Hi and welcome to The Running Channel.
I'm Rick. And today, along with Anna, we're going to be delving into the science behind your heart rate and
specifically what your resting heart rate can tell you about your health.
Yeah, we are going to be looking at what resting heart rate is, how to calculate it,
and what all the numbers mean.
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The first thing to go through is what exactly
our resting heart rate is.
You'll often see it abbreviated in any kind of formula relating to our heart rate as RHR.
Your resting heart rate is the number of times your heart beats per minute while you're at rest.
It's important to point out that if you have a diagnosed heart condition or take certain
medications, your resting heart rate may be affected.
There are other factors that can influence our resting heart rate at any given time too,
such as the weather - your pulse may go up a bit in higher temperatures and
humidity levels.
Just simply standing up can affect it to.
You might find your resting heart rate spikes for about 20 seconds after you first stand
up if you've been sitting or lying down. Stress and anxiety can raise your heart rate
too. It may also go up when you're super happy or excited about something.
Your age and weight will affect your resting heart rate number. As you get older when you
exercise, it may take longer for your heart rate to increase and longer for it to slow
down afterwards.
Your highest heart rate during exercise is also lower than it was when you were younger.
People who are overweight can also have a slightly faster resting heart rate.
Your sex.
On average, women's resting heart rate tends to be anywhere from around 2 to 7
beats per minute higher than men's.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, stimulants such as caffeine and nicotine raise your heart rate too.
Resting heart rate can provide a rough snapshot of how well our heart muscle is
functioning, and if you track it daily, it can be a good indicator if something is
wrong, like if you're coming down with an illness.
Normal resting heart rate values can range from anywhere between 60 to 100
beats per minute.
If it falls under 60, it's known as bradycardia, above 100 it's known as tachycardia.
A slow heartbeat isn't always something to be worried about, though.
A resting heart rate between 40 and 60 beats a minute is quite common when we're
asleep, and also in healthy young adults and elite athletes.
Former British cyclist Chris Boardman, who's won three stages of the Tour de France,
said he had a resting heart rate of 38 at the peak of his career.
So as you get fitter, your resting heart rate value will decrease.
It's entirely possible to train your heart through cardiovascular exercise, such as running.
After all, your heart is a muscle, and, as with any muscle, exercise, is what
strengthens it.
At the other end of the scale, a resting heart rate over 100 beats per minute could
be down to high stress levels, excess caffeine or a sign of infection.
If it's none of those factors, then it could also be a sign of heart arrhythmia or other heart
problem, and it's probably worth checking in with the doctor.
To work out your heart rate,
there are a couple of options.
Firstly, you can do it manually the old fashioned way, by checking your pulse while you're at
rest or sitting still.
So use your middle and index fingers and place them between the bone and the tendon over
your radial artery, which you can find on the thumb side of your wrist.
When you feel your pulse, count the number of beats in 15 seconds, times that by
four, and you can calculate your beats per minute.
You can also check your pulse over the artery that runs through your neck, just like with your wrist.
Place your index and middle fingers on your neck to the side of your wind pipe and count the beats per minute.
You can also use your wrist-based heart rate information from a GPS or
smartwatch.
This data isn't without its inaccuracies, though, and things like tattoos and
skin tone can affect the readings.
So do be aware that the more accurate method is to count yourself.
The good thing about heart rate data from a running watch is that it will provide you with long
term data.
So although the numbers themselves may not be totally accurate, the trends you see from
the data over time can indicate changes in your heart rate.
Keeping track of your resting heart rate
first thing in the morning can really help spot early signs of illness, overtraining or
general tiredness.
If you sleep with your watch on, you don't even have to remember to check.
There are five main ways that you can lower your resting heart rate. First of all, exercising.
And as we're the running channel, we're gonna say it - running. When you exercise,
your heart beats faster and continues doing so for a little while after you finished, too.
As your heart is used more in this way, it gets stronger.
Stay hydrated. Giving your body plenty of water
can make your heart's job easier.
Dehydration causes the blood to thicken, which means your heart's working even
harder to push blood around.
Try to avoid alcohol too, it can contribute to dehydration.
Avoid nicotine and caffeine.
They're both stimulants, which will raise your heart rate.
Smokers have a higher resting heart rate.
Consider losing weight if necessary.
Your heart has to work harder to supply your body with blood
the bigger it is.
Losing weight can help slow an elevated resting heart rate.
Reduce stress.
Relaxation techniques can help here. Experts say
relaxation techniques like yoga or meditation are effective at lowering high
resting heart rates.
This is especially true when the high rate is associated with high stress or anxiety.
We hope that's given you an insight into your resting heart rate, how to track it,
and what it says about you.
Do you pay attention to your heart rate as a runner?
Are there any other heart rate-related tips you want us to cover in a new video?
Well, as ever, tell us in the comments below, and we'll see you next time on The Running Channel.