The normal resting heart rate of a healthy adult lies between 60 and 100 beats per minutes, quite a wide range. In fact, the range can be even wider: a resting heart rhythm below 60 implies a more efficient heart function and a healthier cardiovascular condition (this is typical of athletes, whose heart rate is around 40 beats per minute).
All you have to do to measure your heart rhythm is take your pulse. There are two ways to do this: placing one or two fingers between your wrist bone and tendon (on the artery that runs along the inside face), or your index and middle fingers on your neck, next to the trachea. Once you’ve found your pulse, count the number of beats for 15 seconds, then multiply this number by 4 to obtain the total for a minute.
Bear in mind that there are various factors than can affect your heart rate, including:
-Physical condition.
-Emotional state.
-Body size.
-Activity level.
-Room temperature.
-Body position (lying down, upward).
-Medication.
Although the normal range is quite wide, an unusually low or high heart rhythm can be a symptom of an underlying problem. Talk to your program counselor and/or doctor if your resting rate is regularly above 100 beats per minute (tachycardia), or if you’re not an athlete and it’s below 60 (bradycardia). Ask them immediately if you show other symptoms, such as vertigo, fainting and shortness of breath.
