Resting Heart Rate Calculator / Resting heart rate
Resting Heart Rate Chart by Age UK
Enter your resting pulse to see whether it is in the usual adult range of 60 to 100 beats per minute.
Your result
Enter your numbers and press the button. Your result appears here.
What resting heart rate means
Resting heart rate is your pulse when you have been sitting or lying quietly. The American Heart Association gives 60 to 100 bpm as the usual adult range.
Resting HR = beats in 30 seconds × 2 (after 5 minutes' rest)
Fit adults often have a resting rate in the 50s. Caffeine, stress, fever, dehydration and some medicines raise it; beta blockers lower it.
In the UK
The NHS uses the same 60 to 100 bpm resting range for adults and recommends 150 minutes of moderate activity a week.
Using the table
Find your age in the table below to read your estimated maximum and target range. For a personal result, enter your own numbers in the calculator.
Resting heart rate ranges for adults
| Resting heart rate | What it usually means |
|---|---|
| Under 60 bpm | Below the usual range. Common in fit adults; see a doctor if you have dizziness or fainting. |
| 60–100 bpm | Usual adult range at any age (AHA) |
| Over 100 bpm | Fast (tachycardia). Recheck after resting; see a doctor if it persists. |
Common questions
What is a normal resting heart rate?
60 to 100 beats per minute for adults. Fit people often sit lower, in the 50s.
How do I take my pulse?
Place two fingers on the inside of your wrist below the thumb. Count beats for 30 seconds and double the number.
When should I see a doctor?
If your resting rate is often above 100 or below 50 with dizziness, fainting, chest pain or breathlessness, or if your pulse feels irregular.
Sources
- American Heart Association. Target heart rates chart; All about heart rate.
- Tanaka H, Monahan KD, Seals DR. Age-predicted maximal heart rate revisited. J Am Coll Cardiol 2001;37:153–156.
- Gulati M et al. Heart rate response to exercise stress testing in asymptomatic women. Circulation 2010;122:130–137.
- Karvonen MJ et al. The effects of training on heart rate. Ann Med Exp Biol Fenn 1957;35:307–315.
- Cole CR et al. Heart-rate recovery immediately after exercise as a predictor of mortality. N Engl J Med 1999;341:1351–1357.
- Uth N et al. Estimation of VO2max from the ratio between HRmax and HRrest. Eur J Appl Physiol 2004;91:111–115.