Resting pulse – This heart rate is optimal

The level of the resting pulse is different for each person. However, there are certain limits which indicate which heart rate is normal and which is too high.

According to current, scientific studies, it is also possible to recognize exactly by this value how high the life expectancy and health of a person is.

The guide values of the resting pulse

It is well known that the heartbeat keeps the blood circulation in the body going. The heart continuously pumps blood through the entire human body, supplying the organs, tissues and cells with nutrients and oxygen. Pulse is the frequency at which the heart beats every minute.

The heartbeat can vary per minute throughout the day because it depends on the exertion. In this context, the resting pulse is particularly interesting, because it indicates how often the heart must beat regardless of the effort, in order to still be able to supply the entire body with blood.

Compared to adults, children have a relatively high resting pulse. In newborns, the heart beats particularly fast, between 120 and 140 times per minute. In childhood, on the other hand, the heartbeat slows down again, so that between the ages of seven and twelve the heartbeat levelled off at around 90 beats per minute.

Adults, on the other hand, have a resting pulse of between 60 and 80 beats per minute, while seniors have a slightly higher guideline. Older people therefore have a pulse rate of between 80 and 85 beats per minute.

What exactly does the resting pulse say?

According to some experts, there is a direct connection between a high resting pulse and mortality, because a scientific study carried out indicates this. According to the study, researchers examined a total of 4,300 test subjects with an average age of 59 years.

For nine years, a team of experts accompanied the participants and found that the subjects with a resting heart rate of over 70 heartbeats per minute had a 60% higher mortality risk than those with a lower resting heart rate.

A high resting heart rate only brings with it dangers over time

If the pulse only temporarily rises, this does not immediately mean that this person is seriously ill or must die earlier. It only becomes dangerous here when the resting pulse is constantly high and thus lies at over 100 beats per minute, because in this case one speaks of tachycardia.

In this case, those affected usually notice a strong palpitation of the heart that can be felt up to the neck. It is often a case of heart chasing, which occurs in phases. The rise in pulse starts just as suddenly as it ends again. The more so as there is no need for physical exertion, because even in the resting phases heart chasing can occur.

Why does it come to an increased resting pulse?

Electrical impulses are sent to the heart by specialized heart muscle cells. These control the heartbeats. If the heart races, the complex conduction path system can be disturbed.

A lower blood circulation, a sinus node disorder and additional conduction pathways can be responsible for this. Hypertension and cardiac arrhythmia can also cause an increased resting pulse.

How can affected persons lower an increased resting pulse?

An excessively high resting pulse can also be reduced without medication. Stress must be avoided in any case and even the resting pulse can be lowered with the right clothes, because if the heat accumulates under the clothes, this can increase the heart rate. For example, it can help to take a short walk in stressful everyday situations and thus lower the pulse again.

How do you measure your pulse correctly?

The perfect time to take a pulse measurement is always the morning before you get up. In order to measure your resting pulse, you do not necessarily need a special device, because such a measurement is also possible with the help of a stopwatch or a wristwatch with second hand.

So place one or two fingers on the inside of your wrist or neck and press lightly until you can feel your heartbeat. Now look at the watch for 15 seconds and count your heartbeats. Then take the determined value times four and you will get your resting pulse value.