How to Check Your Heart Rate

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Find your pulse.

   Place two fingers (your index and middle fingers) on your neck in the space between your windpipe on the front and the big muscle on the side of your neck, called the sternocleidomastoid.
   
   This is your carotid artery, and it is usually the easiest place to check your heart beat.
   
   Press lightly until you feel a pulse.Alternatively, you can place two fingers on the outer part of your inner wrist, just under where your thumb and palm curve into your wrist.
   
   This is called your radial pulse, which may be fainter or more difficult to find.
   
   You can also find your pulse by placing two fingers on the side of your wrist below your pinky finger.
   
   This is called your ulnar pulse and is usually even more faint than the radial.
2. 2

   Step 2: Count the beats.

   With your index and middle fingers pressed gently against your pulse, use a stopwatch or clock to count the beats you feel in 60 seconds.
   
   Since heart rates are calculated in beats per minute, you’ll need to know how many of your own beats you feel in one minute’s time.Make sure that you are sitting still while counting because strenuous activity can cause your heart rate to rise and give you an inaccurate reading.
   
   You can also count the beats that occur in 30 seconds and multiply by two, count the beats in 20 seconds and multiply by three, or count the beats that occur in 15 seconds and multiply by four.
   
   However, these methods aren’t quite as accurate as counting the beats for a full minute. , For a normal adult, including seniors, the average resting heart rate falls somewhere between 60 and 100 beats per minute.
   
   If your resting heart rate is consistently above 100 beats/minute, you may want to contact your doctor.If your resting heart rate is usually under 60 (and you are not a trained athlete), you should consider consulting with your doctor – especially if you ever feel faint, dizzy, or short of breath.For children under the age of ten, the average heart rate is around 75-115 beats per minute.
3. 3

   Step 3: Analyze the results.

Detailed Guide

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