Home > Fitness Testing > Resources > Heart Rate > Resting > Chart > Comments

Do you have a question about your resting heart rate? Check out the Heart Rate and Fitness Chart which relates fitness and resting heart rate, then if you have more qestions also look at the Resting Heart Rate FAQ. A normal resting heart rate can range anywhere from 40 to 100 beats per minute, so if your heart rate is within these limits at rest and you have no other symptoms, you should not normally be concerned. 

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If you have any concerns about the functioning of your heart, you should consult a doctor who can examine you personally and give their expert opinion. Don't rely on comments and feedback here as medical advice.

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Related Pages

• How and when to measure resting heart rate
• All about Heart Rate and Exercise
• Measuring Heart Rate — how to measure using the manual and monitor methods.
• Exercise Heart Rate — a measure of intensity and fitness
• Maximum Heart Rate — how high can you go?

Old Comments

Commenting is closed on this page, though you can read some previous comments below which may answer some of your questions.

• Kms (2013)
  I just took my heart rate after walking up the stairs and it's 34. This seems weirdly low. I'm a college athlete but I'm not currently training very hard or consistently. Is this a problem?
• Jerome A. Hicks kms (2017)
  No. Actually after just getting out of the Marines and I ran about 3 miles/day, I went to the VA hosp and had my blood pressure checked. It was 32 bpm and they thought i was in danger,,, that is until a Dr. stepped in and informed them yhat for any athletic person, a very low resting pulse is absolutely normal.
• Nick Jerome A. Hicks (2017)
  welll first of all thank you for your service, and this is some helpful info, doing a lab for school
• Montezuma3 (2013)
  My husband is 66 and 20 pounds overweight and mildly out of shape. His resting heart rate is 45. He is tired alot. Is that too low for him? It doesn't seem right.
• Get Him Checked montezuma3 (2013)
  45 in an athlete is fine, 45 in a person who is not active, overweight and tired indicates possible heart disease. But, as the disclaimer says: Do not rely on medical advice in the comments....if you were concerned, you would take him to the doctor.
• Lyssa (2013)
  I am 29 years old and my resting heart rate is between 80-100. My blood pressure is usually quite low, between 95/45-110/60. Is this common? I am quite active with 4 children to chase around. I am not over weight, but I just had a baby 3 months ago and I'm trying to lose a little excess weight from the pregnancy.
• ThatCNA Lyssa (2014)
  110/60 is actually extremly healthy, thats a good norm (:
• Lenny (2013)
  I'm quite athletic but big I'm 6ft 2 and my resting heart beat is 50 is that normal
• Mason (2013)
  I am 15 and I am very very active. There is almost no downtime. I checked my heartrate and by counting the beats in 15 seconds and multiplying by 4. I came up with 54 is this normal?
• Lauren mason (2013)
  If you are very active; which you are, it is a great heart rate.
• Krevtos mason (2015)
  Get it checked, your body is still developing and growing, even if you are active it should be higher, because of the consatant repair of the muscle
• NSCOTIA mason (2013)
  You may want to confirm that that is the case and then have it checked out.I was born with a congenital heart defect that left my heart rate rather stunted. They knew I would require a pacemaker from an early age but waited until I absolutely needed it due to my growth (I am quite tall) and how that would require future surgeries.54 is quite low, though not immediately dangerous, for a young person who is active through the day. 54 would be about what I was operating at, and it was the result of my defect.The only thing that makes me question this is that with a heart-rate of 54, if indeed it is constant, you should not be able to go with no downtime. I would need to only run a very short distance before I was completely exhausted as though I had run a marathon. Low heart-rates will leave you with little energy, so if you do have energy it may be something else.By the time I had my pacemaker installed my sleeping heart rate was dropping down into the low 30s. Only a short distance away from the mid-high twenties when it just stops working.I'd get it checked out if you feel impeded by it and if the heart rate is constantly low. However before you do I would A) Have someone else take your heart rate. B) take it for a week in the morning, noon, and before bed and record it each time. At the end of the week check and see if it is consistently low.
• Efren (2014)
  I am a 62 year old man and run 4 to 5 miles three times per week. An hour and a half to two hours after running, my blood pressure is normal, 119/80, but my heart rate is about 90 bpm +/-. My normal heart rate is 70 bpm +/-. Is it normal for my heart rate to stay at 90 that long?
• Srinuimadabathuni Efren (2014)
  iam a 42year old can i jogg contineously for 15 minutes at normal speed
• Krevtos Efren (2015)
  You are probably fine, you are more than likely over training. Your heart needs to work more to repair tissue thats been damaged. Plus 1-2 hours after isnt exactly resting heart rate, your body is still pumping blood so you can cool down. Thats why whenever you sign up with a trainer they tell you to cool your way down on a treadmill so it can fit your cool down cycle.
• Kay (2013)
  Im 18 not active and I have anemia and all of a sudden my heart started to beat at 107 resting, normal ?
• Kara Cobb kay (2017)
  I'm 20 I was resting as well but mynrate wanted to stay above 130
• Krevtos kay (2015)
  Its nothing bad really, one if that happens u should always call 911 before looking up anything on the internet. Internet will tell u its a heart attack and what not,99% of the time its not, its usually anxiety attack. Which CANNOT kill you. You might pass out and thats thr furthest it will go. Just take deep breaths until ambulance arrives or dostract yourself. After that, start excercising daily, reduces anxiety by a lot.
• Monica kay (2014)
  No way go to the doctor if that happens more than once ! 😱 The average resting rate is between 70-100 for an 18 year old non-athlete
• Kristen (2014)
  I'm 16 and I don't do any sports. I have not been active in months. I'm 5'9 and weigh about 160 pounds. My heart rate is 67. Is this good or bad?
• Krevtos Kristen (2015)
  You are fine, 67 is good, 60-90 is actually considered normal, 90-100 is fine too but probably indicates anxiety, u are good to go!
• Ray (2013)
  I'm a 16 year old male (approximately 125lbs 5'4''-5'5'' ) and I've been measuring my heart rate for the past few weeks every night after I do homework (given that my teachers haven't stressed me out too much that night). When I test my heart rate I've been coming up with numbers like: Heart beat interval @ rest ≈ .85 sec.Average heart beat @ rest ≈ 77.8333….and I was just a bit caught off guard by this because I'm in pretty good shape. I ride my bike to and from school every day, which equates to 30 minutes, I participate fully during PT days on Fridays in the JROTC program I'm in and not to mention the substantial amount of steps I get going to classes spread out on the campus which; is most likely the 10,000 steps per day a person should get in a day. I've never had any heart problems in the past, or any other biological handicaps for that matter. I've been also noticing that when I measure my feet and sometimes hands are a bit cold; although that can just be because my house is a bit cold at nights and I'm not under any covers and am wearing little cloths. My diet isn't the best, it's not that I eat too much but that i eat too little. On a typical day, I have no breakfast or I'll drink a Gatorade (I tent to try to drink liquids when I can like Gatorade or water because [1] I know your body will replace liquids for food when solids can't be consumed and [2] it's good for hydration) for lunch I'll eat a quite small portion of food, and supper is usually my largest meal consisting of meats, vegetables, and sometimes bread. which are just about all home cooked. In conclusion I was wondering if there's anything wrong or anything I should do because of this. P.S. It's a bit hard to get to the doctor so I was looking for some things that I could and/or should do by myself, and without medical assistance.

• Krevtos Ray (2015)
  Okay, 1st of all eat breakfast, the more you consume the less harder your body will have to work to create ATP, or tap into the fat reserves. 2. Your breakfast should be the biggest meal,because there is no reason for dinner to be the largest since u just sleep after that, it gets stored as fat, more fat=higher heart rate. 3.Yea you eat too little, 4. Shivering can and will increase your heart rate, put warm clothes on! 5.Gatorade is essentially an energ drink, biking for 30m isnt going to use all that energy. And energy not being used gets expended. Drink water and start eating proteins and drink lots of water, atleast a gallon a day. Maybe start working out, you are a male, if your testorone levels are low, your body wont operate properly. No need for a gym, doing push-ups for 10m is enough. And last but not least dont worry about your heart rate, you are 16 and active, no need to get below 60.
• Mike mc (2014)
  I am a 62year old male and my heart rate is 120plus. My weight is 200lbs. and am 6ft. tall. Should there be a concern?
• ThatCNA mike mc (2014)
  120 as a resting heart rate is extremly high (stroke high)... You should have this checked out.
• P. Duranceau (2016)
  I'm a 67 year old male. I power walk for 70 minutes 4 evenings a week at 4.1 MPH. It is full speed. I've been doing this for 27 years, and until last year I also included a little jogging. Recently I successfully passed a series of heart tests - Echocardiogram, two stress tests MIBI using Persantine and treadmill (nuclear). Before these tests, I used to get chest pain, a kind of burning. This pain starts at inconsistent points during my routine. For example, last night the pain started after 30 minutes; last week it started after 15 minutes. I think it's acid reflux, but I'm not sure. I'm also starting to think that a heartbeat of 125 a minute for 70 minutes might be a little too much for my age, causing the pain. Any ideas?
• Kid (2019)
  I just took my bpm and it's 140 resting and I think I'm about to have a litteral heart failure type thing. Lol but I'm serious
• Dp (2018)
  I am 33 age my heart rate 85 to 95 ecg is normal any problem will be there
• Emily (2018)
  I'm a 16 year old athlete that practice 5 - 7 days week, and my resting heart rate averages to 108 bpm. I sometimes notice that it's harder for me to breathe and I get shortness of breath, is this something to worry about?
• Ingeborg Stafford (2017)
  BP 120/104 pulse 104 i am 76 female please let me know
• Mariangela Madrigal (2017)
• I'm a 10 YO Softball Athlete And My Resting Heart Rate Has Been In The High 90's Lately. Every morning I grab my phone put my index and middle finger on the pulse on my neck or wrist and count each beat with a thirty second timer then multiplying that by 2. Is this a problem?
• Mohammad Hijazi (2017)
  I'm 30 Y.O .. and resting heartbeat is 110 .. is that normal?! This happend to me today while it was a very bad day with alot of sadness. .
• Shyenne Nance (2017)
  I am 17 years old and 116 pounds while being 4"11 and my resting heart rate right now is 126 bpm is that bad
• Abdallah housseiny (2017)
  I'm 26 years old who weighs around 250 pounds. My resting heart is 50 bpm. Is that good? I have done a lot of sports growing up. I also have an hour of walking everyday.
• Hena (2016)
  I am 14. Female. Slight bigger than 5'3inches. I have a 119 bpm heart rate. Is it normal? My haemoglobin is just 7. I look skinny but My weight is normal. I walk a lot daily. I am very active at school. I am a vegetarian. What should I do?
• Prasanna Raghuram (2016)
  Im 34, and I suffered a heart attack about 8months ago. A week after my angio and a stent I suffered a VT attack. I.had an icd implanted and im recovering well. I have increased my physical activities slowly and I walk 5 kms every day 5 days a week. My resting heart rate used to be 68 in August but this month it is 71. Im worried that my resting heart rate is not getting lower with increase in exrcise. Please advise
• Becky Spink (2016)
  I am 22 years old. I used to be fit in my earlier teens but most certainly not anymore (I puff walking up my stairs). I'm not overweight, in fact quite average in size. My heart rate has been 58 beats or lower. Should I be concerned?
• Anne (2016)
  should i be worried if my resting heart rate right now is 122 beats per minute,im 14 and i have not done any physical activity such as sports?
• Anne (2016)
  im 14 and my resting heart rate is 117 per min right now.should i be worried?
• Marie (2016)
  I am 34 I have a blood pressure of 154 over 91 and my resting pulse is 119 right now my head has Been hurting pretty bad besides that no symptoms.. can someone please tell me if I should be concerned???
• Chris Austin (2016)
  Weight 143 hight 5'9" resting for 7 hrs avg heart rate is 103 is that good? At 26?
• Kayleigh (2016)
  I'm 19 and I've been really ill for 7 months (completely housebound). My heart rate is all over the place. When I've been sitting for a long time it's usually a bit low, 50-60. Sitting down but not for hours and hours it's normal but when I stand up or stand for long most of the time it rushes up, it's been anywhere from 100-165. My blood pressure sometimes rushes up too when I stand. I'm getting a 24hr heart monitor next week but as on the occasional good days it doesn't change much, I'm worried in case it doesn't show. Is this to serious to be waiting around on appointments?
• Bam (2016)
  Heart rate is at 57 resting. I'm 28, mother of 5, overweight, Always on the go. I'm usually in the 70's.
• Bailey (2016)
  Hi I am 19. I am pretty over weight, but working on getting it down. I just checked my heart rate at home. Since I work for an ambulance it is a normal thing for me. My resting heart rate at the moment is 48, do you think that is bad?
• Sarita Sullivan Bailey (2017)
  was it normal?
• Milli (2015)
  I'm 16 and I'm the average height for a 14 year old (so fairly small for a 16 year old), I'm pretty much very inactive because I have a cyst in my knee which stops me from participating in most activities as it hurts me quite a lot. I'm technically underweight for my bmi but only a tiny bit. However, my resting pulse rate is 95! Should I be worried? I am a diagnosed sufferer of anxiety and I take Zoloft (sertraline) for it, could this explain it? Thanks! -M
• David Anderton (2015)
  I'm an active 71 year old and cycle between 50 and 100 miles
  per week (racing bike) over hilly terrain. I'm also doing walks of 2x6 milers per week. My BP is 115/80 and HR of 90 at rest. The HR at rest is becoming a concern and I am speaking to my GP about it. Are there any others age 70s out there having a similar experience? If so could I here from regarding the outcome. I have no breathlessness, pain or discomfort. Some believe that cyclist have higher HR than normal?? However Atrial Fibrillation is on my mind. In anticipation thank you for any of your comments.
• Emmalee (2015)
  I am 17 and I stay pretty active but I'm not athletic. I'm not overweight either, I'm a good healthy weight for my height and age. My heart rate is occasionally very high. It spikes for no reason, I get light headed and sometimes black out. I have a headache almost everyday. Early today I was laying on the couch and noticed my heart feeling a bit fast so I used the stop watch on my phone and counted the beats- it was at least 120 bpm. Is that normal for doing nothing??
• Gail Allan (2015)
  Hi I am a 51 yr old woman who never excersised but have just joined my locel gym & my heart rate is 96 BPM and while excesising is between 140 to 150 bpm is this okay ?
• Jheath (2015)
  I have a 74 year old paralyzed male with sleep apnea... He takes frequent pauses of breathing with faint pulse of 47. Thoughts?
• Ald (2015)
  I am 45 year old female 269lbs and my heart rate after work is 98bpm is that normal
• Sarah (2015)
  I'm 20 years old, 4'7", 107 pounds. My resting pulse used to be 80-85. Now it's all of the sudden (or as far as I know) gone up to an average 97. It does go above 100 often, the highest reading being 121. That's while I'm at rest. My blood pressure used to be an average of 110/70. There's been a change in the past year of it being 95/65. Now my diastolic doesn't want to stay above 62. I would say my life is sedentary. I try not eat too much because of my height. I've had a few times where I had chest pain for a few seconds. It's all strange and scary to me.
• Sharon (2015)
  I'm 42 yrs old, 5'5", 280lbs, hypothyroid, 175mcg synthroid. My pulse is 66. I'm active at work doing a lot of walking and I'm sedentary after my 10-12hr shift. I go through bouts of eating real clean then get tired of lettuce and spinach and eat steak and potatoes my boyfriend makes. I have always been a workhorse so I felt healthier than everyone else. But after I quit smoking and a hysterectomy 2 yrs ago I have been anemic for a few years, I ballooned out and feel weak and old. I don't know if my thyroid has a part in this.
• John (2014)
  I'm a 74 male, squash player, yesterday my HR was 165 HBM in my first match which is normal and 186 BPM after walking off the court in my second match, RHR 55 HBM. should i be worried? John
• Krevtos john (2015)
  Ok, your resting heart rate is fantastic. But that 186 bpm in your second match is a bit concerning, you are not properly breathing, 186 is very extreme and should be done at 1m max. Try to breath in through your nose and out your mouth slowly even while playing.
• Lezzo (2014)
  How you doing I am 22 and I am laying down in bed and I check my heart beat and it's in the 50s is this normal? But when I get up and move it goes up to the 70s
• Amber (2014)
  29 female here are some symptoms I've been having the last couple months
  Headache, dizzy, fatigue, fell weak friend helped me, sick to stomach
  October 15 BP was 175/99 HR 155 I was sitting in car for 2 hours. No stress or caffeine. No drugs. Took about 8-9 hours to drop below 100
  Loss of taste and smell
• Jan 1 didn't get BP HR 113-134
  I was at movie theater headache began was sick to stomach. When over got up walked out of theater got dizzy fell into wall was asked if I was drunk said no I don't feel good. Checked HR in bathroom. Took Advil to help with headache. Waited an hour in parking lot, felt a little better- went home.
• Krevtos Amber (2015)
  Get medical attention right away, 8-9 hrs just to drop is concerning.
• Letitia (2014)
  I'm 17 and my heart rate at resting is 90? I'm 5 foot 3 and half inches.. 11 stone and half? I'm quite concerned about how fast my heart rate is! I'm not active as I have conditions thar affect me doing physical stuff!!
• Clarkey (2014)
  i do a lot of rowing equally about 11 sessions a week of training, my resting heartrate has gone to 40, this is when i was just lying down, i am 20 and do train a lot however 40 is quite low, is it normal?
• Help (2014)
  I have been taking a (prescription) steroid for chest constriction and sinus problems.. My normal heart rate is 50-55 bpm I am a 20 yr old female. Now that I took the first daily dose (6 pills the first day) I can cough or reajust myself without my heart fluttering to a crazy 95-97 bpm.. What should I do!?
• Krevtos Help (2015)
  Medicine is like having an expierence for the first time. If you have ever been in love your heart races, if you eat red pepper your heart starts racing. Similarly your body has this reaction to medicine. Its new, dont do anything let your body adjust.
• Dave_cornwell (2014)
  Not sure how relevant resting heart rate is to anything. Mine is 48 -55 and I am 64. I used to play lots of sport but can now only walk due to osteoarthritic knees. Haven't been able to run (jog) for five years and not been out of breath through exercising for three. Can't squat or bend legs past 90 or straighten them so no quads now. Only exercise I get is regular leisurely walking round a golf course and a couple of miles walk every few days. About a stone overweight, all around the midriff but look slim dressed! Rest of the time I am sitting at a computer reading stuff like this!
• Bbt (2014)
  im a45 year old male no smoke no drink tired all the time resting heart rate is around 94
• Monica bbt (2014)
  Its a little high but you are in the normal range.
• Alexis Megan (2014)
  I am 15 and not really active, my heart rate at night is usually 62-73 but during the day it can do as high at 110. I also get heart palpitations on the odd occasion... is this normal?
• Krevtos Alexis Megan (2015)
  Get it checked out, x-ray would be good
• Tanmay (2014)
  I am an 18 year old athlete.I have a rest heart beat of about 140 bpm. Should I be concerned and continue with my training?
• Krevtoa tanmay (2015)
  Yea, stop traininf for a bit. But before that ask your doctor first, they know more about you.
• Suzi Sumerau (2014)
  My daughter is a 27 year old, semi active person. The hospital checked her heart rate at rest this morning. It was 132 while doing NOTHING. When she was walking at 1 1/2 MPH her heart rate elevated to 179. She is overweight but did not feel any pain or anything. Is this ok? what could cause this ellevation
• Krevtos Suzi Sumerau (2015)
  Ok 1st question, does she die her hair?
  If she does make her stop asap, it contains chemicals that have known to elevate Bpm by drastic measures. This is not normal, get her exercising.
• Lauren (2013)
  I'm 16, I weigh about 99 pounds, and I'm 5'6. I was just doing some laundry and my heart rate was 150 beats per minute. Not normal...
• Krevtos Lauren (2015)
  Go to your doctor and start exercising, and gain more weight.
• Mari (2013)
  When I use the olyptical at a normal pace my heart rate is 198 after 20 mins then then my aunt makes me slow down and even though i am going so slow the olyptical wont even recognize movement my hr stays at 162, I am 16 and that rate doesnt seem healthy at all, is it?
• Krevtos mari (2015)
  198?? Thats almost maxed, go straight to a hospital and let them check it out, skip your pedestrian on this one.
• Hd (2013)
  I am recently recovering from a concussion. Since I am a athlete I am very glad to get back into it. I do not have a heart mom
  And I'm only aloud to exercise at 120 bmp at what pace can I run
• Krevtos Hd (2015)
  Jog for maybe 2-3m, (light jog), 120 is a shallpw cut off for running
• Kathy (2016)
  Im 44 female. I excercise 5 days a week and have a resting heart rate of 48
• Mike (2015)
  I'm a 17 year old male and I don't exercise often. I weigh 125 pounds and I am about 5ft 10. My heart rate is 117 bpm is this normal or something to be concerned about... Thank you!

Older Comments

• I am 16 yrs old. I am an athelete I take part in 4 sports during the year and I lift weights in the meantime and ride horses.. My average heart rate is 90+ ive been to a cardiologist and had a heart monitor (July 2012)
• An elevated resting heart rate in an otherwise healthy, fit person can be a sign of over-training. Your RHR is up because the body is continuously trying to repair the wear and tear, which takes energy. More rest or less intensity may lower your RHR without giving up any cardio capacity. (from Kevin, July 2012)
• I am a little alarmed that my resting pulse rate, laying in bed at night time, is averaging 34. I am reading here that this appears too low ... should I see my GP? ... I am 57 (from Colin Moore, July 2012)
• I've been a competetive runner most of my life & running around 30-35miles per week. Now almost 50 & have slowed down to recreartional 10-15miles @ a much lower intensity.  My resting heart rate had always run in the low 40 & now it's upper 50's. Is this normal? (from lee, July 2012)
• Male, 42, Running 1x 10km and 2x km per week - max 2000Kcal per day, 6ft2, 72kg, resting heart rate 48. Used to drink, smoke, eat poorly and no exercise. Feel much better now, physically and mentally. It's all about making (the right) choices. Good luck! Oh, running costs you nothing! So no excuse there ... (from RBA1970, July 2012)
• I am a 28 year old female, i would say my fitness is average,i am within average bmi ... my resting pulse rate is always anywhere in the 90 bpm ... today it is 97 bpm ... quite worrying as sometimes i do feel my heart beating and can get out of breat very easily. iv actually had to stop jogging as i was experiancing pain in my chest (heart) which stopped when i stopped jogging. any thoughts? (from gemma, July 2012)
• I am 17 years old on friday, technically speaking 16. My RHR is 42 bpm, tested many times over ... According to the chart I'm an extreme athelete. At a young age I was slightly chubby for a period of time but it wore off and I became skinny and fit. I used to weight train 4-5 times a week and swim regularily. I haven't been doing such things for at least 2 years. I also used to play Ice Hockey, now I just recreationally ice skate for 4-5 hours every Friday and Saturday. I walk around town now and then, I'm not really an athlete. BUT I rest at 42 BPM? (from Dimitri, July 2012)
• I'm thirteen and a track runner, I run between 2 and 3 miles 5 days a week with a resting bpm of 102 and bp 98/51. My normal exercise bpm is around 186 and bp of 100/69.Is this normal? Also sometimes you can see my shirt and neck move with my heart (or so I've been told, I can only see my shirt move.) (from Katy, July 2012)
• I am 16 years of age. Your bpm depends on a numerous amount of things. I participate in Track and Field and it is known that athletes have pretty low bpm. My resting heart rate is, sometimes lower.I do intense and excessive workouts everyday. (from Taylor B., June 2012)
• I'm 26 and pretty unfit, almost never do any cardio type exercise, yet I have a resting heart rate of 57. I'm 6-5" and around 17 stone (108 kg). Could my heart rate be explained by a slow metabolism? also I am a fairly heavy drinker/smoker. (from James, June 2012)
• I don't exercise and weigh in excess of 25 stone. I do not get out of breath easily and my resting heat rate is 55-60bpm. Does that mean I am fit ... ? (from Tommy Tucker, June 2012)
• I'm a 52 year old man and I've been cycling regularly for a year. I bought a heart monitor recently and I've been using it when I cycle and to measure my RHR before I get up in the morning. My MHR is 189 and my RHR is 54, these are averages. I know I've lost a lot of weight and my stamina has increased beyond belief, but I wouldn't consider myself an athlete although the chart that came with the monitor also 'makes me an athlete'. :-) Amazing! Exercise is very good for you! (from Thomas, June 2012)
• My bpm is about 60 I run about 4.8km 3-4 times a week, I started p90x and I have implemented a healthier diet. (from Raj, June 2012)
• A strong heart is not always a fit body, it's just good at what it does, which changes and is affected by the rest of your body, which must all be taken into effect. If you look at this chart and say "What, that's not right", there are only 2 sources of error here: the chart, or you. But sometimes, it's not always a question of who's wrong, there are anomalies that present themselves in everyones lives, especially when it comes to the human mind and body. (from Jordan, June 2012)
• I 62 and I'm dead, my BPM is 0, should I be concerned, could I become more dead. (from Bob, June 2012)
• I am not an athlete in face I don't work out at all and not overweight female. My resting heart rate can be as low as 52. I have hypothyroid. It makes me tired and cold and a host of other things. If your heart rate is really low and your not an athlete you should see a Dr. Not assume that its a good thing. (from cory, June 2012)
• I am a 56 year old male and weigh 15 stone hight is 5'9" and according to my BMI I am obese but my resting heart rate is 45 bpm, at the moment I exercise 5-6 times a week moderately, so am I healthy or obese as my BMI indicates ? (from Derek Harrison, June 2012)
• A faster heart rate is definitely NOT healthy. You can be physically fit but if your body has a good reason to compensate (for example bloodwork deficiencies of some form, low iron etc) then there is probably something wrong whether it is obvious or not. A lower heart rate is not so risky, unless you notice specific symptoms. The size of the heart tends to come into play here: a larger than average heart needs to pump fewer times per minute to transport the same volumes of blood through the body. Being larger and likely to be stronger it will operate at a higher systolic level, higher blood pressure. As mentioned numerous times the chart above is a guesstimate only of your physical health and generally is correct. Of course, if you are fat (sorry OBESE) this doesn't necessarily affect your resting heart rate although it will definitely increase your blood pressure. But then if you know you are obese surely there is no need to consult such a chart anyway ... just lose some weight. (from Ben, June 2012)
• Hi i am a 16 year old bodybuilder/martial artist, my resting heart rate is 56 is that right for my age, i have been training ever since i was 10. (from zain, June 2012)
• I am 61 years old and have a resting rate of 55. i ride a mountain bike 3 times a week for 1 hour each time. I'm 5' 8" tall and weigh 150 lbs. my heart rate while riding goes up to 154 bpm and after each ride my bpm 1s around 97 to 119. how long should it take for the rate to come down to my normal rate which is 61 to 70 bpm. (from GARY MALLINGER, June 2012)
• I'm 92 and run 18 miles a day. I eat well, lift regularly and am what my nephew refers to as "shredded". My heart rate currently sits at about 1 or occasionally 2 beats per minute. This is a direct reflection of my fitness and is most likely what you all aspire to achieve. Very well, leave any questions below. (from Suzie, June 2012)
  • 92 and you run 18 miles a day. You won't make it to 93! (from travis, June 2012)
• My resting heart rate is 42/44 bits per minute. I use to be a runner. im 26. is there any probability that my heart will stop more likery than averege guy at my age? (from tommy, June 2012)
• I'm almost 41 and jog 3 times a week (decent pace, around 10.5km/h).  I just checked my heart rate and it was 50 bpm.  I didn't know I was in such good shape! I once checked my heart rate while asleep : average was 43 and lowest was 32 bpm. (from JohnB, June 2012)
• I'm a 15 year old  195 male im fairly fit extremly healthy and i exercise every day at least 2 hours but im classified poor because my heart rate was 74 bpm at rest should i be worried also after i exercise for about 20 mins it drops to about 55 bpm (from James g, June 2012)
• I am 20 years old, play football five times a week and do a lot of running. I'm 5,7 and weigh 69 kg. when I was around 16 my heart rate would be around 50-60 resting, whereas now it rests around 70-80 resting. I didn't know if this was strange at all. I have a steady job and have taken medication for asthma all my life. (from Harry booker, June 2012)
• My resting heartrate is 53bpm, im 31, unfit, 6 foot tall, weigh about 93 kilos. dont smoke or drink, & dont do drugs, i do have an aversion to excercise cause im lazy, but ive been told i have an athletes heart rate, does this sound normal for someone who is unactive? (from bridee, June 2012)
• Hi My name is Mann, and my age is 40 I am diet conscious. I do Exercise for 1 hour daily which includes Aerobics, strength, abdominal and yoga but still my normal heart rate is always 90 or above. Please tell me is anything wrong with it. My weight is 60kg and my height is 5 feet, i am an Indian, vegetarian. I cook food in Olive oil, Fortune and mustard oil. I don't cook oily or fried, extremely rare. (from Mann, June 2012)
• I'm 29 and i have a pulse rate of 80, i'm anemic and exercise at least twice a week for 30 minutes is my high pulse rate ok. (from lorry, June 2012)
• My resting heart rate is 53. I bike 6-7 miles every morning at 6 am. Minutes after I stop, my rate goes to 80-83. I average 15-20 miles per hour. Do I need to ride longer or harder. Seems like I'm not getting a tough enough workout. I'm 68 years old, weigh 183 and am 5-8. (from DanM, June 2012)
  • DanM, a great recovery heart rate!  What is your heart rate while your working your hardest during your ride?  Do you feel like you could push harder during that time? (from JeffB, June 2012)
• I'm 33 years old, 6'2" and 15stone (210 uk pounds), male and getting back to fitness. I've been a heavy drinker for many years until 1 year ago that is, when I decided to stop drinking booze all together ! I also stopped smoking 4 months ago. I did stop both for 6 months about 3 years ago and within 4 months I went from running a half-mile and almost collapsing to doing 12-15 miles 3 times per week taking around 2.5-3hrs each time. My resting heart rate at my peak then was quite often sub-50 bpm. My post-run rate rarely topped 80. After falling from that grace and put myself back into a position to do things seriously this time, I'm taking thinngs slower. My running is now up to 3x 4miles over 3 nights and a rest day, then a bike ride of 14-20 miles and then back to 3x nights of running again. I increase my running distance by 1 mile once I can manage a pace of sub-10minutes per mile for the whole distance and then work at that distance until it's below 10 mins per mile and move on up etc. My bike rides help loads being low impact for joints but high intensity for muscle work and can blast 15miles within an hour. My current resting heart rate is 62bpm. Post workout only exceeds 100bpm if it ends in a sprint finish. Then it can hit 120bpm, but within 5 minutes of a walking rest it can go back down to about 70bpm and once fully rested it's around the 55-65bpm mark. I count myself quite lucky to have a seemingly strong and resourceful body (and mind) to be able to take advantage of both ! (from Shaun, June 2012)
• I'm 16, and my heart rate is 58. Then I retook it and it became 44. I'm 167 and weigh 54kg. I used to do netball at an average of 3 times a week for 3 hours at a time and just stopped. I'm really unfit(I get tired easily nowadays) and my heartbeat is really low. Plus, I tend to sleep alot lately.(though that may be due to my late nights.) is this normal? Or should I consult a doctor? (from Vanessa, June 2012)
• I am no athlete, but my resting HR is 41. im 19, female and workout twice a day at a moderate-vigorous intensity for 30 minutes each. i know a low HR is good, but this isn't even on the chart. (from Lilian, June 2012)
• I'm 78kg and 183cm tall. My resing heart rate is between 28-32bpm. I exercise most days but still seems low. Should i get it checked? (from Matt, May 2012)
• I'm 31 and my resting heart rate is 95.  I know that is high.  I excercise twice a week and i eat pretty healthy.  I weigh 140. Is there anything I can do to bring it down to a normal level? (from Sonia, May 2012)
• I'm a 17 yo male who exercises a lot, big runner. According to your chart, the normal heart rate for 18-25 athlete male is somewhere from 49-55, but I have been recording my bpm recently and it gets down to 43-48 bpm resting. Is that a problem? (from Zach, May 2012)
• My resting heart rate went from 66 to 100+ in the last couple of years. I'm 61 years old and my max heart rate is about 193. I can still ride my bike at 16+ mph for hours with my heart rate around 160-170 (moderate perceived effort). My body fat was hydrostaticly measured at 12% and my VO_2max was 49.8. I don't eat processed foods. I ride my bike 100-200 miles per week. My doctor gave me an EKG and said I'm fine. I'm still very concered. Should I consult a cardioligist? (from Russ R, May 2012)
• Im 18 and lying on my bed and i just tooka my heart rate and its 42, does that mean im a super athlete. And i do parkour heaps, and have muscles mass and stuff. What does it mean? (from caleb, May 2012)
• My resting heart rate is 38bpm flat. Because of my size (I am 6ft2 and 20+ stone) I am in control of any situation. I am a winner, a leader of men, a boss who demands respect in the form of song and dance. I get nods everywhere I go, like Wesley Snipes in New Jack City. I am Reborn, head doorman and recruitment salesman of the year. (from Reborn, May 2012)
• Can anyone explain what relationship there might be between the resting heart rate and blood presure.  I am 69 years of age with a resting heart beat of 50 (the chart describes this as 'athlete'; however, I also have "high" blood pressure and my doctor is prescribing less salt, less fat in the diet and more exercise, all of which I have been diligent about for more than 20 years. To a layman, these appear to be contradictry indicators.  Can anyone offer a means of 'reconciling' them, please?  Thanks, Jeff (May 2012)
• I am 74 years old, have been distance running over last 42 years, in addition to resistance weight training - do take part in official races & have a Gold Medal in the Kitty at a recent World 10k, for my age segment. (from Krishnan Thyagaraj, May 2012)
• My age is 72 what should my resting heart rate be and what should it be after doing cardiovascular exercise? (from sylvia, May 2012)
• I'm an 18 year old footballer and my resting heart rate is 96 is this bad since I run 2 miles a day and eat healthy, I'm also 6'5 with a blood pressure of 132/54 :) (from matt, May 2012)
• My resting heart rate, also checked out with the aid of a hospital fitted 24 hour worn holter, showed RHR's in the low 30s in the 32-35/36 range, the Rhrs do slip into the upper 20s at times. The TMT tests showed 100% attainment of max targeted heart rate with a MET score of 15.9, the Echocardios & ECG are normal, have had no issues during exertion/recovery/rest phases. Have a BMI of 18.6.
• And where does this chart come from? It's pretty useless as far as I'm concerned. We are all different and heart rate is not a direct indicator of fitness. Some of us have higher and some lower heart rates. The fitter we are the lower our resting heart rate will go. But this is relative to our own personal norm. Based on the above chart I must be some super hot athlete. I'm a 51 year old male with an average resting heart rate of 41 bpm. (some times as low as 36 bpm) Yes I exercise most days (since my doctor told me I had to control my cholesterol) but I'm certainly not an athlete. Not even close. (from Rudy, May 2012)
• I'm 24. Former college athlete. Run 3 mi per day at an 8 mph pace, lift weights 3x / wk, and resting heart rate hovers right around 40. Been in the high 30's on occasion when I wake up. Sometimes get a bit dizzy when I stand, I understand that can be due to low BP, but my BP is usually 120/50, so it's weird. I'm well-hydrated, too, when this happens. And I don't have aortic insufficiency. Is that normal for people with very low HR? (from Joe, May 2012)
• I always thought of myself having a high pulse rate.  Even when young and running distance track and cross country, my resting pulse never went under 70 (common for distance runners to be under 70).  As I got older I put on weight, but over the last 4 months I've lost 60 lbs, mainly by eating healthy and eliminating most meat and salt.  I do only a little exercise - 20 to 40 minutes, 5 days/week - though when I do, I work out hard.  My resting pulse, for the first time in my life drops below 60.  Feeling super! (from JimB, May 2012)
• I'm 44 and weight 160 lbs and my resting heart rate is between 45 - 47 BPM usually surprising the cardiologist. I'm in the best shape of my life right now. When I exercise hard (biking or running) i can get my rate up to 180. That is on the border of too high. Wearing a heart monitor strap is the best thing you can do for yourself to see your fitness level and work on it. (from Greg S, May 2012)
• I ran the London marathon last week in 2 hours 50 minutes and my heart rate was only 80 at the end. Do you think I should have run faster? (from Mark, May 2012)
• I'm a 43 yr old female.  My resting heart rate is 54 per min.  I run 4.5 miles, on an average 5 days a week.  My height is 5"3 .  I have lost 70 lbs in the last yr.  Should I be worried?. (from Olga PalomaresJuanpalomares, May 2012)
• I am 15 years old, play rep hockey and exercise all the time but recently have recorded high on these charts ( in the 80's). I always feel my heart beating and sometimes at the back of my head. Any suggestions? Please help (from Brandon m, May 2012)
• Everyone, please calm down about where you fall on this chart. Doctors do not care about your heart rate until it is consistently 100+ aka tachycardic. Trust me, I have tachycardia and I am always surprised when doctors don't care when my normal rate of 60 changes to 90 or 95. I went to my cardiologist one day because my heart rate had shot up to around 90. He told me it was normal for that to happen to anyone. Yes, fitness can reduce your heart rate, but don't be worried if it is below 100 bpm. (from Laura, May 2012)
• I'm 97 and run 5 miles a day im 5' 2'' and weigh 312 pound after giving birth a week go to twins but my heart is 100 should i be worried and please reply to help me name the twins (from Barbra, May 2012)
  • To Barbara - I think you should name your twin boys Pete and repeat.  Seriously! Get a life. (from Ann, May 2012)
• I'm a 25 year old male currently wearing a bowflew heart rate monitor. I work out about 3 days a week for an hour to an hour and a half. My resting heart rate is at 72 right now. I'm in decent shape am not over weight and can run about 2-3 miles at a steady pace. I have never seen my heart rate go below 70. So I do not understand how the rest of you have such a phenomenally low heart rate. That makes me wanna run non stop and work out hard to hear smokers and moms have athletic levels!!! (from Ss, May 2012)
• My resting heart rate goes to 57 and  at times 80. I HAVE BP and I TAKE MEDICINES FOR THAT .When I am on tread mill after 30 mins of exercise at 6 km/hr walk the heart rate is 120 beats/min .Is this OK?.I get amxipus and tensed too easily. I have gastritis also. (from somnath banerjee, May 2012)
• I am 65 years old.  I have been increasing my exercise in the gym and in the swimming pool over the last few months. I have noticed that my heart rate has dropped from about 65-75 bpm and is now from 55-60bpm.  Is this normal? Is my heart rate too low or is it normal for my increased fitness level? What if it drops to 50 bpm or lower? (from mike charlesworth, May 2012)
• Yeah, think your chart needs adjusted. I'm 19, drink alcohol 5-times a week, smoke around 15 cigs a day, don't go to the gym and recorded 53, athlete. Highly doubt it lol (from Mark, April 2012)
• Absolutely DO NOT consult a doctor for a NORMAL heart of 80! You will be laughed at. Read a text book, not this website or these ludicrous comments. Your heart can be explained by your fitness level but there are many other factors affecting it. (from Jai, April 2012)
• I'm 23 yrs old ... I checked my bpm 2 days ago ... it was 53 so i was diagnosed as having bradycardia but i duno if its a good thing or bad thing.. I work out 5 to 6 days per week including cardio exercises between 30 and 40min and bodybuilding also same duration ... so any help?? (from Paul, April 2012)
• I am a 23 year old female and according to your chart I am an athlete. I do exercise almost daily but I am definitely not even close to an athlete! I just had a baby 8 weeks ago and when I was pregnant, my resting heart rate was consistently 80. Now its 42. I've been to two different doctors appointments recently where both nurses commented on my low heart rate and low blood pressure. I am happy to hear my numbers are showing good health rather than poor health, but is there any explanations for having such a low resting heart rate? I'm curious because I cannot even complete a high intensity 45 minute workout so I know I'm not at athlete status! (from Chelsea, April 2012)
  • It is abnormal to have such a low heart rate and if it is accompanies by low blood pressure that can be a concern. When you went to the doctor did they do an EKG? It's possible that you may have a heart block or a sick sinus syndrome. Are you tired often? I would ask your doctor to do an EKG if they haven't already. They should really do a 24-48 hour hulter test. And also, I would get your thyroid hormone and thyroid stimulating hormones checked. (from Lisa, April 2012)
• Yep, my resting rate is 52 but I weigh 15stone, though I am reasonably fit I am certainly no athlete! Should I be worried??? (from Michelle, April 2012)
• I got to agree with Julie on this one. I am 33, weigh 196lbs, try to work out for 15 minutes a day and eat right. According to your chart I am an athlete because my heart rate is 58. I can guarantee you, try as I might, I am not an athlete! Hell, my BMI currently puts me in the obese range! I am losing weight though. (from Heidi, April 2012)
• I believe your fitness graph needs some adjusting.  I'm 37, work out 40 mins/day, 5 days a week, eat right and weigh only 110 lbs.  According to your chart, I'm in poor health because my resting heart rate is 83. Some people just have a faster heart rate than others. I don't think it should be an evaluation of health by any means. And certainly not individual fitness levels. (from Julie Hall, April 2012)
  • Your heart rate could be high because of your blood cell levels. Have you ever done blood work? I am fairly fit myself and when my resting heart rate is that high it's because my iron is low. Otherwise my normal rate sits around 67-69. (from cee bee, April 2012)
  • Julie, maybe you aren't as healthy as you think you are. How do you know you eat healthy and work out 5 days a week correctly? Just saying (from Bill Ted)
  • Your heart should not beat in the eighties during rest. Plain and simple. Make sure you are actually at rest when measuring your pulse, and make sure you aren't holding your thumb against your skin, because it has its own pulse and may make your measurements inaccurate. If you still find you are getting eighty+ bpm, you should really consult your physician. (from Reychal B. April 2012)

If you have any concerns about your heart, you should be asking your doctor who can take a full history, examine you and give expert opinion. Don't rely on comments and feedback here as medical advice.