature, medicines, and illness. How Do I Take My Child's Pulse?You will need a stopwatch or a watch with a minute hand. Have your child relax without running, jumping, crying, etc., for at least 5 minutes. Taking an Infant's PulseThe best spot to feel the pulse in an infant is the upper am, called the brachial pulse. Lay your baby down on the back with one arm bent so the hand is up by the ear. Feel for the pulse on the inner arm between the shoulder and the elbow:
The best spot to feel the pulse in a child is the wrist, called the radial pulse. Gently feel on the inside of the wrist on the thumb side.
If you can't easily find the pulse on the wrist, you can try the neck, which has the carotid pulse. Gently place your fingers on one side of the windpipe:
A normal heart rate is based on a child's age. Infants have different normal heart rates from teens. Kids' heart rates can be lower when resting or asleep and higher when they're very active. Check with your doctor to see what range is considered normal for your child. When Should I Take My Child's Pulse?Usually, there's no need to take your child's pulse. Your doctor will check it during office visits. Sometimes, though, a parent may need to take a pulse. You might do this if your child has:
Call your doctor to review your child's symptoms and share the pulse you counted. Go to the ER or call 911 right away if your child has any of the symptoms listed above and:
The 911 operator may ask you to take your child's pulse and count the heart rate. What Else Should I Know?Some smartphone apps can count a pulse by pressing a finger over the camera lens. For a good reading, your child needs to be very still, so this method works best in older kids who can cooperate. Some fitness and other smart watches can take a pulse too. Before using one of these, ask your doctor if it's a good idea or if they recommend a particular heart rate app. |