Resting Heart Rate by Age: Normal RHR Chart & Ranges

Normal Resting Heart Rate by Age Chart

A normal resting heart rate falls between 60 and 100 beats per minute for teens and adults, according to the American Heart Association. Younger children and babies run faster because their hearts are smaller. The chart below shows typical resting ranges by age group.

Mayo Clinic notes that healthy adults of all ages share the same 60 to 100 bpm range. What changes with age is the chance that medicine or illness affects your reading. A steady number over time matters more than any single check. Pregnancy is one of those exceptions — resting heart rate normally rises during pregnancy as part of the body's autonomic adaptation, so a rate at the higher end of (or slightly above) the usual 60-100 range can be a normal pregnancy change rather than a concern; see our heart rate variability guide for more on how pregnancy shifts these numbers.

Resting Heart Rate by Fitness Level (Adults)

Fitter adults usually have a lower resting heart rate because their hearts pump more blood per beat. The chart below groups adult resting rates from athlete to poor. It offers a rough guide, not a medical grade.

Mayo Clinic explains that a lower resting heart rate often means a stronger, more efficient heart. Regular aerobic exercise can lower your number over weeks to months. Track changes alongside your overall metabolic health for the full picture.

What a High Resting Heart Rate Means

A consistently high resting heart rate can signal stress, poor fitness, dehydration, or higher cardiovascular risk. The American Heart Association suggests talking to a doctor if your resting rate is regularly above 100 bpm. This is called tachycardia.

Large studies link higher resting heart rates to greater risk. Research has tied higher resting rates to greater risk of death from any cause. People with resting rates above 80 bpm showed higher cardiovascular mortality.

• Poor sleep or sleep apnea
• High stress or anxiety
• Dehydration, caffeine, or some medicines
• Low fitness or chronic illness

A single high reading is often temporary rather than a true baseline shift. Caffeine, alcohol, dehydration, a recent meal, or moving around right before you measure can all push one reading above your usual number. Before assuming your resting heart rate has genuinely changed, retake it under calm, rested conditions on a few separate mornings and see if the pattern holds. A rate that's only elevated after coffee or a stressful day is different from one that stays high across repeated, controlled measurements.

Tachycardia specifically means the rate itself is fast — it doesn't necessarily mean the rhythm is irregular. A separate concern is arrhythmia: when the heart's rhythm is uneven or erratic rather than simply quick, which can happen at a normal, high, or even low rate. If your pulse feels like it's skipping, fluttering, or beating unevenly rather than just running fast, that's a different symptom from a steady-but-elevated resting heart rate, and it's worth describing specifically to a doctor since it points toward a rhythm problem rather than straightforward tachycardia.

Certain medications can also raise resting heart rate independent of stress or fitness. Stimulant medications (including some ADHD treatments), decongestants, asthma inhalers, and thyroid hormone replacement are common examples of drugs prescribed for unrelated reasons that can push heart rate higher as a known side effect. If you take one of these and notice a persistently higher resting heart rate, mention it to whoever prescribed the medication rather than assuming it reflects declining fitness or a new, unrelated problem.

A high reading is a signal, not a diagnosis. Poor sleep is a common driver, so review your sleep and recovery habits. Ongoing fatigue with a high pulse may also tie into chronic fatigue. Wearables and fitness trackers also estimate resting heart rate — for how accurate wrist-based sensors are compared to a chest strap, and whether resting heart rate or heart rate variability is the better number to track day to day, see our heart rate variability guide.

What a Low Resting Heart Rate Means

A low resting heart rate is often healthy, especially in fit and active people. Trained athletes may rest at 40 to 60 bpm because their hearts are strong and efficient. This is sometimes called athlete bradycardia and is usually safe.

A slow rate becomes a concern only when symptoms appear. The American Heart Association lists warning signs to watch for. See a doctor if a low pulse comes with these symptoms.

• Dizziness or lightheadedness
• Fatigue or weakness
• Shortness of breath
• Fainting or near-fainting

If you are not a trained athlete and your rate is often below 60 bpm, ask a clinician. A low number paired with strong recovery metrics is usually a good sign. Certain medications can also lower resting heart rate independent of fitness — beta blockers are the most common example, since they are prescribed specifically to slow the heart rate for blood pressure or heart-rhythm conditions. If you take a heart-rate-lowering medication, a low reading may reflect the drug rather than fitness, and that is worth mentioning to whoever prescribed it rather than assuming it is purely a fitness sign. Pair it with your heart rate variability for deeper insight.

How to Measure and Improve Your Resting Heart Rate

Measure your resting heart rate first thing in the morning, before getting up. Find your pulse at your wrist or neck, count beats for 60 seconds, or count for 15 seconds and multiply by four. The CDC and Mayo Clinic recommend checking when you are calm and rested.

Wearables and fitness trackers also estimate resting heart rate overnight. Consistency matters most, so measure the same way each time. A single high or low reading rarely means much on its own.

• Do regular aerobic exercise like walking, cycling, or swimming
• Prioritize 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep
• Manage stress and limit excess caffeine and alcohol
• Stay hydrated and maintain a healthy weight

Small, steady habits can lower your resting heart rate over time. Want to see how your sleep and recovery affect your numbers? Check your sleep score or take our full health assessment to get personalized next steps.

Resting Heart Rate vs. Sleeping Heart Rate: Are They the Same?

Resting heart rate and sleeping heart rate are closely related but are not automatically the same number. Resting heart rate, as covered above, is traditionally measured while you are calmly awake and not exercising — for example, sitting or lying still first thing in the morning before getting up. Sleeping heart rate, which many wearables report as its own metric, is your heart rate averaged (or at its lowest point) during actual sleep.

Because heart rate naturally dips further during deeper sleep stages than it does while you're simply resting but awake, a wearable's overnight sleeping heart rate reading often comes in a little lower than a manually counted morning pulse taken right after waking — without either measurement being wrong. They're capturing two related but distinct states, not the exact same thing measured twice.

For day-to-day tracking, either number works as long as you stay consistent: compare a wearable's sleeping heart rate to your own sleeping heart rate trend over time, and a manually measured morning resting heart rate to your own morning trend, rather than mixing the two together or comparing an overnight sleeping-heart-rate reading directly against the general 60-100 bpm resting range covered above.

What to Look For in a Sleep & Recovery Tracker

The Oura Ring and Whoop are the most accurate consumer options for sleep stages and HRV; a smartwatch (Apple Watch, Garmin) works too if you'd rather not wear a ring. Prioritize validated HRV and sleep-stage tracking over step counts, check whether it needs a subscription (Whoop does), and pick something comfortable enough to wear every night.

LOOKEE O2-Tracker Ring Continuous Pulse Oximeter - Wearable Oxygen Monitor with Vibration Reminder for Low O2 - Rechargeable Blood Oxygen Saturation SpO2 Meter - Free APP with Reports

LOOKEE

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Apollo Neuro Wearable & 12-Month SmartVibes AI Membership - Sleep Aid & Stress Relief Device (Stealth)

Apollo Neuro

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