Normal Resting Heart Rate by Age: Chart and What Yours Means

What is a normal resting heart rate?

For adults, a normal resting heart rate is 60 to 100 beats per minute. Within that range, lower generally reflects a more efficient heart. Many regular exercisers sit in the 50s, and endurance athletes are often in the 40s without any problem.

Group	Typical resting heart rate
Newborn (0 to 1 month)	70 to 190 BPM
Infant (1 to 11 months)	80 to 160 BPM
Child (1 to 2 years)	80 to 130 BPM
Child (3 to 4 years)	80 to 120 BPM
Child (5 to 6 years)	75 to 115 BPM
Child (7 to 9 years)	70 to 110 BPM
Age 10 and older, adults, seniors	60 to 100 BPM
Well-trained adult athletes	40 to 60 BPM

Ranges compiled from American Heart Association and National Institutes of Health guidance. Individual normals vary.

Resting heart rate by age and fitness (adults)

Population studies show only a small drift with age in adults. Fitness has a far bigger effect. The table below gives a rough interpretation for adults by age band; use it as orientation rather than a verdict.

Age	Athlete	Excellent	Good	Average	Below average
18 to 25	49 to 55	56 to 61	62 to 65	66 to 73	74+
26 to 35	49 to 54	55 to 61	62 to 65	66 to 74	75+
36 to 45	50 to 56	57 to 62	63 to 66	67 to 75	76+
46 to 55	50 to 57	58 to 63	64 to 67	68 to 76	77+
56 to 65	51 to 56	57 to 61	62 to 67	68 to 75	76+
65+	50 to 55	56 to 61	62 to 65	66 to 73	74+

What raises your resting heart rate

• Stress and anxiety, through adrenaline.
• Caffeine, nicotine and alcohol, especially the evening after drinking.
• Poor sleep or sleep debt.
• Dehydration and heat, since the heart works harder to move thinner blood and cool you.
• Illness and fever: roughly 10 BPM per degree Celsius of fever.
• Overtraining: an elevated morning RHR is a classic early sign.
• Medications such as decongestants, some asthma inhalers and thyroid hormone.
• Anaemia, thyroid problems and heart rhythm disorders, which need medical assessment.

What lowers it

• Regular aerobic exercise, the biggest long-term lever.
• Good sleep and consistent sleep timing.
• Slow breathing and relaxation, which raise vagal tone.
• Beta blockers and some other heart medications.
• Being very fit, or being asleep, when rates in the 40s are normal.

When to see a doctor

How to measure resting heart rate accurately

1. Measure in the morning, before caffeine, after sitting quietly for at least 5 minutes.
2. Use the same method and the same time each day.
3. Manual method: place two fingers on the inside of your wrist, count beats for 30 seconds and double it.
4. App method: open Pulse Tracker, cover the rear camera with your fingertip and hold still for 30 seconds. You get BPM plus HRV, respiratory rate and a trend over time.
5. Track the 7-day average rather than reacting to one reading.

Related: What is HRV? · Blood pressure chart · How to measure heart rate on iPhone

Wellness disclaimer. Pulse Tracker is intended for general wellness use only. It is not a medical device, is not FDA cleared or approved, and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or condition. Blood pressure shown in the app is either a value you entered from your own cuff or an estimate derived from the pulse signal after cuff calibration; it is not a measurement and must not be used to make medical decisions. Read the full wellness disclaimer. Camera readings, estimates and classifications are for general information only and can be affected by movement, lighting, skin temperature and other factors. Do not use them to diagnose, treat or make decisions about a medical condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional, and call emergency services if you have chest pain, shortness of breath, fainting or other urgent symptoms.